Kanye West hasn’t even formally released his new album, The Life of Pablo, yet and already it’s causing controversy. During his live album release party slash Yeezy Season 3 fashion show at Madison Square Garden today, one of Kanye’s new tracks contained a “jab” at Taylor Swift. You know, the same Taylor Swift who Kanye stole the mic from at the VMAs….
Kanye raps, “I feel like me and Taylor still might have sex, I made that bitch famous.” Whoh, Kanye!
But before you grab your pitchforks, and let Kanye totally have it, which on the surface seems very easy to do this time, you’ll be surprised to learn that Kanye actually gave T-Swift a heads up on the lyric. According to TMZ, a source close to Swift says that Kanye called her personally, months ago, to tell her about the song and reference in advance. So although she may not have totally co-signed the lyric, let’s all lighten up and all wait until TLOP officially released (and hopefully soon).
Luxury Rap. This is what happens when two of pop-culture’s most identifiable and revered artists come together to make an EP that vibes so well it soon becomes a full length album debuting at hotels, museums and planetariums alike. Jay Z and Kanye West have long been in the public’s eye, whether for their music or more personal affairs. The success stands them on an elevated podium from which they are able to peer down and establish or destroy trends so the rest of us can go on living our lives thinking we are cool. Not a bad place to be. For us mortals, we remain grounded and are coerced by images of grandeur into doing the one thing they want us to, Watch The Throne.
This album is a success no matter how you look at it. Commercially, it has sold nearly two million copies and it contains enough of each artist’s handiwork to sonically ascertain their legacies. The production is where this project shines through most aptly. Each track is lush and expansive with an army of top producers attached to the credit list. This may very likely be the album with the most expensive and creatively used samples ever. From the entrancing Indiggo Twins sample on ‘Murder To Excellence’ to the ridiculously awesome and soulful chops of Otis Redding’s voice used on ‘Otis’, nothing is in its proper place, and thank the lord because it sounds fantastic.
The scope of the project is gigantic. Take the opening track for example, ‘No Church In The Wild’ verifies Jay and Kanye’s refusal to relinquish the control of their lives to any God. It’s harshly funky synths isolate their raps and twist Frank Ocean’s vocals into a dark chant. They take time to do a little of everything on this project. Reflecting on their rocket-like ascension to success on ‘Lift Off’ couple the undeniably fun braggadocio that Kanye and Jay make sound so good with a very catchy Beyonce hook. It starts with enough brass wind instruments to take you back to ‘Touch The Sky’ era Kanye.
Lyrically, the album and duo sounds best when they are boasting about their success or poking fun at white corporate America on ‘Gotta Have It’. They aren’t afraid to layer in some socially conscious talk about being a good father, the struggles of black women and women’s image in society in general. But right when you start thinking about how much fun ‘Otis’ and ‘Niggas In Paris’ were a few tracks ago, one of the album’s best instrumentals and some of the most memorable bars are dropped on ‘Who Gon Stop Me’. The synths sweep across the electronic/house backdrop and the verbal pacing is veteran if anything.
To put it simply, this album has everything that we have come to expect from these two master class musicians; expansive lyrical artillery, uncontainable energy, production that manages to root itself in history yet be ‘in the moment’ and forward thinking all at once. It gives us all this and so much more in the form of playful camaraderie between the two. While they have worked together countless time before this album was even a thought to them, something about the process they underwent while creating this project churned out very gratifying results. It is the Kanye and Jay Z album we all needed and definitely the one everyone deserved.
There’s no denying Common’s royalty status in hip-hop culture. His street mentality combined with his complex lyrical divulging has made him one of the most respected emcees of all time. The appeal is similar to that of fellow rapper, Nas. They bend stories of love, drugs and watching (or partaking in) gangbanging from street corner to street corner and they take ownership of their words, making their experiences visible to those of us who never lived that lifestyle. Common has always been a strong proponent of social justice and education, often using his albums as outlets to depict the hypocrisies and tragedies inherent in society. This is no exception to his seventh and first number one album, Finding Forever.
No doubt following in the footsteps of his previous album, Be, Common again partnered with Kanye West to try and take their success in stride and keep a solid equation unchanged. And, for the most part, they succeeded. The best thing about Be when it came out, was its fusion of Kanye’s lively, soulful and aggressively sampled beats and Common’s staple vocal presence and wit. Apart, it was no secret that Kanye was an incredible producer and Common was next to none when it came to rapping. The experimentation with that album came only at the cost of however much time they put into it. There was no misstep to be found, it was as though they had found and pulled out King Arthur’s sword together. So naturally, why wouldn’t they think they could do it again?
This time around, it was as though they made the same album in a much grittier part of Chicago, where soundboards were missing knobs and studio walls were covered in mattress foam for insulation. The album sounds great and is produced fantastically, but the beats are harsh and Common is much more aggressive here. As he classifies it on, ‘The Game’, this time, Common is rocking “the demeanor of the ghetto”. The sample game is still strong with Kanye here. On ‘Drivin’ Me Wild’ with Lily Allen, he features a sample of her own voice behind her beautifully elevated chorus and Common’s depictions of a woman obsessed with the gold digger lifestyle and a guy who had no idea where his life was headed. Right after we get a Will.I.Am produced track that samples a classic Bob James song on the smooth, ‘I Want You’. It is darkened by the eerie sense of longing provided by the echoing sample. Words like “linger” and “gone” are released by Common with regret.
The dark grittiness is in full effect when Kanye and Common spit about their hometown in full-defense mode as though their is an army standing at the gates trying to take it, over a distorted guitar riff and separated drum hits. This defense switches to Common stepping back and having more of a realist’s perspective on, ‘U, Black Maybe’. He understands the adversity the black community faces and the obstacle thrown at them in this city they feel tied to. The Stevie Wonder sample is fantastic by the way and Common’s monologue at the end is inspiring, no matter what color you bare. An homage to J Dilla on, ‘So Far To Go’ provides that bit of light this album hasn’t seen much and while it is a great song, it just doesn’t entirely fit well here. Then we get back to West’s productions on ‘Break My Heart’ and its light horns match with Common’s lightly comical words about the journey a relationship takes.
Then we are taken back to the dark, ‘Misunderstood’, city streets of Chicago and end on and incredibly soulful note, where Common again acknowledges the darkness in the world but settles contently on the fact that it will all be alright. This is the beauty behind a person like Common. Time and time again he has put out albums that tread over gang-torn concrete and crumbling communities but knows it’s our city and our world and we are the only one’s who can change it. Through love, awareness and education Common tells us stories that teach, uplift and sound fantastic (Thank you too Kanye).
Kanye West is really on a whole different level with his new album, now renamed WAVES. Although Mr. West is known as one of the “less shy” artists in the music world (for lack of better words), he often stays away from rap beef, no matter who calls him out. He will lash out on Jimmy Kimmel or Nike, but he almost never goes in on rappers. Being an artist as big as Kanye, rappers left and right will release diss tracks and throw shots on Twitter, but time and time again, Kanye avoids it all.
Not today however… After Wiz Khalifa took to social media to critique Kanye’s use of the title WAVES, saying essentially that it is a rip off of Harlem, NY rapper Max B (who popularized the term “wavy”), Kanye has responded to his ex-girlfriend’s husband, Wiz Khalifa.
Calling out Wiz Khalifa for ripping of Kid Cudi, having a corny first single in ‘Black & Yellow’, told him a stripped trapped him (Amber Rose), reminded him that no one has listened to a Wiz Khalifa album all the way through, and even told Wiz he wouldn’t have a kid if not for him, Kanye went all out on Wiz, in a way he has never done to a rapper before! Although he did compliment Wiz’s style…
Check out Kanye’s 17 friendly reminders to Wiz Khalifa below!
Swish, we have some bad news, Swish is never coming out. Don’t worry though because as Kanye tends to do, he simply changed his forthcoming album’s title.
Now titled, WAVES, after the album’s third track,Kanye’s new LP is still coming out February 11th, it still will be the “best album of life” and it still will be performed live at Madison Square Garden. “Swish” no will give company to “So Help Me God” and “Good Ass Job” and all other scrapped Kanye album titles.
Week 2 of Round 2 of Kanye West’s highly anticipated GOOD Fridays is finally here, and despite a brief (3 day) delay this week definitely delivered. Following the release of his ‘Real Friends’ record, which was loved by critics and fans alike, this week Kanye blessed us all with the full version of his Kendrick Lamar collaboration ‘No More Parties in LA’.
Kanye’s new album Swish, his first LP since his game-changing 2013 album Yeezus, is only a few weeks away. And if Ye’s first two GOOD Friday tracks of 2016 are indication of what the new album sounds like, then we cannot wait for February 11th.
GOOD Fridays are back in 2016! And to get things back started with a bang, this week gives us two new awesome tracks from Kanye West. The new records, titled ‘Real Friends’ and ‘No More Parties in LA’ are exactly what we have been waiting for from Kanye. ‘No More Parties in LA’ also brings us a highly anticipated collaboration between Kanye and Kendrick Lamar, who first linked up when Ye invited Kendrick on his critically acclaimed Yeezus Tour.
New collabs with Sia, the return of GOOD Fridays, and headlining The Governors Ball, Yeezy season is officially back! Unfortunately though, the version of ‘No More Parties in LA’ that Kanye released on Soundclound (which has since been deleted) is just a sample, of what may be one of the best records that rap will see in 2016.
Listen to “Real Friends” and “No More Parties in LA” here.
Although New York’s premiere music festival doesn’t kick off until June, just days after Coachella announced its 2016 lineup, so has The Governors Ball. And while The Governors Ball may not have the A-list reunions that fans will see in Indio this year, where Coachella dropped the ball, the governor picked right up. Headlining The Governors Ball this year will be none other than Kanye West, which is sure to be an energetic and talked about performance, especially since Coachella and potentially Bonnaroo (if rumors are true) will have no rap headliners this year.
Kanye surely won’t be the only big name traveling to New York this summer though, as The Governors Ball has also invited huge acts like The Killers, The Strokes, Beck, Robyn, Haim, Death Cab For Cutie and more. Fans will also see a variety of supporting acts too, with performances from Father John Misty, Vic Mensa, Action Bronson, Big Grams, Circa Waves, Eliot Sumner, Gary Clark JR. Miguel, and Vince Staples to name a few.
The Governors Ball takes place June 3-5 on Randall’s Island in New York City and you can get your tickets nowbefore they are all gone!
It’s been a long time since we have been blessed by Lord Yeezus, but just before the end of 2015 Kanye West surprised us all and released a new track. The surprise record, titled ‘Facts’, is rap directed at Nike, over a re-work of Drake and Future’s ‘Jumpman’. While we still are very patiently awaiting Kanye’s forthcoming and highly anticipated album Swish, this should tide us over for awhile (hopefully not too long though).
The Early Registration 