for what you’ve got!
not much to say today but I know we will all be celebrating our days off work for this Thanksgiving holiday. Whether you are having big bird or tofurkey, candied yams or green bean casserole, be thankful for whatever it is you have! Good company, family, friends. and more importantly LIFE! and I’m out alright alright!
and of course the occasion song:
have a happy Thanksgiving! 
This is the title of one of my favorite Little Brother songs. When I heard Phonte’s second verse I immediately had a “wow if that ain’t the truth” moment. Even though I am not a man, I could totally feel his POV and had actually been there myself–a time in my life when I didn’t want to be tied down, but wanted the convenience and comfort of having a guy around. I had been told a few times by the opposite sex in the past that I think or act “like a man” and at certain points of my life I probably did.
I’m no longer there, I totally embrace being a woman in my relationships, and if that includes being emo, then I’m cool with that because I’ve learned that I benefit more from putting my thoughts and feelings out there, than trying to run game. Game recognizes game, so I can point it out quickly as well. And I’m quick to call a dude on it too. Just not how I move these days. It’s pointless, no longer my style.
anyway here’s the verse:
Sometimes I think I’m from another world (preach)
When I’m trynna tell a woman just exactly where I stand, that (aight)
I want a girl, when I want a girl
And when I don’t want a girl, I want a girl who understands that
And that’s some hard shit to explain
To a woman that’s in love with you, it’s a pitiful thing
Until I had to figure
That I don’t wanna play around, but I don’t wanna settle down
And that’s a man’s dilemma, ’cause every man remembers
How his daddy and his uncles did it
‘Cause more than likely that’s the way they’re gonna do it
I know it sound fucked up and most wont admit it
But yo, I gotta face it ’cause I know I’m living through it
‘Cause when the party stops and niggaz get old
And the chain and the cars and the houses get sold, and that
Other side of the bed gets cold, you don’t wanna be alone
So girl I’m trynna hold you…
The entire song is fire though “…lady you should be…right here next to me, just come around, I’ll slow it down just for you…”
Happy Thursday friends!!!!
here’s a mix of some throwbacks on this fine Thursday. I took a few skips on the iPod to find this one. This is one of the first really long collabo tracks I can remember. and its classic–would I give you anything else?
I mean can it get any better than De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Jungle Brothers, Monie Love and Queen Latifah?
NATIVE TONGUES GOT RHYMES GALORE!!! that was one of my favorite lines in the song. LOL
“soon as he buy that wine, I just creep up from behind…”
One of the best using the “Between the Sheets” sample. This song is one you will ALWAYS get your two step on to when you hear it. makes you wanna party just like they are in the video….we gon’ do what we came to do, aint that right boo? TRUE!!!!!
“yeah nig what makes you different than the next nigga, seen you last week and you couldnt’ even SPEAK…” I still know this entire rap like its 1992. LOL Classic MJB, classic Grand Puba. “if you aint wit it then don’t waste your time at all..so whats the 411, huh?”
“If I ruled the world and everything in it, sky’s the limit, I’d push a Q-4-5 Infinit…” It Was Written is one of my favorite Nas albums. Watching this video just makes me miss L Boogie even more, but already posted about that. moving on…
seriously LL doesn’t get a lot of props from most but this is one of my favorite hip hop songs EVER. I can’t even describe the feeling I get when this song randomly comes on but it makes me hype in a way totally different than maybe a Back Dat Azz Up or other crunk songs. This was my so hype “I’ma just mean mug, rap the lyrics, and bop” song. Now many Jay classic invoke that in me, but this was the first. This video showed me what SWAG was before that word was ever in my vocabulary. If I play this song it automatically puts me in an “I can accomplish anything” mood. because well, I’m bad…
I got a gold name plate that says “I wish you would”…
The baddest rapper in the history of rap itself…
I’m the best taking out all rookies, so forget Oreos, eat Cool J cookies!
the post below is from Tunde, of Like A Dream. We pretty much talk on a daily basis about music of some sort. I hadn’t really given Ryan Leslie much of a chance in the past so I wasn’t pressed to hear the new CD, honestly. I liked some the singles put out from the first CD, but I wouldn’t consider myself a fan. I even expressed to Tunde that “all his songs sound the same”. It has to do with his vocal range and the “sound” he has. its not really diverse as a…..Raheem. But then again y’all know I stans for Raheem. Anyway check his review and I’ll give my feedback at the end–since I’ve been bumping Transition for the past weekend.
Ryan Leslie’s second album entitled Transition, hits stores on November 3, 2009. I was a fan of his self titled debut album but I was skeptical of this album for a couple of reasons. First, I hoped he didn’t fall victim to the sophomore slump that a lot of artists usually suffer. Next, I really wasn’t feeling his first single, ‘You’re Not My Girl’. It really took a second for the song to grow on me. Last, it took R Les 4 years to work and complete his debut album. Transition took only nine months for him to record and release with no push backs. I worried that he may have rushed in putting this album together.
Listening to the album it’s definitely not better than his first. It’s not worse but I think he made a parallel move. The beats on the album are dope. I really like his laid back beats and while he doesn’t have the best voice he across as trying too hard. Transition covers the myriad of emotions that you might experience in a relationship. The false sense of she is perfect during that infatuation is covered in tracks ‘Nothing’ with lyrics like “…without you I’d be nothing at all.” and ‘Never Gonna Break Up’. He even covers the break up part of a relationship in ‘Promise Not 2 Call’ “…I feel we were wrong right from the very start…”
Overall I like the vibe of the album. My favorite track would have to be ‘Something That I Like’ ft. Pusha T. This beat sounds like it belongs on Hell Hath No Fury album. R Les tells a story of this woman that he likes and everything he likes about her. It’s nothing groundbreaking but I like the message because I can relate to the song. Pusha T also comes through and rips the beat. “…The CL’s waiting as soon as the plane lands, to ball on the city is the game plan…any given Sunday its Project Runway, something that I like and I gotta have her one day…”
I give Transition a solid B.
Reecie’s feedback: I still stand by my feelings on RLes, but its a decent CD. My favorite tracks are Nothing, Zodiac, Something That I Like, Rescue U, and Never Gonna Break Up. I’ll agree with the B grade, I’m glad I didn’t buy this though. I have also revisited the first CD and I haven’t decided if it’s better or on equal playing field.
Those that have heard it, leave your feedback in the comments section! Are you a big RLes fan? Am I sleeping for not really drinking the kool-aid–I mean I’m sipping it slowly, is that not enough?
“I don’t need nothing else, all I need is you; why don’t you just stay with me?!”
I didn’t know there was a video for this song! I looooove this song! my favorite by NeYo. His first CD was such a banger!
I think this was his first video, but So Sick became a bigger single. I dont know why–they played that song OUT. but this one?! road trip banger!!!!
cause i love to turn you on
your like my favorite song
with out you would be wrong
forever and always
that you know
what you do for me
love you your my melody
wearin my heart on my sleeve
your all i need
i just can’t help myself
i just can’t help myself
i dont need nothing else
all i need is you
Ne-Yo has come a long way right? I still prefer his first CD the best! This song makes me happy
“Somethin he could recognize, somethin he could feel…”
yo!
Life… ain’t meant to come around twiiiice
Yeah, that’s why I gotta get it right
They said I got it honest now I gotta give it LIFE
But sleep on it, that’s why God give you night
I mean, I had a dream that, God gave me FLIGHT
Too fly for my own good so, God gave me plight
If I wake up in the mornin now I gotta give ‘em SIGHT
^^this is probably one of my favorite hip hop verses ever.
The game is not to give ‘em nuttin REAL..
real…real… real… real
Nothin they could use, nuttin that they could FEEL..
feel… feel… feel… feel
Give ‘em a bunch of lies and teach ‘em that it’s REAL..
real… real… real.. .real
So that’s all that they a-know
That’s all that they a-feel… feel… feel… feel
Struggle… yeah yeah, another sign that God love you
Cause on the low, bein po’, make you humble
Keep they names in my rhymes to try and keep them out of trouble
Cause bein po’, also teach you how to hustle
All they want is some shoes or some rims for they bubble
Now that I got my own, I can hit them with a couple
Couple, my homies so they ain’t got no reason to cuff you
That’s my plan, if I can, on the man, up above you
its not my favorite Lupe song, but its up there. I remember the first time I heard it like. WOW.
Food & Liquor was one of those CDs that I liked immediately. but my favorite track on there is hands down, Hurt Me Soul: can’t describe how much I love this song…
Now I ain’t tryna be the greatest
I used to hate hip-hop… yup, because the women degraded
But Too $hort made me laugh, like a hypocrite I played it
A hypocrite I stated, though I only recited half
Omittin the word “bitch,” cursin I wouldn’t say it
Me and dog couldn’t relate, til a bitch I dated
Forgive my favorite word for hers and hers alike
But I learnt it from a song I heard and sorta liked
Yeah, for the icin, glamorized drug dealin was appealin
But the block club kept it from in front of our buildin
Gangsta rap-based filmings became the buildin blocks
For children with leakin ceilings catchin drippins with pots
Coupled with compositions from Pac, Nas’s “It Was Written”
In the mix with my realities and feelings
Living conditions, religion, ignorant wisdom and artistic vision
I began to jot, tap the world and listen, it dropMy mom can’t feed me, my boyfriend beats me
I have sex for money, the hood don’t love me
The cops wanna kill me, this nonsense built me
And I got noooo place to gooo
They bomb my village, they call us killers
Took me off they welfare, can’t afford they health care
My teacher won’t teach me, my master beats me
And it huuurts me soulI had a ghetto boy bop, a Jay-Z boycott
‘Cause he said that he never prayed to God, he prayed to Gotti
I’m thinkin godly, God guard me from the ungodly
But by my 30th watchin of “Streets is Watchin”
I was back to givin props again and that was botherin
By this uncomfortable as a untouchable touchin you
The theme songs that niggas hustle to seem wrong but these songs was comin true
And it was all becoming cool
I found a condom on the ground that Johns would cum into and thought
What constitutes a prostitute is the pursuit of profit then they drop it
The homie in a suit pat her on the butt, then rock it
It seems I was seein the same scene adopted
Prevalent in different things with the witnesses indifferent to stop it
They said don’t knock it, mind ya business
His business isn’t mine and that nigga pimpin got it
I know I nearly posted the entire song but its THAT FIRE. Food & Liquor is full of other great tracks like Sunshine–“fresh to death she is, from her steps to her sex, she is…” Also Daydreaming, Kick Push, What it Do, and I Gotcha. And his sophomore release The Cool was just as good, faves being Go Go Gadget Flow, Dumb it Down, Intruder Alert, Superstar, and Hip Hop Saved My Life. One of my fave unreleased mixtape tracks are Gangsta Gangsta ft. Ness and And He Gets the Girl (dopeness-click link if you’ve never heard it!).
but enough of my faves, tell me those two songs above weren’t lyrically and sonically on point. I miss Lupe personally. I think he kinda started this new wave of “backpacker” hip hop. Whatever you call it, its great. need new music dude!
writing this post just reminded me that I used to pretty much be a Lupe stan…
this is one sexy song. and no, its not Trey Songz “I Invented Sex”
this one is one of the reasons I was loving on some Drake hard, before he blew up and errythang that is.
Come right here.
Put your bag down.
Took a night off for you.
Go ahead and turn the light off, but keep your heels on.
They’re fitting for what I’m about to do.
Ooh Oh Oh Oh.
No you ain’t explaining how you want it done
Just be quiet Ill do fine without your help, girl.
Any work without a second for some fun.
Now you finally got a moment to yourself girl.
And I know what to do with it, and I know what to do with it.
I know to do with it, I know what to do with it.
First time I heard this I wanted Drake to show me what he ‘was gonna do with it’. Just sayin!
PAUSE!
I really liked Estelle’s CD! so thats what I’m revisiting this AM. I wonder why it seems like she hasn’t made any music for a long time–this project only came out in 2008. I think we have become so accustomed to artists constantly being in the limelight that I’ve forgotten what its like to actually not be all over the TV when you don’t have a new project coming out. My thought is when you make dope music you don’t have to keep putting out stuff, its only when your music is mediocre you have to make a lot of it to keep yourself on folks minds, like Beyonce Gucci Mane and other random people we have been bombarded with.
So Estelle, like Jazmine Sullivan had a huge buzz around them surrounding their debut projects because of who they were affiliated with (and in Estelle’s case not debut but first released in the US), then their projects came out and you never ever really saw them again. I seriously blame the Rihannas and Beyonces of the world, that have more presence than they do vocal ability–and presence could mean famous husbands/boyfriends, great choreography and/or great stylists, which therefore provides star power behind them and its like, nobody else can shine!
speaking of shining…so did you like Estelle’s Shine? I like that she can sing and rhyme, reminds me of Lauryn Hill. I think she has the talent to be way bigger than she is.
below is a vid of her feature with one of my fave hip hop duos Kidz in the Hall from their last project The In Crowd
if you never really got into Estelle, I implore you to check out Shine! some real bangers on there, really good music. 2008 was a good music year. 2009 is almost over and I think its been a year of too much hype and not enough good music thus many disappointments, to be honest.
let me tell what I aint…
I ain’t no ordinary nigga
Look around, this ain’t what ordinary gets you
Extraordinary figures
I’m an extra-ordinary nigga
I love this song!!!!
so I was reading the comments of my last post about Jay and BP3 in particular and I decided to listen to my Jay playlist to see what would pop out as some of my favorites versus songs I didn’t like for whatever reason. So in my search of a more recent Jay since he did say ”Hov on that new shit, Niggas like how come, Niggas want my old shit, buy my old albums” I didn’t want to pick anything TOO old. I understand growth, you can’t rap about hustlin your entire life–but for me its not even what you say but HOW you say it, and a song is more than lyrics (I know, right, coming from me. lol) so if it doesn’t flow right for me, the cadence and production, its just a bit off I’m immediately not a fan. But THIS song, is it.
I love American Gangster but this is hands down my favorite song on that project, and it has actually made my top 10–i can’t possibly only have 10 favorites by him? its just…does it for me.
two of my favorite artists: Amerie and Wale.
Granted, I’ve only heard the Wale once thru, but its definitely not as good as his previous mixtapes, or even the very last Back to the Feature, and that one didn’t even get a lot of love. I can’t imagine anyone that hated that, that loves Attention Deficit. if they do…then well I’ll just chalk it up to questionable ears? I dunno, we all like what we like.
now that Love & War? eh. I have no more words, despite I had high hopes. I have all her other CDs but I won’t be purchasing this. sorry Am.
I spoke on my last disappointment post on BP3 and Ready. I can say now that BP3 grew on me but I still don’t really like Ready. I prefer I Gotta Make it, Trey Day and Anticipation.
now BP3?! my faves are:
Already Home (which I did NOT like immediately), A Star is Born (love J. Cole), Thank You, Empire State of Mind, So Ambitious, Real As it Gets, and On to the Next One. Still hate Hater and iffy about What We Talkin About. **edited for correction, this song isn’t terrible, just not my favorite kinda Hov**
maybe I’ll be able to say the same about the Wale and Amerie projects in a few weeks.
if someone can suggest their faves on both of these thus far, please let me know and maybe I’ll have to do an “intense listen” to feel them.
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