Check out some of the latest happenings in hip-hop!
Macklemore broke the awkward silence he was sitting in for the past year, with the release of “White Privilege II”. While the song wasn’t eye opening for me, I think it’s safe to say it will be exactly that for a good number of Mack’s fanbase. It’s an interesting track, especially considering Macklemore’s current status as a straight-to-radio emcee. At the very least, this is going to stir up some beneficial dialogue.
Meek Mill and 50 Cent got into some beef over social media, as rappers today do, and Meek Mill offered to donate $50,000 dollars to Flint, Michigan. This didn’t seem to phase 50, who went right back to throwing together memes calling Meek a sh*thead. It does seem petty on Meek’s end because 50 isn’t necessarily a stranger to working with charities. However, 50’s responses could be seen just as low brow. You can scroll through both rappers’ instagram accounts and make your own judgment.
Unfortunately, this week will go down as the time that Clarence “Blowfly” Reid passed away. One of the most innovative Hip Hop artists, Clarence forever changed the course of Hip Hop with his zany style of rap balanced with serious musical talent. From The Knockturnal we wish Clarence’s family and friends the best in this time.
https://soundcloud.com/mickjenkinsmusic/mick-jenkins-feat-badbadnotgood-on-the-map-cover-reworked
Also this week, Mick Jenkins came through with a new track with BBNG on the production. BBNG has given themselves quite the reputation of interworking their nostalgic style with a wide variety of emcees, the most impressive probably being the track “Ray Gun” with Ghostface Killah and MF DOOM. Speaking about “On The Map” in particular, Mick fits really well over the BBNG soundscape, while also shifting his flow ever so slightly to match the beat.
Ferg debuted a collaboration track with Future, showing an interesting step in sound for the A$AP Mob emcee. Known for his tough but entertaining music, “New Level” is a more serious deviation. The production, while traditionally loud and boisterous, is weird enough to feel experimental. Ferg delivers his verse and hook with a lot of strength, and Future comes through as a solid addition to the track.
https://soundcloud.com/nonamegypsy/all-i-need-feat-spzrkt
NoName Gypsy also dropped a lovely track with SPZRKT. Though originally known for being a feature on Chance’s “Lost”, NoName has been showing she is so much more than just a feature artist. Her solo content is lyrically hefty and the Chance boost will hopefully direct listeners to her court.
In news that is sure to cause a lot of hype and speculation, Domo Genesis announced that his upcoming album is finished. The contents aren’t exactly well known, if Domo’s recent features are anything to go off of, this should turn out to be a dope record. Working alongside Freddie Gibbs, Madlib, and even Alchemist is sure to have boosted his skills as an emcee.
In speaking to Rolling Stone, RZA announced that “the wheels are in motion” for an Ol’ Dirty Bastard Biopic. Among the fanbase there are mixed feelings concerning this announcement. While a biopic on ODB is exciting at face value, the eclectic Wu-Tang member had a difficult past that is all but flattering. Of course this can all be ignored in the biopic but that defeats the point of a “biopic”.
After the release of “No More Parties in L.A.” Kanye posted the following tweet that seems to be hinting at further collaborations with Kendrick and Madlib. The aforementioned track was an absolute monster in both vocals and production so I can only expect good things from this recipe.
http://www.audiomack.com/song/akonswils/ride-solo
The Game returned to the studio to throw out more Compton memories over some beautiful piano based production. The way he flows over this simple track is reminiscent of a spoken word piece more so than a Hip Hop track. It does feel like an add-on to the Documentary 2 and 2.5 series but a good one at that and is definitely worth the listen.
Cam’ron also came through on a throwback track, speaking on the struggle of getting his career off the ground. Between this and the track he dropped last year, it seems like Cam might be ready to come through on a new album sometime soon. He still sounds inspired and as fresh as ever. He’s definitely got some stories in him ready to be put on wax.
Last and least, Stacey Dash made some interesting comments suggesting that BET is equally segregative as the Oscars. She also said that there shouldn’t be a Black History Month as it is also segregative. There is a huge list of reasons these are ill conceived and incorrect opinions. Charlemagne decided to lay into Stacey making her the Donkey of the Day on Power 105.1.