Album of the Year 2016 #21: Blu & Fa†e - Open Your Optics to Optimism - HipHop | HipHop Channel

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Album of the Year 2016 #21: Blu & Fa†e - Open Your Optics to Optimism - HipHop

Album of the Year 2016 #21: Blu & Fa†e - Open Your Optics to Optimism - HipHop

Album of the Year 2016 #21: Blu & Fa†e - Open Your Optics to Optimism

Posted: 30 Jan 2017 10:56 AM PST

Artist: Blu & Fa†e

Album: Open Your Optics to Optimism

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Background:

After previously collaborating on a song in 2013, Los Angeles rapper and producer, Blu, and San Diego producer, Fa†e, joined forces in 2016 to deliver their own album, an experimental, atmospheric record titled, Open Your Optics to Optimism. OYOTO makes for a smooth and thought provoking listen, tackling themes that deal with the depths of space, the history of human existence and most notably, the way we think about reality. Fa†e's roomy, ambient production allows Blu to explore familiar territory, contemplating different outtakes on the world and expressing his thoughts on the nature in which we exist.

OYOTO marks the latest addition to Blu's catalog in a year which he released four EPs. An underground veteran, he has quietly compiled a lengthy discography, which includes his memorable debut, Below the Heavens, the experimental, York (originally titled, NoYork!), and six installments of a mixtape series titled, Soul Amazing. While Blu has never garnered significant commercial success, his reputation as a crafty, thought provoking lyricist has made him one of the most notable talents on the West Coast underground scene in recent memory.

The other half of the duo, Fa†e, is a producer based out of the San Diego area. His track record is brief, but his unique production style grabbed the attention of Blu back in 2013, and the two would end up collaborating on a song titled, "The Last Stop", for Fa†e's debut album, The Night Bus Home. Prior to OYOTO, Fa†e released a project titled, Broken Bones, with vocalist Savannah Moreau, under the moniker O†ion, in which he first began to develop the spacey, ambient aesthetic that would later become the theme of the production on his next album.

In an interview with 2DOPEBOYZ, Blu and Fa†e dive further into their collaborative process, touching on their inspirations for the album and how the final product came to be. Fa†e developed a soundscape that was not only abnormal, but ethereal, and his production naturally inspired the creative energy behind the album. Blu explains how the beats that Fa†e was feeding him put him into a creative space that felt like being in "outer space" and "under water"; this would be the driving force in Blu's thought process when it came to his songwriting throughout the album.

The project was officially released in September of last year on Florida-based label EveryDejaVu; it was made available on multiple streaming platforms, including physical copies on cassette and vinyl on Bandcamp. The album sports features from Cehryl, Sene, Milo and Open Mike Eagle, among others.

Review:

Over the course of his career, Blu has always been fond of teaming up with one producer when working on his next project. He's released numerous EPs and full length albums with the likes of Bombay, Exile, Madlib, Mainframe, Nottz and now Fa†e. Some fans would argue that Blu's discography is awfully inconsistent, but this formula rather, is solid and dependable; OYOTO is short (26 minutes in length), concise and cohesive. Sonically, it blends into an enjoyable listen that feels like a slow, controlled ride through space and its different dimensions. The shifts in instrumentation throughout each song feel less like conventional rhythms and more like subtle turns along an audio asteroid belt headed for a new planet. The batch of beats that Fa†e leaves for Blu to work with suit the emcee well; they have a quiet energy, and where they lack substance, the rapper's cosmo-analytics become the main focus.

The album opens with "Think", a short cut that sees Blu rapping in riddles and weird one liners. His opening line, "Where does a thought come from, mind it one times one equals one," sets the tone for the main theme expressed throughout the project. The second track, "His Story", a four-minute epilogue recounting the most important moments in earth's history, from the forming of Pangea, to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, to Barack Obama's inauguration as President, gives some perspective to the thoughts Blu articulated on the previous song, and also sets a base for the rest of the record. This recollection of history and mankind is backed by a slow, euphoric, woozy beat; although it wasn't an actual song, I thought it was a great fit for the track and made the storyline feel dramatic.

On the next track, "Otionography", Blu continues his commentary on earth, at times diving further into its physical nature, referencing the study of the ocean and its depths. This is where I believe he really starts to get his overall message across, which is that there are infinite possibilities in life when you allow yourself to open up your mind. His songwriting is sort of unconventional, but it's through the references he makes that he establishes his premise. The line, "ninety nine percent living space, dive in deep into your mental state," compares the depths of the ocean floor to the way people think; he's not just implying that many of us are close-minded, but also proposing that we have a lot to gain by viewing things from different perspectives.

The theme switches from earth to space in the tracks, "Higher" and "UFO". Fa†e's production creates a spacey atmosphere by fusing together some cloud rap and rattling high hats. The last two songs on the album, "Oblivia" and "Thought", happen to have my favorite beats out of the entire project. The former, is a nice change of pace, with a fun, upbeat instrumental. Milo kicks the song off with an artsy verse before Open Mike Eagle drops in for a charismatic sixteen of his own. The latter, has another atmospheric beat, and a hook that echoes long after the song is done, simply saying, "What you think about?". In a way, it ends up being the OYOTO anthem.

After listening to this record, it's pretty easy to make comparisons to Below the Heavens and some of Blu's other projects, in terms of the themes expressed in the music. Where I draw the difference, is that in the past Blu has taken the form of a prophet-like figure who passes down beliefs about our existence. However, on this album he's not necessarily declaring what is and what is not. His approach is more philosophical then religious. He still poses difficult questions, but instead, he is challenging listeners to open their minds, seek knowledge, and determine what they believe in for themselves. On the surface, this album may seem like a bunch of nonsense; it may come across as a lot of rapping about deep subjects, but lacking any real meaning. In my opinion, Blu's ambiguity attests to the fact that we [humans] know so little about time and space; the universe is colossal, and his point is that viewing life through a more optimistic lens creates endless possibilities.

Both artists' career trajectory, the album's complex subject matter and left field thought process indicate that this type of a project may not be a one-time deal for these guys. I have always been a big Blu fan, and personally, I really enjoyed the overall aesthetic of this project. Therefore, I would certainly welcome another collaboration from him and Fa†e with open ears and an open mind, as I'm sure many other fans would. I think this album is a smooth, although intriguing listening experience, and together, Blu and Fa†e were able to formulate a chemistry that in turn, produced a unique, spacey project that sticks out in both of their discographies.

Favorite Lyrics:

I was told think before you talk, I jogged alongside my train of thought

Think

Oil spill o-zone no zone, blue whale phone home, you almost made it to the land, grew two feet and two hands

Otionography

I'm on the planet with the shiny watch, watchin' it tock living life without a clock

Cosmophobia (Revisted)

Four hands in foreign lands, monolingual trying to talk to the people, I need a hand to put the laws on the evil

Cosmophobia (Revisted)

Hoarding in abundance of nothingness, sitting before a buffet of knuckles and fists, I guess I'm ruffled a bit, five fifths and I'm no one's property

Oblivia

High five the LA skyline, hardcore hot shit, like the center of the Third Rock is, we got this locked since the triceratops, tell a hippopotamus that hip hop is trioptic

Oblivia

Discussion Points:

  1. Taking on "deeper than life" subjects is familiar territory for Blu. What did you guys think about the themes he expressed on OYOTO? How do you feel about rappers trying to tackle deep topics, such as space, earth, the cosmos, etc.?
  2. At this point in Blu's career, some fans think he's sort of lost it and is settling for putting out mediocre music. Many fans think he's still one of the best talents in the game. I happen to fall in the second category. Where do you stand in terms of your opinion on Blu and his legacy as a rapper?
  3. I thought the beats on this project made for cohesive, consistent vibe throughout. How did you feel about Fa†e's production? Considering he is relatively unknown, would you be interested to see what he does next?
  4. This project could potentially be categorized as "cloud rap". Where do you think "cloud rap" stands in the landscape of current hip-hop? Who are some other artists that you would like to see do a "cloud rap" type project?
  5. I really feel that the main message of this project was to open your mind up to positivity in all that you do. Has there been particular artists/albums/types of hip-hop that you were previously close-minded to, but ended up gaining a new perspective on it that made you enjoy it? How come and what made you change?

Thanks for reading. Please let me know your thoughts!

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Kanye, Drake, Bieber Skipping Grammys - Like Frank Ocean, they allegedly don’t find the awards “relevant or representative”

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I went to the world premiere of Big Sean's new album 'I Decided.' in Detroit last night. Here is my take on the project & recap of the evening:

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Lil Ugly Mane speaks out on his recent experience with the mental healthcare system

Posted: 30 Jan 2017 02:01 AM PST

From facebook:

"I keep getting emails from people.

I wrote this the day before Bedwetter was recorded.

All i could do, all i can do is write poems and basically a polemic yelp review into the notepad on my phone.

what else can i do.

im not gonna get into my own shit on some specific level because fuck you, i dont know you. pay attention to yourself.

but i feel like this is the best way i can explain shit.

polemic yelp review of american heath care system:

"After a lifetime of avoiding this shit. Ignoring this shit. FInding myself confused.

After a 3 months of a sleeplessly, anxiously glaring into the eyes of an old monster that suddenly grew a new head.

3 months of forgetting who i was. What i was doing.

I knew something had to happen. I'd known this for a while.

I had been reaching out

Calling.

Emailing.

After continuous unsuccessful attempts for months to contact psychiatrists and doctors, I reluctantly checked into the hospital today.

I thought maybe i could get a much needed psych evaluation and hopefully receive some sort of treatment, perhaps even simply a referral and/or an appointment to go see somebody else who could provide that.

I didn't know what else to do.

What else are you supposed to do.

For six hours I sat nervously twitching and in a freezing waiting room.

Whimpering old men being completely overtaken by their Alzheimer's.

Vomiting children.

Bleeding Fingers.

Ugly loud sagging losers who were obviously constantly there.

Begging for attention with some new ailment and concern.

Their broken humilated spouse at their side.

I was anxious and horrified by the idea of a potential forced or even voluntary intake to a psychiatric facility.

Surrending my freedom.

Surrender of my routines.

After six hours of constantly reassuring myself I was doing the right thing, I was finally seen.

Led down a hallway into a bare concrete cell with a small bed in the center. Dim lights. scratches on the drab walls.

Grates in the floor to catch whatever bodily fluids they have to hose out of there.

One of the walls was one of those steel doors that the corner store pulls down at the end of the night. Not sure what that was about.

Empty though.

A bed and a chair.

Somebody had carved "slipknot sucks" into the plastic bed that was bolted to the floor.

Seems fitting.

You're the same, you're basically just a stupid fucking sad teenager right now.

You're pathetic.

Good luck getting better idiot.

I was given a gown and my belongings were inventoried and confiscated.

I sat and waited in my gown.

Eventually, Two skittish nurses and some community college educated social worker baby-talked their questions to me as a lurching police officer glared at me disgustedly over their shoulders.

I'd chosen to go in at a time where I was feeling okay so i would be fully able to articulate and describe the symptoms I was experiencing so I could potentially receive the most accurate treatment. I thought that made the most sense.

I didn't want to wait until I was in the midst of some anxious episode and having to hyperventilate my troubles out thru a salty humiliated fog. I thought that made the most sense.

I sat and calmy described my symptoms.

I tried to convey how terrified i was.

I tried to tell them i couldnt do it anymore.

This was received with a couple bored nods and sparse notes being jotted down on a clipboard.

Eventually i was hurried along and any complexity of my disease was all quickly reduced to two simple questions:

"Are you suicidal? Do you wanna hurt anyone else?"

No.

No I don't. I can't think of anything I wanna do less than die, I can't think of anything that frightens me or gives me more anxiety than the uncertainty of what happens when you die.

No.

No I don't actively want to hurt anyone, to be honest, the fact that I voluntarily came in here could be seen as an indication that I'm absolutely exhausted and desperate to stop hurting myself and everyone else by not confronting this shit for so long. wrong answer.

I was discharged. handed back my clothes, given a xeroxed list of some websites about suicide prevention and a "feel better" or some other equally patronizing verbal pat on the back.

Back right where I started.

Nobody is gonna help me.

Our current mental healthcare system is absolute shit.

Absolute shit that absolutely incentivizes violence and self harm by categorizing it as the sole interpretation of "severity" worth treating.

By making the idea of treatment feel so utterly hopeless to people who already exist and drown in their hopelessness.

Fuck your resources. Fuck being understaffed. Fuck your stupid priorities. You're incompetent .

Here let me clear out some space for you. Free up some of your time. Empty some rooms.

On hurting yourself:

This is a complex issue, but to briefly put it, I believe a suicidal individual should not only be afforded that right, but after some legislatively decided period of time and therapy and education to ward off impulsiveness and melodrama, the same way they treat anybody undergoing assisted suicide. A process. they should be given a safe clean environment and chemicals to facilitate their decision, no matter the reasoning. grow up.

On hurting someone else: This is not a complex issue. As far as recidivist violent degenerate squealing psychopaths...rabid dogs just need a bullet to the head.

I've read old yeller.

They dont care. Neither do I.

boo hoo.

Conversely: lock them in a room and keep them safe.

Is this really that hard?

"Are you an immediate threat to yourself or others are you?"

How about instead of prioritizing that question we focus more on:

"Im so tired and exhausted of constantly hurting myself and everyone around me"

Be passing over someone like me, a person who, on their own volition, came to you for help. A person who desperately wants help. You are simply and plainly creating more and more and more people who will eventually be slobbering immediate threats to themselves and all of mankind.

It creates that understanding.

In an already fractured damaged mind it is an entirely reasonable assertion that you would potentially have to commit an act of violence against yourself or others just to receive treatment. even if you didn't want to.

even if that wasn't a real compulsion.

a last resort.

This system has a very real potential to turn people who voluntarily seek help, people who aren't yet completely overtaken by their illness, into violent suicidal monsters because you are dangling their own treatment on a string in front of them, scoffing at their pitiful attempt at recovery and demanding they need to do more.

"well shit, if you want help yr gonna have to try a lot harder than that buddy, haha, comeback after you snapped a random person's neck in a grocery store and cut off all the fingers on your left hand with some scissors, fucking poser".

I'll get better one day.

Not today.

Maybe I'll have fingers.

Maybe I won't."

thanks for the well wishes.

i'm fine.

i'm just angry.

i'm not the only person dealing with this and i've lived a full, somewhat interesting life.

i hate that you are dealing with this."

Original FB post: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1429596597085116&id=185965628114892

Hope he gets some proper help soon, sad to see someone with a genuine condition fall through the cracks like this

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[FRESH VIDEO] BADBADNOTGOOD: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert - [21:28]

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[SEASON TWO] Marvel Hip-Hop Variants - February 2017

Posted: 30 Jan 2017 02:27 PM PST

Welcome to month five of the Marvel Hip-Hop Variants thread - Season Two

This month has five of the most diverse covers out there but honestly seems to be the most fitting selection of choices to date.

As always, before we begin I'd just like to thank each and everybody here who takes part in these threads. It's good to see everyone reacting so well and genuinely like the discussion that takes place.

That being said, If you enjoy them and would like to see these grown, I would appreciate it if you would consider upvoting this for visibility. Thank you.

But enough with the formalities, let's get onto why you're really here.

This month's releases include...

This week (1st February 2017) features...

Bullseye x Vic Mensa

Artist: Tim Bradstreet

Price: $4.99

Monster's Unleashed #2 x El-P

Note: Sorry, 2DBZ didn't have a comparison gif for this one.

Artist: Jeffrey Veregge

Price: $4.99

Next Week (8th February 2017) features...

Kingpin x Killer Mike

Artist: J. Totino Tedesco

Price: $3.99

15th February 2017 features...

Monster's Unleashed x Sean Price

Artist: David Williams

Price: $4.99

22nd February 2017 features...

Elektra x Jay-Z

Artist: Keron Grant

Price: $3.99

For a sneak preview of whats still to come, check out the comparison calendar available here.

Want to sample the performers who inspired these covers? Try this month's playlist on Spotify.

These will be available from this the dates listed above in comic book stores worldwide, however if you have difficulty looking for them you may be able to find them through many online stores, such as...

For US & Canadian readers:

http://www.midtowncomics.com/

Prices may be available at a further discount if purchased via Midtown Comics app. Available on iOS and Android.

(Credit to /u/chynkeyez)

http://mmcomics.com/ (Credit to /u/stoneasaurusrex)

http://blackmedicinecomics.com/ (Credit to /u/ThePriceIsRight1988)

http://www.dreamlandcomics.com/ (Credit to /u/chynkeyez)

For European readers:

https://forbiddenplanet.com/ (Credit to /u/chuluo)

For all markets:

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/A-PLACE-IN-SPACE (Credit to /u/TheInfinityGauntlet)

See ya's in a month.

Happy Hunting

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Daily Discussion Thread 01/30/2017

Posted: 30 Jan 2017 07:31 AM PST

Welcome to the /r/hiphopheads daily discussion thread!

This thread is for:

  • objective questions with right/wrong answers (e.g. "Does anyone know what is happening with MIXTAPE?", "What is the sample in SONG?")
  • general hip-hop discussion
  • meta posts...e.g. ideas for the sub

Thread Guidelines

  • Do not create a separate self post for these types of discussions outside of this thread - if you do, your post will be removed.

  • Please be helpful and friendly.

  • If a question has been asked many times before, provide a link to a thread that contains the answer.

Other ways to interact

There are a number of other ways to interact with other members of HHH:

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