Album of the Year 2016 #25: A-Wax - Pushin' Keyz - HipHop | HipHop Channel

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Album of the Year 2016 #25: A-Wax - Pushin' Keyz - HipHop

Album of the Year 2016 #25: A-Wax - Pushin' Keyz - HipHop

Album of the Year 2016 #25: A-Wax - Pushin' Keyz

Posted: 20 Feb 2017 03:24 PM PST

Artist: A-Wax

Album: Pushin' Keyz

Listen:

Spotify

Google Music

iTunes

Amazon

Album Background

A-Wax is a Piru who got his start in Pittsburg, CA in 2001. He began rapping after being released from Walla Walla State Penitentiary after serving a 5 year stint for manslaughter. He got his start releasing 'Savage Timez' which ended up being a very popular underground album in Northern California. The late Norte rapper Woodie recognized him, and eventually they released a collaborative album called 2 Sides of the Game. It didn't take long until A-Wax became heavily involved in local beefs. Most famously is his one with Mob Figaz and their producer Rob-Lo. It got started with A-Wax accused Husalah of being a snitch as he suspected of him for being responsible for some his people being locked up. A while back A-Wax ended up kidnapping Rob-Lo and forcing him to produce for him for 3 days and nights. He also has recently had beef with Joe Blow and ended up recording him driving away from him when confronted.. He also posted himself slapping the shit outta Rob-Lo. Husalah also ended up getting jumped at X-Fest by some of Wax people. Check Cindarella Story, one of his better diss tracks.

James Ratliff why you working with feds?

Didy facing life man it's hurting his head

The motherfuckers in his 20s and he just went bald

Facing double digits every person involved

Except Husalah Husalah, he pays feds off

He gets caught with 15 kicks and gets off

He be at the studio combing his perm

I won't do no talking to him cause he won't even learn

Although the beef more than soured his relationship with Mob Figaz he released a tribute track to The Jacka when he passed.

You were loyal to your bro and had to take a side

I was loyal to my bro I had to take a side

Looking back it's almost like it was another life

Putting pride aside about this day ain't nothing right

Talking to the lord above while looking up at night

Hope we learn something before we lose another life

You and Woodie put me on the map

Meant the world to me that time you put me on your track

The most recent beef A-Wax has involved himself in is with Mozzy. A-Wax signed Lavish D to his label, a guy who has been funking with Mozzy for years now leading to a few bodies and Lav ending up in prison where he currently remains. So no surprise there's some tension between Wax & Mozzy.

What you get with A-Wax is convincing lyrics. He's one of those guys you can really believe did what he raps about. His sound from the last 4 years or so took a fairly drastic change from his earlier work. Right now the best way to put it is he can sound like Chinx Drugz with better lyrics rapping with California slang over beats which clearly draw influence from the Atlanta scene. Although most of his beats do not credit any producers the ones I do know he frequently works with is 808 Mafia. This is no surprise if you're familiar with Bricksquad. A-Wax has been collaborating with them for years. He even has a collaborative album with Wooh Da Kid, Frenchie and Bakery Brad called Nightmare Gang as well as a collaborative album with YG Hootie. In fact both Frenchie and Wooh Da Kid are now signed to A-Wax's label Pie-RX. A-Wax is a very prolific artist, often releasing several albums a year. Pushin' Keyz was his second project in 2016 after he released Hustlas Convention hosted project as the top of the year.

If you're at all into bay area music you'll likely know some of his music as he has worked with such staples as The Jacka, J-Diggs, Baby Bash, Sean T, B-Dawg, Woodie, Lil Ric, Keak Da Sneak, Messy Marv, Jay Tee, Cellski, Mistah FAB, Rydah J Klyde, Killa Tay, Richie Rich, Turf Talk, E-40, Brotha Lynch Hung, Philthy Rich & Too $hort.

The album Pushin' Keyz main consistencies are the verses and beats. A-Wax is one of the few artists who can have such a great presence and flow using autotune while also delivering great lyrics. That said heavy use of autotune is fairly limited to a few songs.

Review

The strength that A-Wax has in his music comes from the emotion he pours into his music. You can always see he means what he says because that's all he raps about; his life. The most consistent theme he has is the lack of trust he has for anybody around him. Although you might not relate directly to the situations he raps about he still comes off as very relatable. I would not call his music dark, but it most certainly is not uplifting. One of his most frequent themes is drug use to mask the pain in his life. He's not much of a storyteller but you still come out of his music feeling like you know a lot about his life through the themes of his music.

This album is a thematic sequel to his 2014 album Pullin' Strings. Just as Pullin' Strings featured a string heavy focus on production, Pushin' Keyz main theme is piano. This is especially apparent on the short interludes that are after each song. In these clips you can hear A-Wax and others talking somewhat indecipherably. They don't take away from the album though and sometimes are quite nice transitions into the following track. In one clip you can hear someone being choked and gasping for breathe while someone tells the guy to stop, this is rumoured to be Rob-Lo getting choked out. The piano melodies are much more simple than you would expect from something like a Zaytoven anthem.

The rappers Wax works with here are from his Pie-RX label like Frenchie (former Bricksquad artist) and E Bang (San Francisco rapper) as well as artists affiliated with Chief Keef like Boss Top and the more unknown Vidal Garcia & Thola. There is not an artist on here who disappoints, they all manage to drop verses better than they typically do on their own projects.

The most impressive part about the most recent run of albums by A-Wax has been that it seems like he is still changing and being able to create a fresh sound. He's nearing 40 years old, and has been rapping for over 15 years, but his style and consistency is arguably at its best. Although never able to ever crack into the mainstream, A-Wax has really solidified a great career as an underground California rapper.

Favorite Lyrics by /u/chrussell

I'm swerving and curving this Benz

Perking off perks in these burgandy timbs

Fucking on her then her friends

That's where the hatred most certainly stems

-Dead or in Jail

Think about it rollin in the Porsche

Buckle up and hold onto the doors

If we see the ops I'ma have us blowing like a torch

Hit him and his homie on the porch

Have you in the drop with the drops making drops

All that financial stress we can make it all stop

This can be the way I rock, put em in a pine box

If somebody turn rat and decides to call cops

-My Bitch

I recall when we were young and dumb a couple novices

Wanting credit for it so we brought people the watch and shit

Never factored in the fact that people like to talk and shit

People get to talking and the police come and lock up shit

-Lemons

Discussion Questions

  • How do you find the use of autotune on the album?

  • Does authenticity in this type of music matter to you? For this album?

  • Does having a production theme, in this case the piano, add or take away from an album?

Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7a30tFLm4c

Music Videos

submitted by /u/Chrussell
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Daily Discussion Thread 02/20/2017

Posted: 20 Feb 2017 01:18 PM PST

Welcome to the /r/hiphopheads daily discussion thread!

This thread is for:

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Other ways to interact

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I haven't spotted any official announcement in relation to this so just said i would warn anyone who like myself was heavily influenced to see Drake again based on Young Thug being one of the opening acts.

submitted by /u/RichieFinn
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