The Official 2021 r/HipHopHeads Christmas Advent Calendar (Day 23/25) - HipHop | HipHop Channel

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The Official 2021 r/HipHopHeads Christmas Advent Calendar (Day 23/25) - HipHop

The Official 2021 r/HipHopHeads Christmas Advent Calendar (Day 23/25) - HipHop

The Official 2021 r/HipHopHeads Christmas Advent Calendar (Day 23/25)

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 12:02 PM PST

Album of the Year #10: Playboi Carti - Whole Lotta Red

Posted: 24 Dec 2021 02:10 AM PST

Artist: Playboi Carti

Album: Whole Lotta Red

Listen:

Youtube

Spotify

Apple Music

SoundCloud

Background by /u/Ariana_Stan

Atlanta, Georgia's Playboi Carti has been one of the more popular rappers in Atlanta's ever-changing trap scene. He is highly recognized for the success of his first album Die Lit and his self-titled mixtape. There were multiple hits of both of their projects like "Magnolia," "Shoota," and "wokeuplikethis" which, gave Carti a very sizeable fanbase in a fairly short amount of time. Carti's most popular project, *Die Lit dropped in 2018 and would have very consistent and clean production from popular trap producer Pi'erre Bourne. Pi'erre would produce 15 out of the 19 tracks on this album and he would gain quite a bit of popularity from this project as well because of his melodic beats and fitting producer tag. Die Lit would also have multiple features from noticeable artists such as Young Thug, Travis Scott, Nicki Minaj, etc. This album would solidify Carti as one of the greater trap artists of the late 2010s. Carti is a very popular rapper, but what about his earlier life?

Before Playboi Carti existed, Jordan Terrell Carter was born on September 13th, 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia. Jordan started his musical career as $ir Cartier and release two short mixtapes called Young Mi$fit and THC: The High Chronicles. These two tapes are not very popular and do not have much to them, but it would be a start for much more to come. In-between this tape and his self tilted project, Carti would meet and become friends with the popular NY group A$AP Mob. He released a couple of singles before his self-titled project which dropped in 2017, but the ones that gained the most popularity are "Talk" and "Broke Boi." All of these factors would lead up to Carti's 2nd studio album Whole Lotta Red, but would Carti would be able to please the fans with a project as good as Die Lit.

Review

The cover of this project is a tribute to Slash Magazine. Slash was an underground punk magazine in the late 70s. This cover shows Carti's appreciation of the punk genre and punk culture. I like this cover because it contrast with the album so well. The simple white and black cover contrast with the albums radical sound. This cover also features Carti looking at you, which I interpret as him showing the audience that this album is who he unapologetically.

The introduction to this album is very different compared to what we have seen from Carti in the past. The album immediately starts with Carti entering a new style with production from F1lthy. Rockstar made features loud base and Carti's dangling chains. Carti starts this ablum with an aggressive almost bitter sound. On this track, Carti raps about his rockstar lifestyle featuring drugs, sex, and how he can never get enough of of it. This introduction to the album shows that Carti is made for the rock star lifestyle and we are witnessing it.

Go2daMoon is the second track on the album and out first feature on the album, Kanye West. Kanye was announced as the executive producer of the album during the rollout. This track starts off with a Kanye rapping on a very busy beat until a beat switches into a very tasteful violin. We then hear Carti with his iconic "what" adlib in a very raspy voice and a hard base. Carti's verse is very short and uneventful, but it does feature Carti mentioning his son Onyx.

Stop Breathing, is very similar to the first track on the album, Rockstar made. With another F1lthy beat, Carti lets loose about the hoes stop breathing when the see him with his shirt off. Carti brags about his body and the attention he gets from it. This track does not continue with this topic for long because the verse beings with Carti addressing his feelings about his dead friend Big Sosa who died of homicide. Carti's takes these feelings of anger and grief and directs these feelings to his opps. Carti expresses his violent nature towards his opps by stating in a clear context that he wants them dead. He then continues the track rapping about his lifestyle with guns and his mob ties with the Pirus. He ends this track rapping about his success in music and with women.

The sixth track on the album, M3tamorphosis, features the one and only Kid Cudi and is one of Carti's longer tracks being about 5 minutes long. Carti beings with this track saying that he feels above the criticism and that nobody can tell him shit. Carti feels that he is like a God and that he is above all. He starts off the first verse with him saying that he is ahead of the game and no where near any of his contemporaries. This song also goes into Playboi Carti's change or metamorphism. Carti's change in style, clothing, and attitude has been very clean for the public to see and on this track he wants us to know that he is on some other shit. Kid Cudi enters his verse with his iconic hmms. His verse beings with him describing he was able to overcome his troubled teenage years and he just had to believe in himself to achieve his dreams. This track ends with Carti and Cudi both on the ending chorus.

The tenth track is our third and final feature on this album. Teen X featuring future. This track starts off with Carti and his baby voice. Carti begins with Carti singing/rapping about his love for drugs and what they do to him. Future does that same as carti rapping about X and Codeine and how they will ruin him and he feels like a rich dope fiend. This track does feel kind of empty and I feel like both of these artist could have performed at a higher level.

Track 12 is the track Vamp Anthem where Carti, as describes in the title, makes an anthem for all of his fellow vamps. With carti's vamplike aesthetic of tight leather jeans and Rick Owens, Carti comes onto this track with a vamp like pipe organ sample. Carti then calls for all his vamps to be ready when the stars align and when the guns are outside. The end of this track is a repetitive chorus making sure the listeners knows this song is for the vamps.

Track 13 is New N3on, which was one of the more popular Carti leaks. This track is not very different from the original leaked version, but this track and Place track 18, another leak, feel out of place on this album. Carti evolved as an artist during the time these tracks feel like they should have been cut. However if you did not listen to the leaks during the time between Die Lit and Whole Lotta Red, I can see how these tracks can be highlights for a listener. All in all, I feel like both of these leaks should have been cut from the album or changed a bit more.

Track 15 is Punk Monk where Carti reflects on his life in the music indsutry and his friends. Carti begins the song with stating one of the things he hates the most "Some friendly-ass n*ggas." Carti than begins the verse with reflecting on how he doesn't care about anyone else in the industry. Carti then says that he is holding down, which usually means that someone is not happy with their current situation, but doesn't want to talk about it. Carti then ends the verse that he only worries about himself and that he doesn't want anyone else on his songs. I believe this references the lack of features on WLR as a whole. Carti then ends saying that "If you know you great, bitch, then this your song" and him reflecting on him being the greatest.

The 21st track is ILoveUIHateU and the 2nd track produced by Pierre Bourne. This track goes into detail about Carti using drugs more specially, lean, to deal with his problems. As mentioned in Punk Monk, Carti pushing down his problems does not help him and only pushes him farther into his addiction. In the chorus Carti warns others not to get close to him because he doesn't want people finding about his issues and won't question his ways on dealing with them. He also warns others that what they don't know is for the best of them and that he doesn't want to hurt them with his possible insecurities surround his drug addictions.

The last track of this just over hour long album is F33l Lik3 Dyin produced by Richie Souf. This song begins with a Bon Iver sample and Carti singing about wanting to die for love. This song is presumably about Iggy Azalea. Carts and Iggy's relation ship took a turn for the worst and while, Carti has not been at all a good partner he feels like he's dying without her love. In the final verse Carti brags about making is the music industry and being successful, while he had his back against the wall.

Whole Lotta Red is definitely not a perfect album, its messy, abrasive, and all over the place, but I do believe Carti delivered from Die Lit. This album surprised me on the release date and over time I have greatly appreciated this albums highs and lows. This album features his talents and weakness as an artist. My favorite tracks on this album were Punk Monk and ILoveUIHateU because of how personal Carti gets on these tracks and I would love for him to make similar songs about his issues and insecurities. The more punk inspired songs produced by F1thy were great and Carti felt in his zone. My least favorite songs were Place and New N3on, but those are still very good songs and I can appreciate how important leaks have been for Carti's career.

Favorite Lyrics

I just hit a lick with a mask, MF DOOM - Stop breathing

I got me some thots (Thots, thots) They thought I was gay (Slatt, woah) Lamborghini parked outside, it's purple like lean - New Tank

I just worry 'bout me (What? What?) I gotta worry 'bout me (What? What? What? What?) - Punk Monk

If you know you great, bitch, then this your song (What? What?) - Punk Monk

And I put this on Onyx, I'ma leave my opp in the cement - On That Time

Don't get close, yeah, baby, don't get too close (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, what?) What you don't know, it won't hurt 'cause you don't know - ILoveUIHateU

Discussion Questions 1. How do you feel about this album now? When the album dropped this album was not treated very kindly, but now with about a year passing has this album grown or not? 2. Carti uses a lot more producers on this album then the past, who do you want to see stay or who were you not a fan of? 3. What did you like from this album? 4. Would you have preferred more features on this album? 5. Would you have preferred more leaks on this album?

submitted by /u/Ariana_Stan
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[FRESH ALBUM] Nas - MAGIC

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 09:00 PM PST

[FRESH ALBUM] Curren$y - Pilot Talk 4

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 09:02 PM PST

[FRESH] Nas - Wave Gods ft. A$AP Rocky & DJ Premier

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 09:32 PM PST

New Nas & Hit-Boy project dropping tonight titled "MAGIC"

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 08:06 AM PST

Bronx rapper Kay Flock arrested for being suspect in Harlem murder.

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 08:46 PM PST

[FRESH EP] The Alchemist - Cycles (Original Score)

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 09:03 PM PST

[THROWBACK THURSDAY] The Game - “Martians Vs. Goblins” ft. Lil Wayne, Tyler, the Creator (Official Music Video)

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 09:48 AM PST

Curren$y reveals Pilot Talk 4 tracklist featuring Jay Electronica

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 12:11 PM PST

via Twitter

  1. Big Game Fishing
  2. AD6 (feat. Jay Electronica)
  3. Non Fungible
  4. There It Is
  5. Workers and Bosses
  6. The Scene
  7. Memory Lane
  8. So Easy
  9. Under the Wings
  10. Finger Roll

NOTE: album was initially scheduled to have no features (according to this tweet) until Curren$y received a call for the Jay Elec verse.

submitted by /u/ridingonmirrors
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[FRESH] Nas - Dedicated

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 10:58 PM PST

Slim Thug Partnered With Checkers To Surprise Local Houston Boys & Girls Club For The Holidays

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 09:29 AM PST

[FRESH] Retch - Gimme a Rush

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 11:54 AM PST

[THROWBACK THURSDAY] Shyne - Bad Boyz (Feat. Barrington Levy)

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 04:41 PM PST

[FRESH] Your Old Droog X Tha God Fahim - No Days Off

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 11:53 AM PST

[FRESH ALBUM] Shady Ray - Blood Work (feat. Flee Lord, T.F, Eto, Young Act, Phonk P, Bale, Jameel Na’im X, Aaqil Ali, & Shira Stone)

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 10:35 PM PST

[THROWBACK THURSDAY] Lupe Fiasco - Handcuffs

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 03:25 PM PST

Season 3 of Atlanta to premiere on March 24th

Posted: 22 Dec 2021 01:57 PM PST

Interview with H.I.S.D. (Hueston Independent Spit District)

Posted: 24 Dec 2021 12:17 AM PST

Westside Boogie – Self Destruction [Live at Red Bull SoundClash]

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 01:52 PM PST

[FRESH VIDEO] Lil Duke - Chances

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 10:36 PM PST

[FRESH EP] Jay NiCE & RU$H - FAMILI' 3

Posted: 24 Dec 2021 12:00 AM PST

Album of the Year #9: Skyzoo - All the Brilliant Things

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 06:50 AM PST

Artist: Skyzoo

Album: All the Brilliant Things

Listen:

Spotify

Apple Music

YouTube

Bandcamp

Background

Gregory Skyler Taylor, better known as Skyzoo, might be the truest embodiment of hip-hop today. Born in Brooklyn in 1982, Sky came up in Bed-Stuy and was raised by legends such as A Tribe Called Quest, EPMD, Jay-Z (check out his mixtape An Ode to Reasonable Doubt), and most notably, The Notorious BIG. Growing up only a block away from Biggie, Sky was heavily inspired by his success and pen game, seeing such a larger-than-life figure come from his own spot. He would begin his own career in the mid 2000's, with his first big project being Cloud 9, a collaboration with producer legendary 9th Wonder. A series of solid releases through the next decade (including The Salvation, A Dream Deferred, and Music for My Friends) led to what has been a phenomenal run from Skyzoo. Dropping The Easy Truth, a collaboration with Mello Music Group's Apollo Brown, Retropolitan with Pete Rock, and his masterpiece In Celebration of Us. An ode to black culture and a moment of empowerment, In Celebration is a versatile, thought provoking, and grand statement by Skyzoo for his community.

Throughout his career, he has also been a successful ghost writer and shown himself to be a true student of the game. The most common theme of his music is growing up in Brooklyn, albeit from the unique perspective of someone who was trying to balance poverty, violence, and addiction, with morality, academics, and the dream of overcoming the struggle. Skyzoo tends to heavily interject NY slang into already dense, conscious lyrics and interjects many references to the things that were important to him and his culture coming up (the NY Knicks, chopped cheese, The Wire, etc.). Recently, fatherhood has also become an important aspect of his life and music. Production leans towards jazz and boombap, frequently collaborating with !llmind and Apollo Brown, and citing J Dilla as his favorite producer. Despite this, Skzyoo is plenty versatile and tends to go over something slightly different on every project and even the occasional aggressive cut.

Now, in 2021, Skyzoo has dropped All the Brilliant Things, a dense, masterful concept album regarding gentrification on all levels. The album cover depicts Sky with his son at the corner of Fulton and Franklin in Brooklyn. Where he once grew up in poverty and under African American tradition, luxury apartments are being erected. The culture he came up with - whether the good or the bad - cannot be truly passed down to his own son. It is this cultural erasure which Skyzoo focuses on across this album: Neighborhoods being renovated with traditionally black residents being priced out to even worse conditions, white kids dancing to drill on TikTok, reviewers criticizing him from their high rises, all without ever understanding the context, pain, and beauty behind it. As the late great comedian Paul Mooney put it, "The black man is the most imitated in America today, bar none… Everybody wanna be a n---- but don't nobody wanna be a n----". All the Brilliant Things is a sprawling, beautiful eulogy for Skyzoo's Brooklyn and a tribute to black culture.

Standout Tracks

St. James Liquors

"St. James Liquors" is a beautifully executed track, both sonically and lyrically. Monica Blaire delivers a hypnotic bridge over a dense, constantly progressing beat. With a funky base, Spanish guitar, and keys dropping in and out, this is a good taste of what All the Brilliant Things' production brings: Subtle but highly intentional, complex jazz samples where Sky paints a rich portrait of his home and culture.

The track's title refers to a known spot in Brooklyn where Biggie Smalls famously freestyled, Skyzoo juxtaposes the rapper's mythical status with the imagery of an impoverished neighborhood. BIG was such an important figure in Sky's youth, seeing someone who came from the same difficult circumstances not only become a star, but continue to put on for his home. "St. James Liquors" focuses on the ambition Sky felt to emulate that ("Caught a vision… Tryna fly off the stoop"), as well as some factors which affected his early years. He comments on issues like alcohol consumption and addiction in this community as well as the lifestyle of lower-class black families at the time. While it isn't all positive, Sky makes it clear that it is part of his identity, molded a generation, and should be valued all the same.

Bodega Flowers

"Bodega Flowers" is a song about recognition. Whether that be appreciation for artists before their passing, victims of racial injustice, or something as grand as respect for a culture's influence and merit. The beat is sparse and mostly driven by deep drums, but with delicate keys falling in to support a dream like hook by BJ the Chicago Kid. It should also be noted that there are no rap features on All the Brilliant Things, a testament to how personal and expressive its themes are to Skyzoo. He makes references to iconic aspects of black pop culture which serve as symbols of empowerment ("Word to Miles Morales ignoring his father's badges", "Race draft recall, give us Larry David and y'all can take back Shameik Moore") in order to drive home his greater vision. Sky ties Eric Garner and issues such as police brutality to his own struggles with fame (reminiscent of Lupe Fiasco's Drogas Wave), asserting that praise and recognition are highly valuable and motivating. We need to show appreciation and give people their flowers while they can still smell them.

I Was Supposed to Be a Trap Rapper

"I was supposed to be a trap rapper, mistaken identity they sat me with the backpackers". Skyzoo has always made a point that despite his jazzy, conscious sound, he came up just as rough as anyone. Sure Puffy hot when he was coming up, but he was also listening to Mos Def and Common for example. He was notably an academic ("Honor Amongst Thieves"), but after school came back to instability; There was a devil and an angel on his shoulders. On this record, Sky gives some almost comedic examples of how his tastes and style differed from the norm in his hood, such as playing Dilla around women and the "tug of war" between Little Brother and The Lox. All of this is to say that his circumstances should have led him to a far different mentality and lifestyle than we see today, and he was lucky to both take pride in his roots while moving on to better things.

While it starts with an iconic Bob Jones sample, he last minute of the track blindsides us with a tough beat switch. While the rest of the album is lush and light, this is a brief sample both of how Sky could have turned out and how he can spit on anything – even a hard, borderline NY drill beat – before fading out.

Culture-Ish

This is the track were Skyzoo really digs deep into themes of cultural erasure. The instrumentation is lush but subdued, almost sounding like live recordings throughout the project and with a Karriem Riggins assist; Mournful horns and coffee shop taps give Sky room to reflect. He focuses on the disrespectful, diminutive habit of others to either dismiss or imitate black culture without ever understanding or enduring the context behind it (often rich and full of hardships). He lambasts white reviewers who critique hiphop but have never lived it; Graffiti is more than vandalism, but a pillar of the genre; Fashion trends are shamelessly and poorly adopted; A Whole Foods stands where Malcolm X once orated. The song almost feels like a eulogy for what Sky grew up on, with so much distance between the real Brooklyn and what we see today. Through numerous small-scale examples, he drives home the point that we need to love black people as much as we love black culture.

Bed-Stuy is Burning

Where Brooklyn at! Sharing a name with the Brian Platzer novel, "Bed-Stuy is Burning" is perhaps the album's greatest highlight. Over grand, live instrumentation courtesy of the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble (he always makes a point to put on for the art), we are effectively transported to Skyzoo's home. There is also tragically vivid imagery which places you in the shoes of a displaced person, Not only does he paint a vivid image of NY culture - referencing the markets and apartments, the homies and the icons – but it also functions as a warning for other cities. As he pleads in the hook to every big city in America, Sky hopes that black culture can prevail elsewhere, despite it fading before his very eyes in his own home. The music video is an essential watch, really taking us on a tour of the neighborhood (no pun intended) and showing how the people fit within it.

Soft Eyes

The closer to All the Brilliant Things is arguably its most personal; "Soft Eyes" sees Skyzoo dissecting his position in the game and in society as he contemplates retirement. Mentioning his own inspiration Phonte, Sky documents the internal struggle he felt between frustration with the industry and what he felt was an obligation to make this art. As he puts it, rap is "justice to poetically speak on whatever matters". In addition to his new status as a father, he realizes that he is an influential figure in conscious hiphop and that he communicates something important through music. Despite all the bullshit in the industry, the come up, and society at large, Skyzoo will always be here to guide us through it.

Favorite Lyrics

Then your face mask sneak off, race draft recall

Give us Larry David and y'all can take back Shameik Moore

Or maybe I'll just school him some, get to retooling, son

Word to Miles Morales ignoring his father badges

In the middle of November how I'm bumping summer madness

Next to these Fort Greene high rises that's so attractive

"Bodega Flowers"

And bet I did all the above to a soliloquy

Made trappers go nuts to Donuts

The makings of a sacrificial lamb with the backings of a band

Trumpets wrapped around me rapping 'bout Saran

And all the superheroes that would pack 'em in sedans

"I Was Supposed to Be a Trap Rapper"

And they just wanna be positioned where you been

Sorta like how they turned Living Single into Friends, right?

Collage that for you to comprehend it… They said it's corner store calligraphy on how I pen it

And sneak a round of Henny in if I got time to finish, for real

"Culture-Ish"

They gave you a curb and kept you back on the stoop

And now what they prefer is to help pack when you move…The smoke all clear and they just wanting the remains.

Funny, ain't it? The bottom of the bag is what you make it,

Told us tag a dotted line if you care to survive,

My neighborhood gives you life, but was you here when it died?

"Bed-Stuy is Burning"

They telling you pick a corner, you in and out of a circle

Advice from Candace Owens and fifty dollars from Virgil

The lights be Off-White, so you thinking how could they burn you, right?

Same as the hole in your pocket left to confirm you

But validation ain't never make me no difference

Bet that I'm more persuaded off wearing these Good Intentions

"What Money Taught Us"

Discussion Questions

  • Where does this album rank in Skyzoo's already stellar discography for you?
  • Does Skyzoo properly balance this backpacker mentality and sound with the reality of his come up?
  • Have you witnessed the trends and issues in black culture that Skyzoo addresses here (particularly in hip-hop)? What experiences have you had with gentrification?
  • How can white people respectfully and constructively participate in hip-hop?
submitted by /u/colbster411
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[FRESH] Dats Him Ft. Zamorie Lovett & O Produced by Mikosdagawd (Offical Music Video)

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 10:05 PM PST

Daily Discussion Thread 12/23/2021

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 06:31 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

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

Weekly/Monthly Threads

Other ways to interact

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

New to /r/hiphopheads or hip-hop in general?

Check these out:

Tonight Drops

  • Nas & Hit-Boy - MAGIC (featuring A$AP Rocky & DJ Premier) [East Coast Hip Hop, Mass Appeal]
  • Curren$y & Ski Beatz - Pilot Talk 4 [Stoner Rap, Which Way Is Up / Jet Life]
  • Lil Darkie - boros [Trap Metal, Indie]
  • Drego - The Red Print [Michigan Trap, TF]

Full Calendar

submitted by /u/HHHRobot
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[FRESH] Hell Boi X Yung Prasad - Gas Station Poetry

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 09:39 PM PST

[THROWBACK THURSDAY] Warren G - I Want It All (feat. Mack 10)

Posted: 23 Dec 2021 10:54 AM PST
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