Album of the Year #23 RXK Nephew - Slitherman Activated - HipHop | HipHop Channel

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Album of the Year #23 RXK Nephew - Slitherman Activated - HipHop

Album of the Year #23 RXK Nephew - Slitherman Activated - HipHop

Album of the Year #23 RXK Nephew - Slitherman Activated

Posted: 13 Jan 2022 02:24 PM PST

Background: RXK Nephew is a rapper out of Rochester, New York. He's around 28 years old. His chaotic presence on social media along with his dense release schedule and uniquely aggressive vocal delivery gained him a growing cult following throughout 2020 and 2021.

Review by u/speaker4thebread

Hedonism in hip hop is nothing new, but while many rappers portray a care-free lifestyle, RXK Nephew exudes recklessness. The bar "I'm drinkin' henny til my kidneys stop workin' // I'm drunk drivin' but I'm swervin' on purpose" from the song "Not Explaining Anything" perfectly captures Neph's potentially dangerous carelessness, which is only excused by his sheer charisma. He even manages to sound alluring as he kills his own mother not once, but twice in a single bar on "Early Age Death." RXK's deep and instantly recognizable voice commands the listener's attention as he fills nearly every second of every instrumental across Slitherman Activated with unrelenting bars. The man clearly has a lot to say, and he says it all with the intensity of a person who is desperate to be heard and finally has the mic in his hand. Given the hundreds of songs RXK released in 2021, his ability to curate an outstanding tracklist of 16 of the best on Slitherman Activated shows his artistic capabilities.

The most distinctive aspect of RXK Nephew's music has to be his hardcore and borderline abrasive delivery. He prioritizes volume over all other qualities, with his tone ranging from loud to louder, as if he's struggling to hear himself over the bombastic beats. The rare dissonance between RXK's intense delivery and occasionally mundane lyrics is absurd and hilarious, but most of the time his lyrics match his vocal intensity. On the album opener "Dark Noise," he spits the lines "Jump off the kitchen table, punch the microwave / very faithful, never cheat on the stove" with all the energy such an outlandish statement demands.

The high BPM instrumentals across Slitherman Activated match Nephew's chaotic energy perfectly. The driving kick drum groove and stuttering snare rhythm that serve as the backbone of the "Early Age Death" instrumental sound like something off of a TNGHT record, with the pitch shifted vocal sample sounding like one Burial might use. Compare this with the horror movie synths and dirty trap drums on "Dont Know Nun" or the futuristic and undeniably-danceable "Squabble" beat. These various styles are unified by RXK Nephew's commanding presence as an MC to form an album which is simultaneously exhilarating from track to track and cohesive as a whole.

In general, the lyrics on Slitherman Activated have a strong stream-of-consciousness quality, as if RXK Nephew is simply getting his thoughts off his chest. His thoughts just happen to result in some of the most audacious, violent, and funny bars of 2021. Because of this stream-of-consciousness approach, RXK has little regard for typical structure, with most of the tracks here lacking traditional hooks, verses, and cadences. He often doesn't even bother to rhyme, instead just repeating the same word at the end of several lines in succession. This repetition doesn't indicate a lack of creativity, but rather a willingness to ignore convention in order to push an idea or topic to its greatest potential. After all, why should RXK Nephew limit himself to one Little Bill simile across a single bar of "Extra Crunchy," when he could instead stuff it with four? What many of these songs lack in structure is easily compensated by the sheer audacity of his convention-breaking style. Most of the time, Nephew moves along at such a swift pace that listeners barely have time to be concerned about convention anyway.

After releasing literally hundreds of songs in 2021, RXK Nephew has proven to be one of the most productive MCs currently. More impressive than the sheer number of tracks he released is their consistently high quality, especially on Slitherman Activated. With this project, Neph proves that he's more than just an amusing novelty act, establishing himself as one of the most underrated and exciting voices in hip hop currently.

Favorite Lyrics:

"Cooking up crack since easy bake oven"

"...Rest in Peace Juice World / Rest in peace Pimp C / Rest in peace whoever OD'd in this world / I wanna do more drugs"

"I look like Connor McGregor if he was black / I look like Donald Trump if he was black / I spent the stimulus money on crack / I gotta thank Donald Trump for that"

"This Glock 9 sent from heaven / How many times you get shot up? Eleven / How many times you stab 'em? / Bitch, 133 times"

"Break a n**** jaw, break out the bone / Break a n**** whole bone structure / Break a n**** bones like Bonecrusher / Walk out that bitch like Punisher"

Discussion Questions:

What's your favorite RXK Nephew project or song from 2021?

What do you predict for Neph's 2022?

Who would you like to see Neph collaborate with in the future?

submitted by /u/speaker4thebread
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Kanye West Investigated for Alleged Criminal Battery

Posted: 13 Jan 2022 09:11 AM PST

Kendrick Lamar, Dave Free, Matt Stone, Trey Parker To Produce Paramount Comedy

Posted: 13 Jan 2022 01:15 PM PST

[FRESH] Gunna - P power (feat. Drake)

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The Assassination of Drakeo the Ruler

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New Kanye, Pusha & Game song dropping Friday!? Link in comments.

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BabyTron is Michigan’s next rap star with no plans to go Hollywood | MLive Interview

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The Weeknd - Dawn FM Review Thread

Posted: 13 Jan 2022 07:50 AM PST

Metacrtici 89/100 as of 19 reviews

Album of the Year.com 90/100 as of 24 reviews

RYM: 3.39/5

Publication, score
Review

Consequence

The first big album of 2022 delivers like an 80 lb. baby.

Variety

"After Hours" has resonated for nearly two years after its release, and in the face of another phase of a daunting pandemic, it seems that "Dawn FM" — possibly the Weeknd's best and most fully realized album to date — will help carry fans through this one as well.

New York Times

"Dawn FM," his fifth major-label album, is sleek and vigorous and also, again, a light reimagining of what big-tent music might sound like now, in an era when most global stars have abandoned the concept.

Rolling Stone 4/5

On his fifth album, Dawn FM, the Weeknd focuses those interstellar ambitions to anoint us with the most enchanting music to the portal through purgatory.

The Line of Best Fit 8/10

An upbeat The Weeknd perfects his pop formula on Dawn FM, a radio show for the end of the world

Pitchfork 8.0/10

This is the Weeknd's most ambitious project in sound and scope, and the most effective record he's put out in years. Part of the thrill comes from hearing him take himself a little less seriously

Clash 8.0/10

Whilst it lacks the character and vivacity of its predecessor, 'Dawn FM' develops the latest reinvention of the Weeknd with its dramatic instrumentation and refreshed view of the world.

musicOMH 4.5/5

With Dawn FM The Weeknd has demonstrated a vision that the vast majority of his peers would be incapable of, and has executed it with finesse and a slippery, enigmatic charm.

Exclaim! 9/10

It's a brilliant new benchmark in his already stellar discography, showcasing just how much of an artistic powerhouse he has become and a clear shift from the darkness that his music, even at its poppiest, once embodied.

Paste 8.8/10

The album's features are among the best in the Weeknd catalogue, highlighting love and loss spanning decades.

Entertainment Weekly B+

Dawn FM might be just shy of summoning the truly divine, but its best moments provide enough blinding light to counter the increasingly enveloping gloom of 2022.

Under the Radar 8/10

Dawn FM is no Thriller by any means (sorry Timbaland) but it's a solid chapter in the story of an artist who continues to unabashedly defy expectations. And ultimately, we're lucky to be along for the ride.

Slant 4/5

Rather than looking outward or upward, though, Dawn FM is a woozy, psychedelic deep dive inside the artist's famously twisted psyche.

The Telegraph 4/5

Dawn FM is his most ambitious album to date, and one that shows welcome signs of emotional and psychological growth.

The Independent 4/5

New record is a self-knowing contradiction to The Weeknd's past celebrations of impermanence via one-night stands and sleazy affairs. Now he understands, even regrets, his flighty behaviour.

NME 4/5

Dawn FM feels like the first steps on a journey for The Weeknd to find peace with himself; perhaps next time we hear from him, he'll be fully embracing the light of day.

LA Times

Exquisitely rendered tunes lush with echoes of Michael Jackson and Depeche Mode. ... The songs boogie and shimmer just so; the melodies ache with longing and regret. And these vocals! Over forget-me-not grooves as finely detailed as any Mtume or Patrice Rushen fan could want, the Weeknd sings more beautifully than he ever has on "Dawn FM." ... The year's first great album.

Spin

Dawn FM is well-polished — co-executive producer Max Martin makes sure of it — while maintaining its dexterity, punch and sex appeal, in step with most of The Weeknd's catalog. It's mercifully cohesive, too, a rare A-list pop album that actually rewards the listener for engaging with it in sequence.

The Guardian 5/5

Abel Tesfaye confirms his status as an all-time great with an album of icy 80s-inflected splendour

Albumism 5/5

With his fantastic fifth studio album, The Weeknd definitely sets the tone and bar high as we usher in a new year with plenty of new music on the horizon.

Northern Transmissions 9/10

While The Weeknd's early work remains influential, fantastic songwriting and production assistance from Max Martin and Daniel Lopatin (among others) has helped transform Dawn FM into pop gold.

Gigwise 8/10

On Dawn FM, The Weeknd cements himself as a master of the cinematic, and one of the most innovative artists in pop right now. It's stratospheric in size and draped in shadows and mystique—The Weeknd masterfully crafts an album that is simultaneously euphoric and unnerving.

Release date: Jan 7, 2022
Runtime: 52m
Starring: The Weeknd, Tyler, the Creator, \Lil Wayne, Quincy Jones, Oneohtrix Point Never, Jim Carrey

Producers: Max Martin, Oscar Holter, Matt Cohn, Swedish House Mafia, Andrea Di Ceglie, Luigi Tutolo, Carl Nordström, Gitty, Rex Kudo, Brian Kennedy, Benny Bock, Charlie Coffeen, DaHeala, Tommy Brown, Peter Lee Johnson, Calvin Harris

Cameos: Josh Sadfie, Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys, Christian Love (Mike Love of the Beach Boys' son)

Co-writer: Belly

Samples: Alicia Meyers and Kevin McCord, Tomoko Aran, Tetsurō Oda, and Aran

Label: XO, Republic

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/2nLOHgzXzwFEpl62zAgCEC

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/dawn-fm/1603171516

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawn_FM

submitted by /u/TheRoyalGodfrey
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[THROWBACK THURSDAY] Rich Boy - Throw Some D's

Posted: 13 Jan 2022 08:02 AM PST

[FRESH] Saba - Track 6

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Daily Discussion Thread 01/13/2022

Posted: 13 Jan 2022 11:01 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:

submitted by /u/HHHRobot
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[FRESH] Robert Glasper - Black Superhero [Feat. Killer Mike, BJ The Chicago Kid & Big K.R.I.T.]

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Alphonse Pierre reviews Gunna's DS4EVER for Pitchfork: "The Atlanta rapper’s latest album is monotonous, short on the quirks and out-of-body experiences of his better projects."

Posted: 13 Jan 2022 07:14 AM PST

Khia Shamone - My Neck My Back (Official Video) Throwback Thursday.

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[THROWBACK THURSDAY] Project Pat - Cheese and Dope

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RIP CPO aka Boss Hogg (From Tupac's Picture Me Rollin, Ruthless & Death Row Records)

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[FRESH VIDEO] Sadistik x Kno - GODMODE [Official Video]

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[THROWBACK THURSDAY] Mobb Deep - It's Mine ft. Nas

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[DISCUSSION] Pink Guy - Pink Season (5 Years Later)

Posted: 13 Jan 2022 07:01 AM PST

On January 4, 2017, George Miller released his debut studio album under the alias/alter ego Pink Guy. This would be one of his last endeavours under the Pink Guy name, save for the remix EP called Pink Season: The Prophecy and a couple of singles.

Some discussion questions:

What do you think of this album?
Do you find it funny? Enjoyable?
Did it age well? Do you come back to it at all?
Favourite song(s)?
What are your thoughts on Joji's career so far? Have his other projects been better than this one?
Would you like to see a return to this sort of project? Is there a 'spiritual successor' to it?

submitted by /u/iblinkyoublink
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Abby Jones reviews FKA Twigs' CAPRISONGS for Consequence: "The musician's quarantine mixtape is a 'journey back to herself'"

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[THROWBACK THURSDAY] Mariah Carey, NaS & Joe - "Thank God I Found You (Make It Last Remix)" (1999; Prod. by DJ Clue)

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[Fresh] Saba-Come My Way (feat. Krayzie Bone)

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