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Album of the Year 2018 #9: Mac Miller - Swimming - HipHop

Album of the Year 2018 #9: Mac Miller - Swimming - HipHop

Album of the Year 2018 #9: Mac Miller - Swimming

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 08:48 AM PST

Artist: Mac Miller

Album: Swimming

Listen:

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Spotify

Apple Music

Google Play Music

TIDAL

Album Background

I was 16 when I first heard about Mac Miller. Walking down the hallway in between classes at my old high school, I noticed a pile of flyers laying on the floor promoting a gig for someone who was, at that place and time, just a local rapper one year older than myself, trying to make it big in a city that was, up until Wiz's ascent, not known for rappers or hip hop music of any sort. I couldn't have predicted that the kid I saw on the ad, performing in a small venue that likely didn't seat more than a couple hundred people, would have the first independently released Billboard #1 in nearly two decades by the end of the following year. I couldn't have predicted that he would be making music with some of the biggest names in the industry not long after that. I couldn't have predicted that I would meet Mr. Miller myself on a couple occasions and, especially considering his earlier material pre-Watching Movies with the Sound Off hadn't wowed me, that his later music would someday resonate with me in a way that not too many other artists' music would.

 

I also couldn't have predicted that eight years later I would be legitimately shaken by his passing, more so than any other musician or public figure who had left this Earth earlier than expected in my lifetime.

 

The tumultuous final months of Mac's life were well-documented, as his break-up with Ariana Grande and subsequent drunk driving incident came within a week of one another in mid-May. It was at this point that I, along with plenty of others, became genuinely concerned for where Mac's headspace was at. The drunken joyride was only part of the problem, as Grande confirmed that Mac's inability to remain sober was what ultimately led to their estrangement. Her short-lived engagement to SNL star Pete Davidson one month after couldn't have made matters any better. With the walls of Mac's life seemingly crashing down around him, it only seemed inevitable that his next project would be used to address these controversies.

 

Mac released three singles at the end of May following his car crash, only one of which made the album (a shame in a way, as I'd really enjoyed "Programs" and "Buttons" and feel the record would have benefitted from their inclusion, either in addition to the songs included on the final project or as replacements for one or two of the album cuts). The album was officially announced in mid-July alongside the music video for lead single "Self Care", and officially dropped on a jam-packed August 3rd which coincided with the releases of Travis's Astroworld, YG's Stay Dangerous and of course, the project that would end up overshadowing them all, Iggy Azalea's EP that I can't remember the name of. As a result, Swimming may not have gotten the initial shine it deserved, but this was unfortunately rectified with Mac's passing five weeks after its release, which propelled the album back onto the charts and prompted "Self Care" to become his first top 40 single.

 

Swimming was crafted with a lineup of all-star producers and collaborators, including the likes of J. Cole, Snoop Dogg, Flying Lotus, Thundercat, John Mayer, DJ Dahi, Cardo, Dâm-Funk, Steve Lacy from the Internet and Dev Hynes of Blood Orange, just to name a few. Mac's producer pseudonym Larry Fisherman is also credited on several cuts, and film composer Jon Brion (most famous in Mac's chosen genre for providing additional instrumentation on Kanye's Late Registration and Frank Ocean's Blonde) was brought in at the last minute to flesh out the production. The album goes in many different directions and almost works as a summary of all the different styles of music Mac had approached making over the years - perhaps fitting for what would end up being his final piece of work.

 

Review

Mac starts the proceedings with "Come Back to Earth", a gorgeous guitar and keyboard-laden ballad which perfectly encapsulates a lot of the themes that permeate the rest of the music to follow: past regrets, social alienation and a pervasive sense of depression. Mac's singing chops aren't always perfect on this album but on this cut in particular they're wonderful: there's a dual sense of melancholy but also hope that comes across in his performance, and while the track serves as not much more than an introduction (Mac's performance lasts just over 2 minutes) it's so powerful that I wound up enjoying this song perhaps more than anything else on the record. This isn't a slight against the rest of the album, though; more so it's a testament to how impactful Mac's message comes through along with his vocal, particularly the lyric "I'll do anything for a way out of my head", which, along with the rest of the album at large, has taken on a whole new significance now knowing he was doomed to find the way out sooner than he, or anyone else, expected.

 

Contrasting with the calmness of "Come Back to Earth", "Hurt Feelings" picks the energy up with a brooding trap instrumental courtesy of Hollywood Cole himself, with Dev Hynes and Jon Brion contributing as well. Mac's lyrics are equally celebratory and disturbing here: he alludes to the various worldly pleasures his success has brought him, referencing new cribs with blue fountains and his infamous jacuzzi video, but at the same time recognizes that his success hasn't actually helped to solve his problems; in turn, it's merely exacerbated them. This is a pretty solid kick off to the record and helps to pick up the pace vibe-wise after "Come Back to Earth".

 

The album's second single "What's the Use?" comes next, an upbeat funk number for Mac to vibe over courtesy of Pomo and Dâm-Funk that falls in line stylistically with what Mac was doing on his previous album The Divine Feminine. The production on the track is the easy highlight: it's infectious and will get stuck in your head for days, with an indelible bass line and backing vocals from Snoop, Thundercat and Syd from the Internet helping to flesh everything out. The musical high point for me has to be the synth cacophony complementing a soaring vocal that interrupts the proceedings in the middle of the track before launching back into the chorus. Unfortunately, though, there is one semi-glaring flaw here that I cannot get past completely, and that's Mac's singing. The chorus on "What's the Use?" serves as the most obvious example on the record where his singing voice just doesn't connect with me. His raspy vocal doesn't compliment the smoothness of the instrumental very well and, considering the hook is a major element of the track, does bring the song down a degree for me as a result.

 

Things pick back up again in a major way on "Perfecto", a song which finds Mac torn between his hedonistic tendencies and the true sources of happiness in his life (primarily Grande) that are trying to save him from drowning in the former. My own interpretation of this song is that it finds Mac in between his breakup with Ariana and the eventual release of the album, as he references being "on album time" and presumably holing up in the studio ("I gotta get out to shine"). He seems on the verge of regressing to the drugged-out lows of his yesterdays, referencing it "feeling like a weekend on a Tuesday" and making excuses to dip out on prior commitments to drink with his friends. At the same time, he keeps up the appearance of being in a good place mentally ("On the surface I look so fine, but really I'm buggin'") even while he's treading water and unphased by the potential for him to drown. The instrumental, courtesy of Tee-WaTT, is smooth as silk and fits the vibe of Mac's delivery and lyrics like a glove. For me, though, the best part is Jon Brion's orchestral outro, where Mac delivers a few lines spoken-word style about Ariana and peters out with one last "perfect". This song succeeds at pretty much everything it does.

 

Following is the aforementioned "Self Care", the most engaging track on the record and an easy highlight. The near 6 minute epic is divided into two halves. The first half has a much darker, more sadistic vibe to it, yet it manages to be catchy as hell at the same time (it's easy to see why this ended up being the big single off the project). I'd always taken Mac's allusion to "self care" in the first half to refer to him self-medicating through drugs and alcohol as opposed to seeking professional help for his issues, and something tells me that "the medicine … on call" that he refers to in the first verse probably wasn't prescribed by a doctor. Mac's paranoia is evident through this part of the song, with allusions to losing his mind and not being able to trust anybody (himself included). The most relevant line has to be the one about Mac speeding in his Mercedes, but ironically enough, "Self Care" was actually written prior to his infamous car accident in an eerie instance of art imitating life. All of this builds up into the grandiose second half, which feature an excellent beat switch and a rejuvenated Mac reflecting on where he is in his life and how he's been handling his substance abuse. I'd initially suspected this part of the song had him recognizing the faults of his actions because of one line I'd apparently misheard: "I was doing too much, got stuck in oblivion". However, every lyric site I've checked has it written as "I was thinking too much", which has me wondering if Mac is instead embracing his use in the end and not letting the thoughts surrounding it bother him any longer. This is substantiated through further references to the oblivion being "a beautiful feeling" and the unfortunate assertion of having "all the time in the world" (it even hurts just having to type that out knowing what we now know in hindsight…) All that said, this song just straight up rocks.

 

"Self Care" leads right into "Wings", which, in contrast to "Self Care", has a decidedly calmer tone to it. Alexander Spit's instrumental feels pretty odd for a hip hop song: slow and fairly minimal, but it has a lot of different sounds and other effects popping up and exiting as Mac does his thing over top of it. Mac covers a lot of different topics lyrically on here, but all in all feels like he's in a better place than some of the other tracks on here, saying he "ain't feelin' broken no more" and that he "never felt so damn good where he's at" (this might have had something to do with him recording the song in Hawaii – he even references the sun shining during the pre-chorus). Not all is cheery in the second verse, though, where Mac acknowledges that he "doesn't know how the normal shit go" with life given his celebrity status. Mac's singing up until the "These are my wings" refrain is pretty on point, but I've never really cared for the hook, honestly (though it isn't as damning as "What's the Use", for what it's worth). All in all, this is a pretty smooth cut, though I wouldn't consider it a highlight personally.

 

"Ladders" picks the tone back up nicely and is a much better go at the funk sound Mac tried out on "What's the Use". Pomo and Jon Brion lace this thing with an infectious groove, some seriously funky synth work and an awesome horn section following Mac's hook. Mac sounds like he's having a blast here: the hook (one of the best on the record) insinuates he's likely in the middle of a night out (and probably high) and wants to make the most of this moment. While the song's got a primarily positive tone to it, like most of the more upbeat tracks on the album, there's still something sinister lurking underneath, with Mac referencing how he "just might slip into the sea", continuing with the swimming theme of the record. Still though, this sits firmly as the best party number on the record, and it's not surprising to see why this wound up being one of the most popular songs off the album.

 

The introspective "Small Worlds" comes next and seems to represent the hangover after the high of "Ladders". The two songs seem connected, as one line on "Ladders" had Mac saying that "it's a very small world, we don't fuck with the size", while another mentioned "turning the hotel to a castle" (a possible reference to cocaine). On "Small Worlds", the world is no longer small to Mac, as he's left alone to ruminate on his feelings in the five star hotel. The musical backing on the song, courtesy of Tae Beast and Carter Lang with John Mayer providing some additional guitar work, has a stoned and hazy feel to it, which is exactly my type of production style, so this was a real treat (and also sample free, which is surprising – the vintage feel of the instrumental had me swearing he must've looped it from somewhere). It's almost reminiscent of something Mac would have rapped over on one of his druggier mixtapes back in the day. Mac's flow on this joint isn't anything flashy but it's just right for this beat: ambivalent and a bit lackadaisical, but also perfectly fitting for the lyrical content. For as great as the actual song is, though, the most moving moment is probably the outro, where Mac's flow takes a more serious turn as he references "feeling his fingers slippin'" and anticipating his demise while dwelling on how fame isn't all that it's cracked up to be. I really can't praise this song enough.

 

"Conversation Pt. 1" sees Mac talking to someone who lives a "basic" life, spending all their time getting faded and wasting whatever money they manage to come across. It's hard to tell whether Mac is speaking to the listener, to himself, or someone else. I did find it interesting that he says, "My head up in the clouds but my feet be on the pavement", which is the exact opposite of a line he'd delivered on "Perfecto" ("My feet on the clouds, head on the ground"). It make sense, as on "Perfecto" Mac seemed more on the fence (or possibly in denial) about where his life was at at the moment, but on "Conversation Pt. 1" he feels supremely confident in himself (whether or not that's the result of whatever got his 'head up in clouds' is up to interpretation). Cardo and Yung Exclusive's work behind the boards here is decent, if not a bit forgettable (which came as a surprise to me as Cardo is one of my favorite producers). Flying Lotus also has a production credit – I'm guessing he helped with the muted horn parts at the end. This wasn't bad but didn't really feel all that exciting for me.

 

Mac delivers the most obviously Grande-inspired cut on the album next with "Dunno". While this song was never explicitly confirmed to be about her, a few of the lyrics do seem to reference songs of hers (most notably the last line of the song, "That's really your favorite, I know", which supposedly references Mac & Ariana's 2016 collaboration "My Favorite Part"). Grande also shared a screenshot of her listening to "Dunno" after Mac's death on her Instagram story, which seemingly confirms it to be true. Admittedly, this song was never really a favorite of mine on here, as Parson Brown's production work feels a bit stale and Mac's singing is rough at times, but as a peek into Mac's psyche as he reminisces on the good times he'd had with his girl, it's pretty touching.

 

"Jet Fuel" follows with a laid back beat courtesy of DJ Dahi and Steve Lacy that Mac is able to ride and talk his shit on. The hook brings back a common theme from throughout the record of being up in the clouds, with Mac stating that he'll only come down after running out of jet fuel before quipping, "But I never run out of jet fuel". I took this to be a commentary on the endless supply of drugs someone like Mac can afford, being rich as fuck and all. There's another reference to swimming and drowning at the start of the track as well, with Mac stating "his head's underwater but he ain't in the shower and he ain't getting' baptized". Outside of these two lamentations, the track mostly consists of brags 'n' bullshit, with Mac flowing over the beat pretty effortlessly. This one didn't really wow me until the last minute, where the instrumentation drops out in favor of a single warbling synth line and a vocoder-aided vocal performance from Mac that honestly sounds like nothing I've ever heard him do before. It's a great display of his artistic side and showcases a style I wouldn't have minded seeing him explore in the future.

 

Up to this point, the album felt like it had been starting to take a dip in quality in the 2nd half, but fortunately Mac saved two of the best songs he had for very last. "2009" sports a beautiful string-laden intro courtesy of Mr. Brion before transitioning into a mid-paced Eric G production built on a delicate piano loop. Mac uses the nostalgic sounding instrumental to reflect on where life has taken him over the past decade, stating that "It ain't 2009 no more", referring to the last year he had before he really started to blow up (ironically enough, it was 2010 when I first discovered Mac in the hallway of my high school). Mac doesn't seem completely content with this passage of time on "2009", but the song is ultimately an optimistic one, with Mac stating, "I don't have it all but that's alright with me", though a few lines later he does ponder how his life might have been different had he "taken a simpler route". In spite of the mistakes he's made, Mac seems at peace with himself here. A really beautiful song all around, and one that's highly relatable for me personally as, like Mac, it really does blow my mind to think 2009 was almost 10 years ago now…

 

…which brings us to "So It Goes", the last song Mac Miller would ever officially release. It seems fitting that it would be a Larry Fisherman production. Mac's instrumental starts with a sole guitar strumming and tapping for percussion as he dwells on his ascendency to fame ("You could have the world in the palm of your hands, you still might drop it"), harkening back to simpler times as he had on "2009" ("There was nothin' in my wallet, just a lot of dreamin'"), and delivering some premonitions that are especially disturbing in hindsight ("Nine lives, never die, fuck a heaven, I'm still gettin' high"). The instrumental continues to build on itself as the track progresses, until the last two minutes, where Mac breaks into the final chorus and Jon Brion returns with a huge swell of synthesizers that play Mac out in the most wonderful way possible. In a sad twist, Mac's final tweet before his death expressed his appreciation for the way the song's outro was executed. In the end, the man's final publicized thought was concerned with the final part of his final song. And just like that, Swimming comes to a close.

 

I wrote the Album Background section of this review shortly after Mac's passing when I was still in a complete state of shock over him not being around anymore and in a pretty emotional state (which is usually rare for me). I was playing the album a lot at the time and reflecting on just how much context can come into play in music. First hearing this record at the beginning of August, it felt like a proper transition point for Mac: sure, the drug references were abound and plentiful, but the album had just as many moments of clarity, and it really did feel like Mac had gotten to the point of being able to swim against the tide of his life. Only a month later did we come to learn this wasn't to be the case, though. Now, the album stands as a memorial for one of hip hop's most tragic stories, not unlike the memorial at Blue Slide Park that I've stood in front of in disbelief, reading through notes and letters from fans and old friends and just appreciating how much of an impact the man had left on the world in the incredibly short span of time that he was here.

 

Swimming isn't a perfect album. I wouldn't even peg it as the man's best album (though it'd probably end up in my top 3 Mac projects at the end of the day). But as an insight into the final months of one of the biggest voices in this decade of hip hop, it's a pretty compelling piece of work. In spite of Mac's death, this record is just so full of life that when you put it on, it almost helps you forget that he's gone for a little while. It isn't his sharpest lyrically or his most consistent production-wise, but the feel of this record is what keeps me coming back to it more than maybe any other Mac project has. You can tell from the interviews and live performances surrounding this record that Mac was really satisfied with what he'd been able to pull off here. It makes the circumstances surrounding the album all that much harder to bear, but at the same time, it all comes back to the overarching theme: Mac Miller was drowning on Earth, but now he's swimming somewhere else, and even if it's wishful thinking on my part, I'd like to think that wherever he is now, he's finally found peace.

 

Favorite Songs

  1. Come Back to Earth

  2. Small Worlds

  3. Self Care

  4. 2009

  5. So It Goes/Perfecto (I honestly couldn't leave either out of the top 5)

Favorite Lyrics

"Do you want it all if it's all mediocre? … I guess you gotta see it to believe" -Small Worlds

"I'll do anything for a way out of my head" -Come Back to Earth

"It feels so good right now, but it all comes falling down, when the night, meet the light, turn to day" -Ladders

Discussion Questions

• Do you feel like Mac's death changed this album for you from your initial perception of it? How so?

• Where do you think Mac's music would have gone from here? There are so many different flavors he tried out on this thing that it makes me wonder how he would have followed it up

• Would you want to see any posthumous material released from Mac? For myself, the idea of an artist's unreleased work coming out without them having a say in it has never sat right with me, but then again, I'm still hoping we might get to hear Pink Slime someday…

Yesterday saw u/mikeest write about Busdriver's Electricity Is on Our Side. Tomorrow we'll have /u/-Moonchild- writing about Avantdale Bowling Club's self-titled.

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Daily Discussion Thread 12/11/2018

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 07:30 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, as stated in the guidelines.

  • Please be helpful and friendly.

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

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 out these:

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Denzel Curry says he has a dubstep album and a collab with Willie Nelson coming soon

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 07:45 AM PST

https://twitter.com/denzelcurry/status/1072515340398198785

Edit: It could very well could be a joke (and probably is). He tweeted this a few minutes beforehand and I got the timing wrong, thought he tweeted these in the reverse order. Also this is definitely related to all the "King of R&B" stuff

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Action Bronson - Baby Blue feat. Chance The Rapper

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 02:19 PM PST

Blueface gets Mic cut off and boo’d off stage at Lil Uzi concert in Philly

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 04:55 PM PST

[FRESH ALBUM] $ilkMoney - I Hate My Life and I Really Wish People Would Stop Telling Me Not To

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 09:00 PM PST

Vince Staples announces tour, support from Buddy + JPEGMAFIA

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 09:22 AM PST

ITS TIME BITCHES

https://twitter.com/vincestaples/status/1072542081996988417

SAVE YOUR CHILD SUPPORT ITS TOUR TIME

tour posteR: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DuJvVhJW0AEQHcw.jpg

this info is based on the Toronto date and might not be the same for your trash city

  • All Ages

VINCE STAPLES VIP MEET & GREET package

  • One GA FLOOR Ticket to the Show

  • Meet and Greet with Vince Staples

  • Individual Photo with Vince Staples

  • One Vince Staples 2019 Exclusive Merch Item

  • One Signed Item

  • One Commemorative VIP Laminate

  • First Entry Into The Venue

VINCE STAPLES VIP TICKET BUNDLE

  • One GA FLOOR Ticket to the Show

  • Early Entry to the Venue

  • One Vince Staples 2019 Exclusive Merch Item

  • One Signed Item One Commemorative

  • VIP Laminate

LiveNation presale is Thursday @ 10 AM, code is "CHILL"

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Kodak Black’s Dying to Live TRACKLIST

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 05:12 PM PST

  1. Testimony

  2. This Forever

  3. Identity Theft

  4. Gnarly (ft. Lil Pump)

  5. ZEZE (ft. Travis Scott & Offset)

  6. Take One

  7. Moshpit (ft. Juice Wrld)

  8. Transgression

  9. Malcolm XXX

  10. Calling My Spirit

  11. In the Flesh

  12. Close to the Grave

  13. From the Cradle

  14. If Im Lyin, Im Flyin

  15. Needing Something

  16. Could of Been Different

from Kodak

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A Day In Ladera: OFWGKTA

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 09:13 AM PST

Yung Gravy dropping new track “Alley Oop” feat. Lil Baby this friday

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 07:54 PM PST

[FRESH ALBUM] Lil Keed - Keed Talk to Em

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 09:00 PM PST

DRAM - Gilligan (ft A$AP Rocky & Juicy J)

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 11:02 AM PST

Billboard Hot 100 Discussion - November 30-December 6 2018 | Meek Mill Gets His First Top 10 Single with 'Going Bad'

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 04:10 PM PST

From the Billboard Hot 100

After the Top 40, Only Songs w/ Hip Hop Artists Are Listed

Position Title Artist From Last Week
(4x) 1 Thank U, Next Ariana Grande ▲+1
2 Sicko Mode Travis Scott ▼-1
3 Without Me Halsey ▲+1
4 Happier Marshmello & Bastille ▼-1
5 High Hopes Panic! At The Disco =
6 Going Bad Meek Mill ft. Drake NEW
7 All I Want For Christmas Is You Mariah Carey ▲+7
8 ZEZE Kodak Black ft. Travis Scott & Offset ▼-1
9 Drip Too Hard Lil Baby & Gunna ▼-1
10 Mo Bamba Sheck Wes ▼-4
11 Girls Like You Maroon 5 ft. Cardi B ▼-2
12 breathin Ariana Grande ▲+1
13 Lucid Dreams Juice Wrld ▼-3
14 Youngblood 5 Seconds of Summer ▼-2
15 Better Now Post Malone ▼-4
16 It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year Andy Williams ▲+5
17 Sunflower Post Malone & Swae Lee =
18 Eastside Benny Blanco, Halsey & Khalid =
19 Wake Up in the Sky Gucci Mane ft. Bruno Mars & Kodak Black ▼-4
20 What's Free Meek Mill ft. Rick Ross & Jay Z NEW
21 Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree Brenda Lee ▲+2
22 A Holly Jolly Christmas Burl Ives ▲+4
23 Trip Ella Mai ▼-7
24 Taki Taki DJ Snake ft. ▼-2
25 MIA Bad Bunny ft. Drake ▼-6
26 Jingle Bell Rock Bobby Helms ▲+7
27 Love Lies Khalid & Normani ▼-7
28 Money Cardi B ▼-4
29 The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You) Nat King Cole ▲+10
30 On Me Meek Mill ft. Cardi B NEW
31 Dangerous Meek Mill ft. Jeremiah & PNB Rock ▲+17
32 Leave Me Alone Flipp Dinero ▼-5
33 Better Khalid ▼-4
34 Last Christmas Wham! ▲+9
35 Natural Imagine Dragons ▼-10
36 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Gene Autry NEW
37 Beautiful Bazzi ft. Camilla Cabello ▼-7
38 Shallow Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper ▼-10
39 Uptown Vibes Meek Mill ft. Fabulous & Anuel AA NEW
40 Speechless Dan + Shay ▼-2
42 I Like It Cardi B ft. Bad Bunny & J. Balvin ▼-11
43 MAMA 6ix9ine ft. Nicki Minaj & Kanye West ▲+15
44 KIKA 6ix9ine ft. Tory Lanez ▲+15
46 Pure Cocaine Lil Baby NEW
47 Taste Tyga ft. Offset ▼-12
50 Uproar Lil Wayne ▼-10
51 WAKA 6ix9ine ft. A Boogie ▲+20
52 FEFE 6ix9ine ft. Nicki Minaj ▼-16
53 TIC TOC 6ix9ine ft. Lil Baby ▲+9
54 24/7 Meek Mill ft. Ella Mai NEW
55 Intro Meek Mill NEW
57 Respect the Game Meek Mill NEW
58 Ring Cardi B ▼-11
60 Good Form Nicki Minaj ft. Lil Wayne NEW
61 Trauma Meek Mill NEW
62 Time Lil Baby ft. Meek Mill NEW
63 Nuketown Ski Mask the Slump God ft. Juice Wrld NEW
64 Calling My Spirit Kodak Black NEW
66 Ready Lil Baby NEW
70 Championships Meek Mill NEW
72 Tic Tac Toe Meek Mill ft. Kodak Black NEW
73 Almost Slipped Meek Mill NEW
74 Arms Around You XXXtentacion & Lil Pump ft. Swae Lee & Maluma ▼-17
75 BAD! XXXtentacion ▼-21
76 Armed and Dangerous Juice Wrld ▼-21
77 Splash Warning Meek Mill ft. Future, Roddy Rich, Young Thug NEW
78 Pay You Back Meek Mill ft. 21 Savage NEW
80 That's On Me Yella Beezy ▼-13
81 Foot Fungus Ski Mask the Slum God NEW
82 Crush a Lot Lil Baby NEW
83 TAlk tO Me Tory Lanez ft. Rich the Kid ▼-8
84 Close Friends Lil Baby ▼-21
85 Oodles O' Noodles Babies Meek Mill NEW
86 Backin It Up Pardison Fontaine Ft. Cardi B ▼-10
88 Fine China Future & Juice Wrld ▼-21
89 STOOPID 6ix9ine ft. Bobby Shmurda ▼-28
91 Global Lil Baby NEW
92 Smile (Living My Best Life) Lil' Duval Featuring Snoop Dogg & Ball Greezy ▼-24
93 Close to Me Ellie Goulding & Diplo Ft. Swae Lee ▲+7
95 No Stylist French Montana ft. Drake ▼-22
98 Word on The Street Lil Baby NEW
100 You Jacquees ▼-10

Notable:

  • Meek Mill gets his first Top 10 single ever with Going Bad. Going Bad is also Drake's 33rd Top 10 single and 13th in 2018 alone.
  • Meek Mill debuts 15 songs from his 'Championships' album, with Going Bad, What's Free, On Me and Uptown Vibes debuting in the Top 40.

 

  • Lil Baby debuts 5 songs from his 'Street Gossip' album, with the highest, Pure Cocaine, debuting at #46.

 

  • Ski Mask the Slump God debuts 2 songs from his 'Stokeley' album, Nuketown and Foot Fungus, which debuted at #63 and #81 respectively.
  • Nuketown is Ski Mask's first entry on the Hot 100.

 

  • 6ix9ine's MAMA, KIKA, WAKA and TIC TOC all jump 9 spots up or more due to them getting their first full week on the Hot 100.

 

  • Nicki Minaj's remix of Good Form with Lil Wayne debuts at #60 on the Hot 100.

 

  • Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You rises to #7 this week, the highest the song has ever peaked at. If AIWFCIY were to reach #1, it would be Mariah's 19th #1 single.

 

  • Drake's In My Feelings drops out after 22 weeks, peaking at #1 for ten weeks and spending its last week at #37.
  • Drake's Nonstop also drops out after 22 weeks, peaking at #2 for one week and spending its last week at #46.
  • Drake and Lil Baby's Yes Indeed drops out as well, after 29 weeks, peaking at #6 for one week and spending its last week at #44.

 

Billboard 200 (Albums):

Position Title Artist From Last Week Sales
1 CHAMPIONSHIPS Meek Mill NEW 229k (42k pure)
2 Street Gossip Lil Baby NEW 88k (5k pure)
3 DUMMY BOY 6ix9ine ▼-1 83k (5k pure)
6 Stokeley Ski Mask the Slump God NEW 51k (5k pure)
8 ASTROWORLD Travis Scott ▼-7 47k (2k pure)
17 Some Rap Songs Earl Sweatshirt NEW N/A
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Playboi Carti - "Talk" (ICYTWAT Remix)

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 07:57 PM PST

Tracking down Kanye West’s “Christmas In Harlem” - Vice NOISEY

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 12:03 PM PST

Frank Ocean - Acura Integurl

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 07:25 PM PST

Prince Paul will bring back Handsomeboy Modeling School next year, with Dan the Automator!

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 11:33 AM PST

So this is on it's Twitter:

Finally going through tracks to make the new Handsomeboy Modeling school album next year with @dantheautomator . Blame it on me for the delay . Chest is getting back to his best #stayhandsomemyfriends

​

https://imgur.com/a/xCh8DrQ
https://twitter.com/DJPrincePaul/status/1072258620727934976

​

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Kavinsky & The Weeknd - Odd Look

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 07:57 AM PST

Pusha T - R.I.C.O. (Freestyle)

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 08:09 AM PST

Black Thought & Salaam Remi - Streams of Thought, Vol. 2 Needle Drop EP REVIEW

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 06:23 PM PST

‎'Matangi / Maya / M.I.A' documentary is now available

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 08:13 AM PST

J.I.D: DiCaprio 2 gets a 7.7 from Pitchfork

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 10:08 PM PST

The Game cancels Edmonton show because of the death of a young man due to negligence on the venues part.

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 10:50 AM PST

Kid Cudi - Girls (feat. Too $hort)

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 09:51 AM PST

Rare post Faces Mac Miller interview. It's my favorite Mac video - a beautiful moment in time.

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 09:23 PM PST

Domo Genesis - DAPPER feat. Anderson .Paak

Posted: 11 Dec 2018 08:47 AM PST
at

Daily Discussion Thread 12/10/2018 - HipHop

Daily Discussion Thread 12/10/2018 - HipHop

Daily Discussion Thread 12/10/2018

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 07:58 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, as stated in the guidelines.

  • Please be helpful and friendly.

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

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 out these:

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Album of the Year 2018 #8: Busdriver - Electricity is on our Side

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 01:27 PM PST

Artist: Busdriver

Album: Electricity is on our Side

Listen/Purchase:

Bandcamp

Spotify

Google Play Music

Tidal

iTunes/Apple Music

Youtube

SoundCloud

Background

Busdriver, real name Regan Farquhar more fantastical than the rap name, has been an important fixture in underground/alternative/experimental/'left of centre' hip hop for bordering 2 decades now, and during that period his freedom in throwing his voice wherever it may reach has established him as one of the genre's most original, innovative creators - so much so that accomplished artists like Open Mike Eagle, Milo, and P.O.S. have cited him as an idol. Hip hop has surrounded him since infancy, with his father Ralph Farquhar having written the iconic Def Jam-chronicling Krush Groove.

Busdriver has always called Los Angeles home, and even if his music isn't centred around lowriders and shirt colours, the city has consistently informed Busdriver's output - try counting how often he references Leimert park.

His first real foray into hip hop came with a group called "4/29", formed in response to the 1992 Rodney King riots, Busdriver only 13 at this point. That social urgency remained an integral part of his artistic identity. Only a few years later, he found himself immersed in the influential Project Blowed scene, learning directly from formative influences like Myka 9 and Aceyalone of Freestyle Fellowship. The improvisational quality developed in this space has stayed with Busdriver throughout his career - his delivery is characterised by unpredictability, by breaking structural norms.

Busdriver is also known for his long-time association with Los Angeles's Low End Theory, a recently closed club night celebrating the city's electronic music and experimental hip hop scene. Many of Busdriver's collaborators - Mono/Poly, Nobody, D-Styles, Daedalus, Nosaj Thing, Flying Lotus... - have played important roles within The Low End Theory.

More recently, Busdriver was part of the currently-inactive Hellfyre Club, a label/collective started by Nocando and housing Open Mike Eagle, milo, Anderson .Paak, Taurus Scott, Rheteric Ramirez, VerBS, The Kleenrz, KAIL, E.Super, Busdriver & Nocando. In addition to frequent collaboration with these artists, this period saw Busdriver team up with Nocando to form the duo "Flash Bang Grenada", whose solitary release 10 Haters saw Busdriver at perhaps his most ferocious and 'conventional'. The Hellfyre Club days also saw the release of a Busdriver-executively-produced compilation album - Dorner vs. Tookie, a discretely released EP also executively produced by Busdriver - CATCHER OF THE FADE, and a tour documentary - chewing.

But despite his music often taking on inaccessible, even esoteric qualities, Busdriver is a fervent supporter of the idea that rap is modern folk music. He's always aimed to use 'weirdness' not as a masturbatory artificial colouring, but as a means of tackling pressing issues - politics, race, artistry, relationships, gentrification, mental health... That philosophy has been pivotal throughout Busdriver's career - the marriage of the avant garde and the grounded, experimentation done with care. Much of Busdriver's work contains pop influence, playing with the idea of taking the standard and pushing it to its limits - Avantcore if you will.

Busdriver's recorded career stretches back to 1999, and across various collaborations and solo endeavors, comprises more than 20 releases, most stylistically and thematically distinct from each other. To minimally simplify things, I've messily divided this catalogue into 3 broad phases.

The late 90s and early 2000s saw Busdriver at his most stereotypically 'backpack' - characterised by a dense, even cartoonish delivery, with words hitting the listener's ears at a furious rate - a style exemplified by his cult 'hit' "Imaginary Places". The most significant releases of this period are 2002's Temporary Forever, and 2005's Fear of a Black Tangent. It was during this time that he cemented himself as a notable figure in hip hop's underground, attracting a cult fanbase.

The end of that decade and the beginning of the next saw Busdriver start experimenting more heavily with electronic music, even delving quite deeply into the electro-pop sphere. A good illustration of Busdriver's artistic mindset during this time is his perplexing yet absorbing Animal Collective cover. The mixed-quality trio of 2007's RoadKillOvercoat, 2009's Jhelli Beam, and 2012's Beaus$Eros with Belgian electronic musician Loden encompass most of his output during this period. It's fair to say that the music released during these years represented a somewhat confused, slightly directionless Busdriver.

But following this, comes what in my opinion is the period where all of Busdriver's conflicting ideas and qualities have best come into fruition, the period where his music has taken on its most fulfilling, holistic direction. At this time, Busdriver found himself at the centre of the burgeoning 'art rap' movement (as a unified structure, not as a concept). He slowed down to a certain extent, the delivery became not subdued but rather composed, the production veered away from the frantic and took on a more atmospheric tone, and perhaps most importantly, it felt as if Busdriver shed a layer of protection. His music never lacked introspection or vulnerability, but there was always an element of performance guarding him. The releases chronicling this shift are 2014's Perfect Hair, 2015's Thumbs, and now finally in 2018, Electricity is on our Side.

While it is true that much of Busdriver's artistic identity revolves around his uncompromising, cryptic style of rapping, it's a testament to his versatility that a significant portion of his work is self-produced, and as the years have passed he's become more adept at creating off-kilter soundscapes to work in conjunction with his delivery. Outside of his own musical output, Busdriver oversees his "Temporary Whatever" recored label - home to himself, Jinetta Rose, stillfriends, and Jerry Quickley, and hosts the "Free Black Press Radio" podcast. Busdriver also notably starred in Flying Lotus's 2017 film Kuso.

Since the release of Thumbs in 2015, Busdriver has been relatively quiet on a musical front, excluding guest appearance for artists such as Milo, POS, Daedalus, Zeroh, and Lorde Fredd33 among others. But 2018 saw a significant upturn in productivity, starting with the release of 2 new songs, "GUSH" and "the Imperfect Cinema" at the beginning of the year. While these songs remain untethered to any project, their more jazz-focused direction served as a precursor to what Busdriver would go on to do with Electricity is on our Side. Not much later, Busdriver would release, and entirely produce, poet Jerry Quickley's debut release, "(american) FOOL" - one of the year's strongest, most distinctive works. On 1 June, Busdriver released "Right before the Miracle" and its accompanying video, while announcing Electricity is on our Side with the following description:

Drawing from memory and community roots, the 10th album from rap innovator BUSDRIVER plays out like an ode to modern folk art via the act's characteristically warped take on the world's leading pop music: hiphop. Homespun and bursting with intention, "electricity is on our side" argues that the quintessential underground hiphop album is in fact the high art of the day.// Electronic musics, jazz, hiphop and writing are once again minced into a unique configuration(underground social music) to achieve the aesthetic ends and messaging harnessed by the legendary BUSDRIVER.

The album is predominantly produced by Busdriver himself, but features contributions from The Underground Railroad, Kenny Segal, Mike Parvizi, Fumitake Tamura, Swarvy. and Daedelus. Denmark Vessey, Dntel, Lorde Fredd33, and Hemlock Ernst appear as guests.

Review

In 2018, much of the hip hop discourse has revolved around the dichotomy between stream-guzzling behemoths, and glorified EPs. Within this mire of ever-decreasing attention spans and rampant commercialism, it seems we've lost the beauty of sprawl - art defined by its scope, its willingness to weave so many different threads into a greater whole. And although Electricity is on our Side may not be the year's most refined or consistent release, what it does achieve is arguably far more impressive. It is a piece of work that revels in its own messiness, that takes indecipherable chaos and twists it into shape.

Electricity is on our Side opens with its title track, made up of loosely strung together samples from a radio show, segments of conversation, Busdriver's crooning, and some improvised trumpetry. It's a piece that goes on to inform much of the album - fluid, formless, centred around off the cuff creation.

The song stems from a chance encounter between Busdriver and a Louisiana street musician, their instantaneous collaboration becoming the basis of what's recorded here. This origin plays into one of the album's central themes, and in fact something that has fascinated Busdriver throughout his career - the idea of the 'griot', the folk artist whose wisdom is unbounded by mainstream structures. Throughout Electricity is on our Side, Busdriver styles himself as a sort of 'rap Shaman', floating around to ruminate on various matters while always remaining on the periphery. It's a balance that very few can strike - the ability to chronicle your surroundings without positioning yourself above them in the way that many so-called 'conscious rappers' can be guilty of doing.

These forgotten, almost mystic figures are a constant theme, most notably on "Jeane Anthony":

The medicine man at the refugee camp

So negotiate your well-being with a plant

Spliff burning over the guitar amp

No love for the rewards and their grants

We don't need that stamp

The shaman reeks of the homemade moonshine

'Cause how we live, there's always a food line

The jazz man at the unemployment office

He pointed out them allies in a woman's carcass

The pharaohs lined up in them wooden coffins

They didn't die from flash floods in mid-August

In the halls of pain

Jazz man exhausted in vain

Whole life tossed in the drain

Man, he crossed out your name

Busdriver is giving life to those on the outskirts of society, stuck in a world that's left them behind, and it's clear that these portrayals echo the way in which he and his art have come to be perceived. It's the kind of weariness that comes from 20 years toiling on the edges of the music world, waking up one day and questioning your own place within the culture that's always been at the core of your identity. It's not Eminem's overt bitterness, and it's also not the suffocating refusal to accept progress which has plagued a host of rappers. It's a soft nostalgia which recognises its own futility.

What is also clear from the outset, is the extent to which jazz runs through Electricity is on our Side. But this isn't the traditional loop-based jazz/hip hop fusion which has taken on an iconic role in the genre thanks to producers like Pete Rock, Q-Tip, and DJ Premier. Instead, Busdriver is accompanied by a live band, The Underground Railroad, performing original compositions - much of these improvisational in some way. It's not an unprecedented direction - we can point to Freestyle Fellowship, Watts Prophets, The Last Poets, all of whom incorporated free jazz into their work, and all of whom have served as inspirations to Busdriver.

But what truly sets Electricity is on our Side apart from those influences and allows it to forge its own, unmatched identity, is the way Busdriver has managed to create something unstuck in time. The music that serves as a foundation to hip hop is merged with the music that represents its present and possibly its future. We jump between this world of dusty vinyl cuts and trumpet riffs, and the glitchy electronica of the Los Angeles beat scene. At points Busdriver seems to be emulating soul-singers of the past, and at points we hear him drenched in vocal effects. It's the marriage of 'digital' and 'organic'. It's also another instance of Busdriver playing with the arcane finding its way into a new world.

The album's artwork shows a framed close-up of a young Busdriver, and that image is a further representation of the timeless quality running through Electricity is on our Side. The picture is almost uncomfortably magnified, cutting off Busdriver's surroundings. This album is less a trip down memory lane than it is a fragmented series of recollections from someone looking back through a storied but complex past. This is aided by production effects - several songs have audible 'skips', vocals that dip in volume, as if he's highlighting pieces of the past that can never be completely recovered. It's a commentary on memory itself, as well as our obsession with idealised images of the past - regardless of how reliable those images really are. We jump between different periods in Busdriver's life, different things he's observed or experienced.

"exploding slowly" tells of an acquaintance in Busdriver's youth who found themselves embroiled in the gang culture that's often at the centre of Los Angeles rap:

Smoking shit, opiates

Split your mind in two layers

Surrender your homies to the nether world

All of your love contained in a ghetto girl

Memorize the young shooter's syllabus and fill the clip

Light them niggas up like some filaments

"FUKN" deals with early experiences of police violence:

Nineteen-ninety, cop rave

Startled rookie, shot Dave

A rally cry, shock wave

Their civil liberties not saved

'Cause they do more sighting and shooting

Enough to put that lightning in a mood swing

These seemingly disconnected pieces can be disconcerting at first, but as one engages more with Electricity is on our Side, Busdriver's tapestry starts to be unwoven.

But even when operating more explicitly, Busdriver is never bereft of important content. Electricity on our Side is perhaps the most overtly political album in a career which has never shied away from that arena. Busdriver deals with what his status as both a creator and as a Black man means in a world that's undergone a right wing resurgence. This isn't the same as the political awakening which many musicians seem to have undergone in recent years, it's fury in the face of existing ugliness taking on renewed power. It's when tackling these issues that we see Busdriver shed some of the complexity, and turn to a 'harder', more direct approach. The following line from "exploding slowly" illustrates this:

Got a rap sheet enclosed in your pigment

Or the following excerpt from "me vs. me":

It's the water got lead in it, the children they be breathing soot

The Founding Fathers, they're the esteemed thieves and crooks

Again the world-weariness comes in to play. Busdriver isn't militant - not because of any compromise to his ideals - but because these words come on the back of a lifetime of disillusionment with the American system.

But even after 80 minutes brimming with suppressed rage and characterised by his bleak outlook, Busdriver refuses to let that resignation take hold of him. The album's final song, the pop-tinged "pull the sky closer" sounds like an energy replenishment:

I'm addicted to my political recourse

I'm gonna spit it at the lawyer's face in city hall

And my disc jockey hate Mitt Romney at his boiler plate vitriol

It's not an abrupt show of blind optimism, and the web of ideas Busdriver has raised over the album's duration are not suddenly reconciled into a neat little capsule. It acts more of a rallying cry, with the songs hook calling for us to look to the future.

A common trope in the discussion of modern, 'melodic' hip hop, is the idea that certain artists are "using their voice as an instrument". And while by this stage that might have become cliché, it's impossible to discuss Busdriver without to some extent referencing that characteristic. Simply put, Busdriver's flow is the most unpredictable, rapidly-altering, and overall 'unquantifiable' I have encountered. He takes a series of extremely distinct, extremely complex beats, and completely seizes control of them. Most rappers will look for pockets within the beat, Busdriver often foregoes that altogether. Instead, he'll isolate a particular horn and start rapping in unison with it, as if he's part of this background cacophony while exerting enough presence to overpower it. He isn't just rapping over jazz compositions, his rapping itself is jazz. That idea is explored on "improvisers anthem", Busdriver's ode to art unfettered by over-preparation. Occasionally he breaks into passages of scatting, before effortlessly jumping into an impossibly dense rhyme scheme:

I'm banned from the sausage fest when I colored in the water crest

Radicalized by a false arrest just like my world view's an oxygen

This is the result of someone who's spent more than half his life honing the craft of rap as an art form.

Yet it would be totally inaccurate to group Busdriver with 'speed rappers', or to accuse him of fruitless technical masturbation. Content, self-expression are always prioritised ahead of the technical theatrics. His lyrics are at once far-reaching, almost mystical, and dripped with a sometimes absurd sense of humour. It's dense, cryptic, and even after having spent hours and hours with this album you'll still run into corners where the only appropriate reaction is bewilderment. But then you start immersing yourself into this incredible, vastly detailed world Busdriver has created. You'll be able to unfurl some of his coded language, but a great deal will still carry that massive ambiguity - and when this happens, you'll accept it. Because this isn't an album intended to reveal all its secrets after a cursory examination, or even ever. The beauty here is in that digging, that delving into the far-reaches of Busdriver's mind, that unpacking of all that is spread out in front of you. And maybe you won't see perfection, maybe you won't even see 'good'. But what you will see, is a creator of rare talent working towards a piece of immense ambition, and for me at least, that is always deserving of respect.

Favourite Lyrics

I can see the worry behind your eyes

You opened a place unlike

For you do not know where the decisions that you make

Are without bearing in the end

But rest assured, my friend

You are the one at the beating heart of our sky's sun

  • "electricity is on our side"

No money in your hood at all

Out your block, cat call

At your inner city dancehall

Niggas ripped for mythical sources interrupting elliptical orbits

Magic guiding centripetal forces

Cause a stir of biblical proportions

Tucker the tools to the end of your horse trips

Getting offers from corporate bank courtships

  • "Im from a different time"

And she's heating up on that spoon again

Soothe dark, the perfect gold earrings

For snapping jaws at a parole hearing

I subvert my niggas' class envy

With my good taste cause I don't have any

I'll buy a high with that black penny

In Baton Rouge with the dealed-up plates

She needs imaginary real estate

So my blood sugars, I'm a drug pusher

What's a song worth against the price of dope?

A break's a bitch with the right approach

When you fake the pain and then you fight the rope

And go a bit insane as you light the roach

Then just melt into this kaleidoscope

  • "Grape Drank"

Black man is a colloquial term

I'm in that voting booth soaked in the Oreo germ, I'm

Called to renounce my poetry publically

From the stapled stomach of an unfaithful lummox

Now I rap for bankers, that's why I'm exacting bangers

My new flaccid wang is always casting flavor

Is always dipped in frosting

I died prematurely before I got to equip my offspring

Beware of the swamp thing

Look at my eyes and really know that there are no answers

So go ahead and mix that coca with the Arm & Hammer

The knowledge of self was all it took to arm the Panthers

They gave the same thing to me and I got a charming stammer

That's them dark thoughts shooting through the enamel

  • "me vs. me"

These dark weather, baby

From Sudan

Came in a sedan, can you understand

There is no rubber band that will take you back to the point of origin

Like this

A motive is at the helm, when I'm at the helm

Can you understand what happens

When I start rapping, tapping into unbelievable black skin

Motherfuckin' griots into Manhattan

When I start chanting, you know exactly when

My black skin cracks you see

  • "Right before the Miracle"

And they put it in skyscrapers

And interpret it under the sign language

Telling me I constructed pyramids

When they think I fly aimless

So I got to peace out, 'cause you play the game on some hater shit

During that weight gain, turned my stage name to an algebraic glyph

Improvising in slow-mo, my every solo's a calculated risk

Jazz militants take over on television you can smell the chicken on your laser disk

  • "improvisers anthem"

The medicine man at the refugee camp

So negotiate your well-being with a plant

Spliff burning over the guitar amp

No love for the rewards and their grants

We don't need that stamp

The shaman reeks of the homemade moonshine

'Cause how we live, there's always a food line

But you're new to the grind

Melt down your belongings to them golden tokens

'Cause we've been ice skating on these frozen oceans

  • "Jeane Anthony"

Nineteen-ninety, cop rave

Startled rookie, shot Dave

A rally cry, shock wave

Their civil liberties not saved

'Cause they do more sighting and shooting

Enough to put that lightning in a mood swing

The doctor bill I never paid

Your mother under a slender blade

Underfunded Medicaid

Die alone in a rented cage

Slamming those dominoes on the dinner table

Waving a gun barrel sticking out of the farms in the Winnebagos

Cinemax movie guide

John Burroughs Junior High

I cannot afford to die

  • "FUKN"

Discussion Questions

1) Is there a place in hip hop for lyricism that's deliberately cryptic, that tries to avoid being instantly understood? Or does that simply get in the way of delivering important messages?

2) Is ambition an inherently valuable quality in musical works?

3) Has there been a significant reaction to the Trump regime within hip hop? What do attempts at political rap music lack? Is there an obligation for rappers to tackle these issues?

4) What do you expect from artists on the back of long-stretching discographies? What is the best way for older rappers to preserve the impact of their art?

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ScHoolboy Q takes Mac Miller on a date after he was feeling depressed

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 03:50 PM PST

Ty Dolla $ign arrested for coke possession, could face up to 15 years

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 05:06 AM PST

full "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Soundtrack" tracklist revealed

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 11:51 AM PST

SOUNDTRACK OUT FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14TH

  1. Blackway & Black Caviar - What's Up Danger

  2. Post Malone & Swae Lee - Sunflower

  3. Jaden Smith - Way Up

  4. Nicki Minaj & Anuel AA - Familia (Feat. Bantu)

  5. Aminé - Invincible

  6. Duckwrth & Shaboozey - Start A Riot

  7. Juice WRLD - Hide (Feat. SEEZYN)

  8. Thutmose - Memories

  9. Ski Mask & Jacquees - Save The Day (Feat. Coi Leray & LouGotCash)

  10. Beau Young Prince - Let Go

  11. Lil Wayne & Ty Dolla Sign - Scared Of The Dark (Feat. Special Guest)

  12. DJ Khalil - Elevate (Feat. Denzel Curry, YBN Cordae, SwaVay & Trevor Rich)

  13. Vince Staples - Home

SOURCE: https://pitchfork.com/news/vince-staples-nicki-lil-wayne-more-on-new-spider-man-soundtrack/

UPDATE: special guest appears to be XXXtentacion https://twitter.com/JakeSul00361851/status/1072216456648146945

https://imgur.com/57xHVSP.jpg

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James Blake teased some songs off his upcoming album this past weekend, including a short Andre 3k feature

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 06:41 PM PST

James Blake had a 1-800 dinosaur show this past weekend in NYC, which is where him, his manager, bandmates, and sometimes others DJ. Someone in the /r/jamesblake sub captured some video of it, and @ about 7:40 a 3 stacks feature comes out of no where.

James' album is expected January or February with his tour starting mid February

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[LEAK] Travis Scott - The Curse (Untagged DIY)

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 02:56 PM PST

[FRESH ALBUM] Michael Kirby (formerly Rodney Tenor, ex-BROCKHAMPTON member) - Spying on Heaven

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 01:10 PM PST

New Documentary on Ja Rule's Miserably Failed Fyre Festival Coming to Netflix:

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 03:09 PM PST

Earl Sweatshirt On Resentment, Growth And Giving Yourself A Chance

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 02:48 PM PST

[FRESH VIDEO] Meek Mill - Intro

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 06:17 AM PST

[FRESH] Eminem & Royce 5'9 - Never Before Seen Concert - 1999

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 12:21 PM PST

Eating Curry with Denzel Curry

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 07:03 AM PST

[FRESH] Higher Brothers - 16 Hours

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 09:14 PM PST

[FRESH VIDEO] Rico Nasty - Guap (LaLaLa) [Prod. Kenny Beats]

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 10:07 AM PST

Mac Miller - I Got This Beat in My Head (Unreleased song from Sway in the Morning)

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 10:49 AM PST

Zack Fox - Square Up [Prod. Kenny Beats]

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 07:13 PM PST

Blackstar - Redefinition

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 01:05 PM PST

Rappers play VR w/ Famous Dex, YBN Nahmir, Smokepurpp, PnB Rock & more

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 07:55 AM PST

[FRESH] TM88 & Southside - Hmmm (Feat. Lil Yachty & Valee)

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 09:03 AM PST

[FRESH VIDEO] Kodak Black - Testimony

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 12:03 PM PST

Teaser for Ugly God’s upcoming album Bumps and Bruises

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 10:37 PM PST

Night Lovell - I Could Meet U In The Night (Teaser)

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 01:41 PM PST

Lil Wayne In The Studio Recording No Ceilings

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 05:58 PM PST

The People vs. Young Thug

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 01:35 PM PST

Pitchforks 50 Best Albums of 2018

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 10:29 PM PST

Westside Gunn & MF DOOM - Gorilla Monsoon

Posted: 10 Dec 2018 11:00 AM PST
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