Pages

Hip-Hop Listening Club of the Week #263: Cella Dwellas - Realms 'N Reality (1996) - HipHop

Hip-Hop Listening Club of the Week #263: Cella Dwellas - Realms 'N Reality (1996) - HipHop

Hip-Hop Listening Club of the Week #263: Cella Dwellas - Realms 'N Reality (1996)

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 09:26 AM PST

Today we are listening to Realms 'N Reality by Cella Dwellas

Background

By /u/dakkadakka3

Cella Dwellas (later known as The Dwellas) are an underground duo from Flatbush, Brooklyn, consisting of MCs Phantasm and UG. With a sound that rests somewhere between the abstract, highly lyrically focused style of Organized Konfusion, and the more street-oriented, grimey rapping of Smif-N-Wessun. They first made a buzz for themselves with their '94 single, 'Land of the Lost', which made some waves in the underground New York scene and garnered attention from fellow Brooklyn rapper Masta Ace, who featured them on his track 4 Da Mind, off the classic Sittin' On Chrome LP. Realms'N'Reality released in '96, and although hardly a commercial success, it received largely positive reviews and was appreciated by other heads and rappers in NY, with Inspectah Deck, Large Professor, Smif-N-Wessun and Organized Konfusion all featuring on their second album, which has to count as getting high props.

The production is familiar to anyone that has listened to a Beatminerz or Lord Finesse produced record, it is 'noir' boom bap with a variation of dark and spacey melodic samples, fronted by louder, hard-hitting drums and prominent basslines, with a highlight of the album being the head-nod inducing Good Dwellas beat, which's instrumental has consistently appeared on New York freestyles since, most recent I can remember being this Flatbush Zombies Hot '97 freestyle, and its underground popularity makes sense considering how groovy and catchy it is. Realms'N'Reality is mainly produced by Nick Wiz, a forgotten but talented name in the sea of producers from New York's 90s, with major assistance from Cella Dwellas themselves and with a few beats from Megahurtz & The Bluez Brothers. The mystic vibe that comes from the rapping on this LP is really well complemented by the atmospheric beats and it makes for a very immersive listen.

The rap performance and lyricism of this album is fantastic, both UG and Phantasm are able to rap their ass off and this album is very centered around showing that off. The lyricism is pretty abstract, with frequent religious and historical references, creative metaphors and sometimes cryptic lines like you could expect from someone like RZA or Pharoahe Monch. The album isn't politically focused or 'conscious', but both UG and Phantasm can be very introspective, thinking about their place and ambitions in life. There's also a more rough, street-oriented tone to their sound that reminds me of Smif-N-Wessun, and this makes for a rather unique combination of styles at the time, and they have a talent for merging these sounds into very capable, entertaining storytelling, my favorite showcasing of it being the two part-track Good Dwellas:

It was a nice day, I was listening to Mary and J... Blige

The phone rung, yo I was surprised, it wasn't my cellular phone, it was the red jack

That only rings when a person's gotta get whacked

Another thing worthy of praise about this record is that it seriously has no filler, at a run time of 64 minutes, I really mean it. Every song sets out to do something interesting and delivers, without fail either having pleasant atmospheric beats or high quality darker, harder ones, paired with entertaining verses, plenty of stories and an engaging variation of flows and topics.

It's really of no significance but I thought a pretty funny thing is that they give a lengthy shoutout to Tim Westwood at the end of the track Wussdaplan, further proving that Tim is an absolute G. (After some looking, it's most likely from meeting & freestyling on Tim Westwood's show along with Masta Ace & some other rappers.)

In conclusion, I think this is a phenomenal album and a lost gem of its time. I'm usually reluctant to throw the term underrated around when it comes to 90s east coast rap, where every slightly less than classic album is apparently super underrated, but in this case I think it really applies. Both MCs are charismatic and talented, delivering consistently interesting, fun and unique raps on hazy boom bap beats.

Would recommend to anyone, but especially fans of abstract rap like Cannibal Ox and Organized Konfusion, as well as anyone into east coast rap in large.

Artist: Cella Dwellas

Album: Realms'n'Reality

Year:1996

Representing: Flatbush, Brooklyn NY.

Label: Loud Records

Producers: Nick Wiz, Cella Dwellas, The Bluez Brothers, Megahurtz

Spotify

Apple music

Youtube

Guidelines:

This is an open thread to share your thoughts on the album. Avoid vague statements of praise or criticism. This is your chance to be a critic.

Please keep any top level comments to 140+ characters.

  • Why do you like this album?

  • What are the best tracks?

  • Did it meet your expectations?

  • Have you listened to this tape before?

  • What is your first impression?

  • Explain why you like it or why you don't.

Remember, people who participate in the discussion in a meaningful way are entered into a drawing to select next week's album!

LIST OF ALL LISTENING CLUBS

submitted by /u/Sputchit
[link] [comments]

Album of the Year 2018 #27: Juice WRLD - Goodbye and Good Riddance

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 09:54 AM PST

Artist: Juice WRLD

Album: Goodbye and Good Riddance

Listen:

YouTube

Spotify

Apple Music

Google Play

Tidal

Background

Juice WRLD, born Jared Higgins, is a 20 year old rapper, songwriter, and singer from Chicago, Illinois. Juice got into music from bands like Panic! At The Disco to Black Sabbath in 5th grade to try and impress an emo girl he had a crush on. These are now some of his influences, with some Chief Keef and Kanye in there too. Juice erupted into the game, seemingly out of nowhere, after his break out mega hit Lucid Dreams.

Before Juice's mainstream exposure, he dropped 4 EPs leading up to his debut mixtape 999. The 9 track mixtape featured his hit single "Lucid Dreams" and production from frequent producers Nick Mira and SIDEPCE.

Juice released "All Girls Are The Same", right after 999, which started gaining traction on Soundcloud. Juice WRLD started getting labels attention and got a Cole Bennett video for the song. After this video came out, the song released on all streaming services (April 13th). One month after "All Girls Are The Same" was Juice's Soundcloud hit "Lucid Dreams" started gaining more and more traction daily and eventually passed "All Girls Are The Same." "Lucid Dreams" was blowing up quickly while it was still called "lucid dreams (forget me)" and Cole Bennett put the cherry on top with the "Lucid Dreams" music video. "Lucid Dreams" is currently nearing 500m streams on Spotify and has peaked at #2 on the Hot 100.

After "Lucid Dreams" blew up, he surprised all his fans, by announcing that he was dropping a project on a Tuesday night. This project ended up being his debut studio album Goodbye and Good Riddance which has been certified Gold and peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200.

Juice WRLD has impressed Hip Hop fans recently with his hour long freestyles on Tim Westwood, showcasing his rapping ability. He has done a collab album with trap legend Future called "WRLD On Drugs" and is expected to drop his second album on 2019.

Review

Juice welcomes you to concept album Goodbye and Good Riddance with a voicemail from his ex. His ex is screaming at him about how much she hates him, how she wants him to stop calling, and how he won't ever be shit. The voicemail ends dramatically with her saying "Okay, okay, go ahead talk all that shit now, But who had your back? Me, I did" and the first song of the album "All Girls Are The Same" starts. This intro sets the tone for this project of betrayal and heartbreak.

The first four songs of the album serve as the perfect introduction to Juice, they are a couple catchy singles but the story doesn't start till the first skit."All Girls Are The Same" begins with beautiful production from Nick Mira who is all over this project. Juice shows you he is a vulnerable person, as he vents about about how he has gone insane from this heartbreak and how he will drown his pain away with alcohol. The song is a raw masterpiece. Juice refuses to dumb anything down and says everything that is on his mind.

"Lucid Dreams" is Juice's mega hit that literally everybody has heard. This song is extremely catchy as Juice sings about how this evil girl broke him apart over a sample from Sting's "Shape Of My Heart." Juice sings about how he has sleep paralysis causing him to see his ex's shadows in his room and to think of being with her again. As the verse is close to the end, the song starts having layers and layers of Juice vocals, giving you no choice but to sink in the overwhelming wrath of beautiful sadness. "Lucid Dreams" is a tear jerking ear worm, stuffed with top tier melodies. Juice makes every line on this song sound like it could be it's own hook.

The lone feature on this album is raps most charismatic act, Lil Uzi Vert. He is on the track "Wasted", which was added to the project a couple months after its release (the song was on the original tracklist Juice dropped but the Uzi feature had to get cleared). Juice has another catchy chorus and Uzi showcases his rapping skills impressing all people who think rapping fast is real hip hop. Uzi has a distorted backing track which adds to the rockstar aesthetic he's going for and has a fire Avatar reference about how he has tats on his head like he's Avatar, and that's the reason why he rides on his Appas (oppas).

"I'm Still" is a emotional ballad sung over glittery acoustic guitar. Juice begins the song harmonizing beautifully over the Nick Mira played guitar, then sings about how he's heartbroken, while understanding life will go on.

Oh, feeling ridiculed, feeling like a fool, don't know what to do

Lost my heart, don't got shit to lose

Juice sings about how this girl was one of his regrets and how she's the root for his depression, but he will continue flexing through the pain. Juice's vocals on this song are overwhelmingly raw and emotional, you can feel every word he's saying on this heartbreaking record.

Juice's ex is calling again. This time she's intoxicated and is admitting to fucking with another guy, showing no remorse. This sends Juice into a deep depression and begins the story of this album.

Juice begins feeling the symptoms of the heartbreak on "Candles", venting about how he's not sure if his heart hurts or he's insecure. Juice shows he's a master at ear worms, once again, on this song. This is one of the highlights on a album full of them. The second verse on "Candles" is one of the best verses on the project, due to Juice's storytelling about needing to take some time away from this world, and leaving Chicago for California, due to everyday being filled with sorrow.

"Scared of Love" is how Juice is feeling after being heartbroken. He sings, heavily auto tuned, over a sample of "So High" by Wiz Khalifa, about how he's not scared to love, but is scared of love. He is paranoid and fearful of the thought of falling in love again due to this heartbreak he recently went through. The layers and layers of auto tuned singing fit the emotional trap beat perfectly.

Juice then turns to a drunk mess on the track "Used To." Juice showcases his rock influences on this track with a flow that is reminiscent of a indie rock song. Juice's intro vocals are raw and heavily distorted as he slurs lyrics about how it doesn't hurt as much as it used to, while admitting it's still hard for him to let go. While the song sounds relatively happy the song is filled with dark lyrics. Juice is a complete mess, who is depressed and suicidal. He is drinking, driving, and imagining bringing his ex along to die with him for all the pain he's costed him. This is one of the more jumpy songs on this project, even with its underlying dark theme. These lyrics paint the picture in the cover art.

The final skit of the album gives Juice the closure he desired. The tables have turned and now his ex is now the one calling him and Juice is the one partying out now, not giving a fuck. Juice begins doing all types of drugs, becoming too high to realize how he's damaging himself.

On "Hurt Me", which was originally titled "Sticks and Stones" and was included on Juice's first mixtape 999, Juice is on drugs and believes nothing bad can happen to him. He repeats to himself "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but the drugs won't hurt me, the drugs won't hurt me" as he does another pill and thinks everything is fine the way it is. Juice is trying to numb the pain but is completely ignoring the ways the drugs are affecting him. Juice has a nursery rhyme style melody with a flow reminiscent of mega hit "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". This album slowly starts transitioning into a happier vibe as Juice starts getting over this heartbreak more and more.

"Black and White" has arguably the catchiest hook on the whole project, as he sings about this new party lifestyle he has going to forget about being heartbroken. He sings about doing cocaine with his black friends, and codeine with his white friends which battles on the stereotypes about how only white people do hard drugs and black people only do the "lazy" drugs (weed and lean). Racism = over.

After going through all the drugs and depression, Juice is no longer heartbroken. The story seems to be nearing onto a happy ending for Juice as he sings about leaving this girl in the past on "Long Gone." As we near the end of the story, we get the second to last track "End of the Road." This track has unique jungle style production and Juice confirms this is the end of this heartbreak. Juice is completely over it all, but this isn't actually the end of the road yet.

On the closing song, "I'll Be Fine", Juice is at a party, doing a overwhelming amount of drugs. He is living in the moment, still doing all the drugs he got himself addicted to, due to being heartbroken. His people try to tell him to stop taking all those xannies before he flatlines but Juice pushes them away with the refrain "I'ma Be Fine."

Swervo told me stop popping them xannies 'fore I flatline

I said hold on, bro wait, I'ma be fine

Juice pushes everyone away, even his mother. We also get, for the first time on the whole album, Juice showcasing his Chicago influences as he starts talking about how he'll make you drown in your own blood and how he has gang ties.

Get outta line and you get punched in your face

Shouldn't have been around here in the first place

Now you got a black eye

I got mob ties, I got gang ties

Make you drown in your blood, just like high tide

The drugs have turned Juice dismissive, rebellious, and aggressive but the high is coming to an end as the beat morphs into a chopped and screwed version and Juice begins singing about how he can't stand this addiction anymore. Juice closes the album with the realization that the drug abuse isn't good for him and is aware of how much of a fiend he has turned to.

I woke up xanning

I sit down, I can't stand it anymore

Can't stand it anymore, more

I woke up leaning, so I woke up dreaming

And fiending for more, for more, for more

One cup, I need four more, hey

I woke up leaning, so I woke up dreaming

And fiending for more, for more, for more

One cup, I need four more, hey

Goodbye and Good Riddance is a goldmine for emotional music with catchy melodies, and a heartbreaking story about a kid who fell into drug abuse because of heartbreak, being a song by song story of this lifestyle Juice has been put into, and you will hear how Juice progresses as a person, You will hear this progression, not only with the lyrics, but also with the different transitioning vibes of the songs. The structure and catchiness of these songs almost make you forget the fact that this is a concept album. Juice WRLD made an incredible near perfect body of work, with consistently unescapable earworms that stick to the theme and story line of the album.

Favorite Lyrics

Drugs got me sweatin', but the room gettin' colder

Lookin' at the devil and the angel on my shoulder

Will I die tonight? I don't know, is it over?

Lookin' for my next high, I'm lookin' for closure

• Lean Wit Me

I'm holding my breath and watching my step

I'm listing regrets and you made that list

You're my depression

Your first impression wasn't deception

You were lyin'

Bitch, I'm still flexin' with my heart broken

Got my heart open, I'm not hidin'

Bitch, I'm still moving, I'm in slow motion

I wrote my dosage, I'm getting higher

• I'm Still

I told her, "Run around and get away"

I think I need a getaway

I need to call a timeout, I need to set another play

I need a umbrella 'cause every day feels like a rainy day

I need something other than Xannies to take the pain away

• Candles

We woke up in hell, baby, can't you tell?

As far as I can tell you're the only heaven here

I'm running out of Xans, running out of options

I really need to chill 'fore I'm in a coffin

• Scared Of Love

Listen to my story, it's depressing

Heartbreak mixed with the drugs, not the best thing

The devil tryna test me I'm failing, inhaling

• Long Gone

Talking Points

  • Are albums, such as Goodbye and Good Riddance, that mention drug usage numerous times, contributing to the opioid abuse with the youth today?
  • Will the emo rap trend last in Hip Hop?
  • Does Juice's more rap influenced style outshine his emotional music?
  • Does Juice convey his emotion in a raw way?
  • Do you view Juice's emo rock inspired lyrics as misogynistic?
submitted by /u/UZIGOAT
[link] [comments]

Biggie, Wu-Tang are getting NYC streets named after them (along with Woody Guthrie)

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 07:37 AM PST

DMX Is Getting Released From Prison A Month Early

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 05:26 PM PST

DMX will be getting out of prison earlier than expected. He was sentenced to 12 months back in March. His release date is set for January 27th. According to TMZ and Complex, DMX has been working on new music and has a couple acting gigs lined up for him when he gets out.

Follow The Element on Instagram and Twitter @1theelement.

submitted by /u/theelementchaplin
[link] [comments]

Rapper Saba turns grief into a year of musical catharsis

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 12:14 PM PST

Mac Miller - God Is Fair, Sexy Nasty (feat. Kendrick Lamar) (Audio)

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 01:49 PM PST

[FRESH] LUCKI & CHASETHEMONEY - More Than Ever

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 09:00 PM PST

Chris Brown is facing six months in jail over possession of an illegal pet monkey.

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 10:39 PM PST

KERWIN FROST PRESENTS THE 2018 KARDASHIAN-JENNER-WEST CHRISTMAS PARTY

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 06:52 PM PST

Rae Sremmurd Plays Truth or Dab | Hot Ones

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 08:13 AM PST

Daily Discussion Thread 12/27/2018

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 05:13 PM 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:

submitted by /u/ModsLittleHelper
[link] [comments]

[FRESH] ‎The Underachievers - Stone Cold

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 09:00 PM PST

Lil Tracy Announces Album "Anarchy"

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 07:47 PM PST

Pusha T - Luxury Street Rap, Rap Battles & “Daytona” | The Daily Show

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 08:34 AM PST

[FRESH ALBUM] Knxwledge - HX. 12.8

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 04:11 AM PST

De La Soul - Stakes Is High

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 07:27 PM PST

IDK freestyle - snaps on Yonkers! Westwood

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 12:04 PM PST

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - Thug Luv (feat. 2pac)

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 02:12 PM PST

Rowdy Rebel - Computers ft. Bobby Shmurda

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 10:49 AM PST

Eminem - Despicable (Freestyle)

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 06:54 PM PST

Soulja Boy - I Got Me Some BAPES *Underground Music Video*

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 12:53 PM PST

Kid Cudi - Embers

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 10:35 AM PST

[FRESH VIDEO] Z Money & Valee - Still Got Money

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 04:37 PM PST

[FRESH EP] DeJ Loaf - Go Dej Go Vol. 1

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 09:02 PM PST

[FRESH]Live From Space Vol 2 - Kamiyada

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 06:21 PM PST
at

Album of the Year 2018 #26: KIDS SEE GHOSTS - KIDS SEE GHOSTS - HipHop

Album of the Year 2018 #26: KIDS SEE GHOSTS - KIDS SEE GHOSTS - HipHop

Album of the Year 2018 #26: KIDS SEE GHOSTS - KIDS SEE GHOSTS

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 07:25 AM PST

Artist: KIDS SEE GHOSTS

Album: KIDS SEE GHOSTS

Listen:

Youtube

Apple Music

Spotify

Background by u/A_Wavvy_Dude

Kids See Ghosts is an American hip-duo consisting of two of the most important and influential artists of this generation: Scott Mescudi, also known as Kid Cudi, and Kanye West. You know who they are. Kanye and Cudi's relationship is complicated to say the least, full of meteoric highs and heartbreaking lows, and the lead up to the formation and release of Kids See Ghosts is no different.

Kanye and Cudi would first begin working with each other in 2008, thanks to Kid Cudi catching Kanye's attention from the release of his massively successful debut single "Day'n' Nite". Cudi is soon summoned by Ye to help with the recording of his fourth studio album and one of the most important albums of the decade: 808s and Heartbreaks. After the tragic and unnecessary death of his mother due to a freak accident that happened during a surgery he helped pay for, coupled with the breaking off of his engagement mere months after this, 808s finds Kanye at his lowest and most emotionally vulnerable state yet. With Kid Cudi providing songwriting on four tracks and being featured on two, Kanye and Cudi would go on to change the landscape of hip hop with 808s and Heartbreaks, showing not only general audiences but fellow rappers as well that being emotional and "in your feelings" is not only cathartic, but commercially viable as well.

The success of 808s and Heartbreaks and the obvious artistic chemistry between Ye and Cudi led to a long collaborative partnership between the two, with Cudi subsequently appearing on every one of Kanye's solo albums released after 808s and Kanye being featured on multiple Kid Cudi tracks, including "Erase Me".

In September of 2016, a mere month after the release of Kanye's seventh studio album The Life of Pablo which once again would feature him on the lead single Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1, Kid Cudi would go on a twitter rant calling out Kanye and Drake by saying that they and other artists didn't care about him unless they want something from him. After hearing this while on the Saint Pablo tour in Tampa, Kanye calls out Cudi over the tweets, telling him to "Never mention Ye name" and that he "birthed" Cudi. To fans of either artists, these interactions were heartbreaking as the two were viewed as inseparable ever since their first collaboration. During the weeks leading up to the release of his new album, Passion, Pain, & Demon Slayin', it was soon revealed by Kid Cudi on his facebook page that he was checking himself into rehab for depression and suicidal urges, which also explained his erratic behavior on twitter leading up to this moment. After Cudi's eventual release from rehab, him and Kanye would reunite back on stage to perform Father Stretch My Hands together, ending in a tearful embrace. That same night, due to the pressures of tour life and fame in general, not to mention the recent mugging of his wife in Paris heavily weighing on him, Kanye would go on a 20 minute, manic rant about radio lying to us ("Radio fuck you"), Kid Cudi being the greatest, how he was putting his life at risk by ranting, asking Jay Z to not send shooters after him, and many other topics. He would end the show early and cancel the remaining 22 dates of the Saint Pablo tour. The next day Kanye would end up hospitalized after appearing at his physicians house and acting so erratic that his physician thought calling the police was necessary, telling 911 he needed help with a "male with mental illness". This mental illness would later be revealed by Kanye to be bipolar disorder.

Almost an entire year would pass by with radio silence from both artists. As the months passed with no word, reports of Kanye recording his new album in the mountains of Wyoming began piling up and with long time collaborator Takashi Murakami -the artist of Graduation's album cover- posting a picture of himself with Cudi and Ye, it was apparent that Yeezy season was steadily approaching, and hopefully with a healthier and happier Ye and Cudi.

Even more time would pass after these reports and still with no official word from either artist about their upcoming projects. That is until Kanye made his return to Twitter and announced the upcoming releases of not one, not two, but FIVE projects, with Kanye executive producing all of them. These five albums would all be 7 tracks long and none would have a runtime of over 30 minutes, with most only reaching the 24 minute threshold. These five albums would include Daytona by Pusha T, Kanye's eighth studio album Ye, the highly anticipated collaborative album from Kanye West and Kid Cudi Kids See Ghosts, Teyanna Taylor's sophomore album K.T.S.E., and Nas' first album in six years Nasir.

Taking his own lyric of "Soon as they like you make em unlike you" literally, the weeks leading up to the release of Kids See Ghosts would be filled with controversy due to Kanye being 100% back on his bullshit. He would publicly fully endorse President Trump (despite admitting that he knows nothing about politics or Trump's policies), calling him his brother and posting a picture of himself wearing a MAGA hat on twitter, a move that would baffle even the most diehard Ye fans. Literally a week after this, Kanye makes a surprise appearance on TMZ to make his infamous "slavery was a choice comment" causing even more backlash. Not even the Yeezy Defense Force could reasonably defend what Kanye was saying and doing around this time, and many Ye fans were just anxiously waiting for the music to drop.

Finally on June 8th, a week after the release of Ye, an album with incredibly introspective and personal lyrics touching on themes of mental health, fatherhood, and fame, Kids See Ghosts' debut album is released. In the huge discography between the two artists, where does KSG rank?

Review by u/A_Wavvy_Dude

Clocking in at a mere 24 minutes with only 7 tracks, it is baffling how much of a complete and cohesive project Kids See Ghosts sounds like with such little content. Kanye and Cudi bring out the absolute best of each other on this album, and the chemistry between the two is palpable. Kanye (with assistance from Cudi and long time collaborators Dot Da Genius, Mike Dean, and Plain Pat, just to name a few) brought his A game for the production on this album. This album mixes hip hop, jazz, hard rock, and even grunge to create a soundscape that is both very reminiscent of the old "chop up the beat Kanye" from the College Dropout era yet is also very experimental and new at the same time. Ye also doesn't slack in the bars department, giving us some of his most charismatic, quotable, and socially conscious verses since My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Regarding the other half of the duo, Cudi's singing and rapping is so incredibly on point and consistent throughout the entire album. No human should be able to sound this on pitch and make it look so easy while simultaneously giving some of his best verses in nearly a decade but Mr. Rager somehow manages to do it all while gifting us with his legendary hums, hums so iconic that Cudi's feature on Travis Scott's Astroworld was almost exclusively just him humming.

You only need to look at the eclectic, bizarre, and psychedelic cover art by Takashi Murakami to see the kind of tonal and sonic direction that Kids See Ghosts is going for. This album is an experimental hip hop opus that tackles mental illness and self acceptance in a way no other hip hop album preceding it has done before. Kanye had stated in his almost 2 hour long interview with Charlamagne that he wanted to create music that was therapeutic, and Kids See Ghosts is the absolute definition of this. Kids See Ghosts sees Kanye and Cudi facing and accepting their respective "ghosts" that have been haunting them in the hopes of overcoming their trauma filled pasts. Although their mental illnesses will never fully disappear, they can work towards the goal of not letting their handicaps control them and to continue moving forward as creatives and as people, and I believe the music on this album displays this sentiment beautifully. Also Kanye makes gunshot noises for like 3 minutes.

The album begins with the incredibly energetic and anthemic "Feel the Love" featuring Pusha T. The track opens with Kid Cudi shouting out from the highest limit of his upper register "I CAN STILL FEEL THE LOVE" over a very dreary set of synth chords. It sounds like Cudi climbed the highest mountain peak on earth and is shouting down on us with everything he's got this mantra of staying positive and continuing to feel the love despite past mistakes. This chorus and its constant, echoing repetition throughout the track is instantly infectious and immediately catches the listeners ear. Pusha T then casually saunters onto the track and, with his usual Push bravado, delivers a very short but braggadocious verse about how easy winning is for him and enjoying the excesses of fame. Just as we're getting comfortable and settling into the vibe of the song, Kanye, before Push is even done with his verse, almost as if he's chomping at the bit to start going ballistic, jumps in and starts making these insane gunshot sounds in sync with these cracking snares in the background as the instrumental progresses into a marching rhythm of heavy drum beats. It's ridiculous, it's chaotic, and it is hype as hell. After Kanye's outburst of gunshots the instrumental then breaks down into some downtrodden guitar and bass leads, giving the listener a chance to catch their breath until Kanye reappears to angrily demand "WHERE THE CHORUS", a question Cudi happily answers as he breaks back out into the chorus once again. The instrumental then returns to its marching rhythm as Kanye closes the track out by once again making his erratic gunshot sounds. A song that takes this many sudden sonic turns should have ended up being an absolute mess, but somehow it manages to sound sharply focused and meticulously crafted.

The second and shortest track on the album, titled "Fire", is a prime example of Kanye's eclectic sample choices and how he can craft a beat out of something no one would have ever expected, sampling the marching, tambourine laden beat from a 1966 novelty song called "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" by the artist Napoleon XIV. Laced over this sample is some very ominous flute work and faintly in the background is what sounds like a distorted, untuned guitar riffing away, all while Cudi's foreboding hums hang around the instrumental. This track is essentially an anti-hater anthem, as Kanye starts his verse off by saying "I love all your shit talkin", basically saying that the hate and criticism that he receives just pushes him to become a better artist in the end. To me the most standout thing about Kanye's verse on this track is how absolutely hungry he sounds here. He raps with such an overwhelming amount of authority and confidence that makes you hang off of every word he's saying. After, Ye's verse, Cudi follows soon after and does a fantastic job of keeping the energy going and continues the lyrical theme of ignoring the hate that is surrounding him as he tries to overcome the pain from his past. He then plays the song out with a beautiful and forlorn outro in which he reflects on the "scars he left behind" and turns to religion to help show him guidance, a recurring topic on the album. If I had to choose one, this is probably my least favorite track on the album and that's most likely attributed to the brevity of the track since it feels like not a lot really happens during the track's short runtime. That being said, this is still a pretty fantastic song that just isn't as fantastic as some of the other tracks on here.

After this is the appropriately titled third track "4th Dimension", which sounds like exactly that, something that has come from a foreign and unknown plane of existence, and it is arguably the best track on the project. Once again we have Kanye using an off the wall sample choice for the foundation of the track, taking a vocal sample from a 1936 Christmas song titled "What Will Santa Claus Say?" by Louis Prima (credited as a feature on the track) and then just chopping and distorting the absolute shit out of it until we get the Frankenstein beat we see before us that gives the track a very demented and eerie feel to it. Kanye starts the track off with an explicitly raunchy verse about sex in which he relates sex to this new, indescribable dimension and speaks about it as if it's some kind of religious experience ("Now drop to your knees for the offerin"). This verse is absolutely dripping with Kanye's classic charisma and is full of hilarious one liners and witty quotables, especially the last line of his verse where he says if he gets locked up he won't finish the sent... and then the verse just ends. In between Kanye and Cudi's verses there's this really weird witch laughter that plays as the beat cuts off. I've seen a lot of people say that this laughter is awkward and kills the track for them which I think is a somewhat valid complaint but personally I think it adds to the overall eerie and mind bending nature of the track pretty well. Towards the back end of this laughter Kid Cudi hops in to give what is easily my favorite verse on the entire album. Cudi flows on this beat like it's nothing and sounds absolutely menacing while he does it, as if he's just begging you to give him a reason. Cudi continues the theme of being lost and losing everything due to the previous state of his mental health but simultaneously brags about creating the wave other artists are on and taking my bitch like he's Ric Flair. It's incredible. The track ends with a wink from Kanye as a sample of the Shirley Ann Lee song "Someday" plays and says that you only want two and a half minutes for a record, almost the exact runtime of the song.

At the halfway point we have the spiritual successor to the track "Ghost Town" off of Kanye's previous album ye with the song titled "Freeee (Ghost Town Pt. 2)" featuring Ty Dolla $ign. For me this is where the whole concept of "therapeutic music" that Kanye was going for really started to materialize itself. Using a roaring guitar sample from the song "Stark" by UK producer Mr. Chop as the main foundation for the instrumental, this track sees Kanye, Cudi, and Ty letting go of all inhibitions and just going absolutely ballistic with their echoing, thunderous proclamations of feeling free being reverberated throughout the entire track. The whole thing sounds like this triumphant victory ballad, as if Kanye and Cudi are celebrating the defeat of their demons and their success in letting go of all earthly ties. The performances on this track are amazing and have such an intense, pulsating energy to them that it's easy to get swept up in the cathartic and rebellious nature of the track, an effect that Kanye seemingly intended with his suggestion of "You should quit your job to this". Ty Dolla $ign's feature is probably my favorite of the three features on the album as he delivers these characteristically buttery smooth vocal melodies but still manages to keep up with Kanye and Cudi's wild tendencies. The combination of the hard rock instrumental and the previously mentioned off the wall vocal performances makes this track feel like more of a psychedelic rock n' roll song ripped straight out of the seventies instead of your average hip hop song. Kanye himself also seems to view this song as a pure rock track, as he and Def Jam Records submitted the track for consideration in the Rock category of the 2019 Grammys, for both 'Best Rock Song' and 'Best Rock Performance'. Being a sequel/spiritual successor to Ghost Town, many of the sentiments on that track are mirrored and expounded upon in this one, with Kanye and Cudi further repeating the notion of not feeling pain anymore and transcending the constant criticism that is laid upon them and defying the boundaries set by society.

Acting as a breather after the bombastic display of triumph that was highlighted on the previous track is the incredibly introspective and deeply personal track "Reborn", one of only two tracks on the album to not feature a Kanye production credit. This is my personal favorite off of the project and I've noticed that since the release of Kids See Ghosts this is the one track I've been coming back to the most out of all the others. The production on this track (courtesy of Cudi, benny blanco, E*Vax, Plain Pat, and Dot Da Genius) is fantastic, featuring these very playful piano notes mixed in with a lo-fi chalky beat with the whole thing being tied together by Kid Cudi's melancholic humming guiding us throughout the track. There is something so comforting about Cudi's iconic humming that instantly makes a songs atmosphere significantly more relaxing, almost as if his hums are consoling you, telling you it's okay to feel sad and that things are going to get better even though it may not seem like it. If this is what Cudi's hums represent, then nowhere are they more at home than on this track. Thematically the song is about the concept of starting anew and becoming reinvigorated after going through the process of bettering oneself and continuing to evolve as a person, or becoming "reborn". Cudi's singing takes center stage on this track and showcases the theme beautifully with the hook repeating that he is reborn and will keep moving forward. In his verse he reflects on the issues in his past that have brought him to this point of rebirth he now finds himself at. He muses about being lost and how having this feeling of not knowing where to go further added to his depression, until eventually realizing that happiness is something that has to come from within. As stated in the lyrics, Cudi has come a long way from past issues that have haunted him; from battling substance abuse and trying to keep custody of his child to depression and anxiety taking control of his thoughts and his life. However, now that he has been reborn he has no more stress and there's no stopping him from continuing to be the best version of himself that he can be. Then we have Kanye, also with an exceptionally introspective verse about the feeling of isolation that comes with fame and being torn between two different mental states, one being a state of manic high octane outbursts and the other being a state of low energy depression due to him being bipolar. Kanye being the public figure that he is, his fractured mental state was put on display for all to see and the results of this was the masses calling Kanye crazy, something he now views as a badge of honor. Kanye goes on to challenge anyone who's listening to continue giving him all the criticism he's been getting because no matter what people throw at him, he'll be able to take it, and he is willing to take all of the hate he receives and attempt to keep moving forward. The track ends with the beat switching up as Cudi takes the perspective of where he was before he was reborn: being lost and not knowing which way to go. However, the answer is right there, telling him to keep moving forward.

Up next is the point where the "Ghosts" part of Kids See Ghosts shows itself with the haunting title track featuring Yasiin Bey. The production of this track is absolutely hair-raising with a cloudy, speedy chord progression mixed with these very ethereal synth chords and it also has what I wanna say is a xylophone sample as well? Over this ghostly beat Yasiin Bey delivers an incredibly subdued chorus, repeating this sentiment of kids seeing ghosts sometimes. Tremaine Emory (a friend of Kanye's and an affiliate of G.O.O.D. Music) has given some insight on the meaning of this chorus and the album title as a whole, saying "Kids can see what adults no longer allow themselves to see", more or less saying that kids operate at a higher state of creativity and imagination than adults do. Kid Cudi delivers a very lowkey vocal performance with a delayed echoing effect on his vocals that helps add to the overall spooky vibe of the track. He raps about being copied by other artists and once again delves into the status of his mental state, once again bringing up feeling lost and searching for something, although he feels like he's starting to run out of time because he can hear "angels coming". Kanye on the other hand gives a show stopping verse that is the exact opposite of lowkey, coming onto the track with a razor sharp focus rapping about religion, being greater than his competition, striving to be the best at whatever he does, and continuing to push the envelop in every way he knows how. This verse is incredibly dense with classic Yeezy quotables coming at a breakneck speed and it has that characteristic Kanye charm to it that his last album just felt like it was lacking a bit. Yasiin Bey closes the track out with a very meditative bridge where he just starts throwing out these philosophical concepts like "civilization without society" or "stability without stasis." It sounds almost like he has ascended to this plane of higher intelligence and he's attempting to share his knowledge through these brief interpolations.

Finally we have the closing track "Cudi Montage" which contains my favorite beat out of the outstanding group of beats on here. With this being the only other song besides Reborn to not contain a Kanye production credit, this track's fantastic instrumental can be attributed to Kid Cudi, Mike Dean, and Dot Da Genius. For me what makes the production on this track so great is the fantastic use of a grimy Kurt Cobain guitar sample that makes up the majority of the instrumental here. It sounds like Cudi has finally perfected the marriage between grunge and hip hop that he was attempting to create on Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven back in 2015. Cudi opens the track with a verse continuing one of the album's themes of looking to God and religion for guidance with him rapping about the world weighing on him and only heaven can help him become stronger. In between Cudi's verse and Kanye's upcoming verse the beat begins to breakdown as the aforementioned guitar sample fades away and these gorgeous synth leads come in for Cudi to start harmonizing over. He shouts out into the cosmos for God to save him and reaffirming that he must stay strong after overcoming his past traumas. After this beautiful choral interlude we are then thrust back into the original beat of the song as Kanye gives one of his most socially conscious verses in years, describing the cycle of violence that comes with having a gang mentality and the far reaching, unforeseen damage it causes. The instrumental once again breaks down with Kanye coming in on the chorus alongside Kid Cudi to give some unexpectedly great singing as he joins Cudi in asking the Lord to help save him, closing out the track and the album with the same brilliant level of quality that we've come to expect from this duo. This is an album that is never one note, always trying something knew and succeeding every time it does. To me, this is album of the year.

Favorite Lyrics by u/A_Wavvy_Dude

Might need an intervention for this new dimension

That's too new to mention, or fit in a sentence

If I get locked up, I won't finish the sent—

  • 4th Dimension (Kanye West)

Kids see ghosts off the ropes, Ric Flair on your bitch

Now this the theme song, this the theme song

The put the beams on, get your, get your dream on

  • 4th Dimension (Kid Cudi)

I had my issues, ain't that much I could do

Peace is somethin' that starts with me (with me)

At times, wonder my purpose

Easy then to feel worthless

But, peace is somethin' that starts with me

  • Reborn (Kid Cudi)

Thought I'd be clever enough to give up while I'm ahead

I like breakfast in bed, but I love breakfast and head

For anybody who said that I was better off dead

Told 'em, "Don't ever believe nothin' that you ever read"

Got a Bible by my bed, oh yes, I'm very Christian

  • Kids See Ghosts (Kanye West)

Find my back in the cold, trapped in another soul, they can hear me holler

I'm colder than the game, see 'em all strapped in an' can't move and I'm sinkin' lower

Heaven gonna help me 'cause I feel the world weighin' on me heavy, tryna keep it steady

Ready for the mission, God, shine your love on me, save me, please

  • Cudi Montage (Kid Cudi)

Everybody want world peace

'Til your niece get shot in the dome-piece

Then you go and buy your own piece

Hopin' it'll help you find your own peace

Bring light to what they don't see

  • Cudi Montage (Kanye West)

Talking Points

  • Where does this album rank for you in each artist's respective discography?
  • Has Kanye and his antics this year affected your overall enjoyment of this album or ye? Why or why not?
  • Is Kids See Ghosts a group that you would want to hear more music from as soon as possible or would you prefer it if Kanye and Cudi continued to focus on their solo ventures?
  • In what musical direction do want to see either artists continue to experiment with?

Thanks for reading this fucking long ass review this shit ended up being way longer than I intended it to be but I'm glad I was able to give this album the spotlight it deserved. Also shoutout to my mom for proofreading this lol.

submitted by /u/A_Wavvy_Dude
[link] [comments]

Daily Discussion Thread 12/26/2018

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 10:27 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:

submitted by /u/ModsLittleHelper
[link] [comments]

Yung Gud implies on Twitter that him and Yung Lean weren't paid off uncleared sample on Dubai Shit

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 03:12 PM PST

21 Savage Says Layzie Bone Diss Record Towards Him and Migos is The Worst Diss Track He Heard

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 07:07 PM PST

Future - Low Life (ft. The Weeknd)

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 09:34 AM PST

Victoria Monét in a full interview reveals that Travis Scott took files from her and Tommy Brown and gave them away, acting as if they were his own work.

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 02:09 PM PST

Noname announces a new song on January 1, 2019

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 09:10 AM PST

It was said on her Instagram story just a couple minutes ago: https://www.instagram.com/stories/nonamehiding/

submitted by /u/ChefBoyarDizzle
[link] [comments]

Kanye West - I Am Not Home (Unreleased Yeezus Track)

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 04:05 PM PST

Young Thug Plays New "Barter 7" Songs for Juice WRLD & Kodak Black on IG Live

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 04:33 PM PST

Spent about two weeks putting together an oral history and deep dive into "Illmatic" and learned a lot in the process.

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 01:36 PM PST

wasn't sure if i could find the words to properly pay tribute to arguably the greatest rap album of all time, but i did my best to be exhaustive. hope y'all enjoy.

https://centralsauce.com/illmatic-nas-oral-history

submitted by /u/funkdo0biest
[link] [comments]

J. Cole - Be Free (The Late Show with David Letterman)

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 06:10 PM PST

Method Man Dissin The $HIT Out Of Wendy Williams

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 07:28 PM PST

J. Cole - Revenge of the Dreamers

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 10:25 AM PST

Made a new sub-reddit for under the radar tracks from the 90's, come on in.

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 07:19 PM PST

MACKLEMORE X RYAN LEWIS - OTHERSIDE REMIX feat Fences

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 12:59 PM PST

Joey Bada$$ - Amethyst Rockstar (feat. Kirk Knight)

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 04:08 PM PST

The Alchemist - Flight Confirmation (ft. ScHoolboy Q & Danny Brown)

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 02:48 PM PST

[Fresh Album] Roscoe Dash - 5thy5ive (72 Songs!!!)

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 09:26 PM PST

Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/5thy5ive/1447431684

Buckle up y'all, the run time of this album is 3hrs 17 mins.

​

submitted by /u/Notawankar
[link] [comments]

Atmosphere- The Woman With The Tattooed Hands

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 01:41 PM PST

Eminem - Neva 2 Far

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 04:06 PM PST

Lord Lu C N - A.S.S. ft. Denzel Curry

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 06:34 PM PST

21 Savage - Break Da Law (Official Audio)

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 07:56 AM PST

Isaiah Rashad - Part III

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 06:06 PM PST

Mac Miller 'Come Back To Earth' Remix Tribute R.I.P Legend

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 05:06 PM PST

Chance The Rapper - Family (ft. Vic Mensa and Sulaiman)

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 07:59 AM PST

Thouxanban Fauni - Wish the Worst

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 09:29 AM PST
at
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)