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Album of the Year #8: Danny Brown - uknowhatimsayin¿ - HipHop

Album of the Year #8: Danny Brown - uknowhatimsayin¿ - HipHop

Album of the Year #8: Danny Brown - uknowhatimsayin¿

Posted: 09 Jan 2020 01:07 PM PST

Artist: Danny Brown

Album: uknowhatimsayin¿

Listen:

YouTube

Spotify

Apple Music

Tidal

Background by /u/nullplotexception

38 year-old rapper Danny Brown grew up in Detroit, Michigan. His mother and father were 17 and 16 years old at the time of his birth. At a very young age, Danny Brown knew he wanted to be a rapper. He says he got his start in kindergarten, when he was asked to bring something in for show-and-tell. He comments that he "had nothing to show or tell. So I [was] just like, forget it, and just rapped in front of the class — and then everybody went crazy."

Danny Brown's parents did their best to keep Danny Brown in the house and away from trouble in the Detroit streets. Eventually, however, he out-grew their parentage and explored Detroit on his own. Brown began selling weed at 18, which lead to an 8-month stint in jail drug possession just a year later. After his release, Brown was again caught with marijuana, a violation of his probation, which lead to him spending more time in jail. This time when he got out of jail, he decided he was going to put more energy into his music career. Brown notes that he always knew he wanted to be a rapper and that he only sold drugs because everyone else was doing it.

Brown began rapping with fellow Detroit rappers Chip$ and Dopehead in a trio named Rese'vor Dogs. Together, they released an independent album called Runispokets-N-Dumpemindariva. Brown then had a brief partnership with Travis Cummings of Roc-A-Fella Records. Brown began recording music in New York studios for Cummings, but this partnership eventually faltered and Danny returned to Detroit.

Brown released a few mixtapes throughout the late 00s, namely It's A Art, the Detroit State of Mind series, and Hot Soup. After Hot Soup, Brown released his first studio album, The Hybrid with independent label Rappers I Know on March 16th, 2010. Brown recorded the album in Black Milk's studio between 3AM and 6AM, as that was the only time the studio was not already in use. The hard work paid off for Danny, who got signed to Fool's Gold Records less than a year after The Hybrid. Brown began work on his next release XXX, which was released on August 15th, 2011.

XXX, perhaps the most experimental record of Danny Brown's, was met with widespread critical acclaim, earning a Metacritic score of 83/100, something Brown was very proud of. Danny truly pushes the envelope on this album, using his famous cartoon-like voice over 19 tracks produced mainly by other mid-west producers. The lone guest verses on this album were from Chip$ and Dopehead of Rese'vor Dogs. Brown starts the album rapping about drug use in songs like XXX and Die Like a Rockstar, then moves to talking more about his upbringing and life in Detroit from DNA onward, around the midpoint of the album. This style of splitting his albums into two halves was continued on his next full length project, Old.

Old enjoyed the most commercial success of all his albums, peaking at #18 on the billboard charts. It followed a similar style to XXX, but had a stronger list of guest features with A$AP Rocky, ScHoolboy Q, and Freddie Gibbs all delivering verses on the album. That said, the label did delay the release of the record for seemingly no-reason.

Danny's next project is Atrocity Exhibition. The album features Danny Brown rapping with a more bleak outlook on life than at probably any other point in his career. His first line in the music video for Ain't It Funny, a track off the album, is "I'm empty inside." It's an incredibly emotional tour through his life, which he describes as being in a Downward Spiral.

The album was met with great critical acclaim, but garnered very few sales. Brown later tweeted "Never spend 70k on samples for an album that no one buys cause you will be in debt." when asked what he learned from making the album.

For the next few years, he was fairly quiet. He resurfaced on twitch, streaming himself playing videogames and interacting with fans. On this platform, occasionally playing clips of some of the songs that would appear on his next album. He announced earlier this year that he would be releasing an album that featured production from Q-Tip and a few other big names. He released Dirty Laundry as the album's first single a few months later, then the song Best Life, and finally 3 Tearz. This all lead up to a October 4th release of uknowhatimsayin¿.

Review by /u/nullplotexception

uknowhatimsayin¿ starts off slower than some of Brown's previous albums with the Paul White produced Change Up. Brown over a subdued beat about everything from struggling to pay his rent, drinking away his problems, trying to maintain his legacy, avoiding people who want to leech off him, but not wanting to give up on himself despite all of this. The long list of topics Brown mentions in this rather short track unfortunately don't come together as well as I would like. Still, it gives good context and insight into Brown's life that help make later songs on the album easier to understand.

The album picks up a little more on the next song, Theme Song, which features more lively production than the previous track. Brown sarcastically calls the song the "Theme Song for bitch ass n****s", calling out Eddie Long and pop culture influencer.

But Danny really hits his stride on the next track, Dirty Laundry. Brown approaches the song like a stand up comedy routine. He raps about selling drugs to his father, selling crack that went through the laundry and now tastes like soap, and getting into a fight with a man for sleeping with his the mother of his child. Brown caps it off with a story about a stripper that he paid for sex with change. Danny's personality really shines through on this track; listening to this track makes listeners feel as though they are having a conversation with Danny, who's telling ridiculous stories from his life over a few beers. The stories on this track, as it turns out, are completely fictional and made to give the something to laugh at.

The first three tracks build on one another fairly well. Brown, who is known for rapping in his crazy high-pitched voice, starts off the album using a more conventional voice. By Dirty Laundry, his voice gets much closer to what it sounded like on some of the first few tracks of Atrocity Exhibition. It's not actually as off-the-wall as in past albums, but it's definitely noticeable.

Next up is 3 Tearz, which features Run the Jewels. Killer Mike and El-P provide guest verses on the track, which is produced by JPEGMAFIA. The production is not as crazy as one would expect from a JPEGMAFIA song though, and the guest verses take away from the atmosphere Danny created in the first few tracks of the album, as they don't provide as much perspective into Danny's life.

The following track, Belly of the Beast features Obongjayar. The verse on this song is recycled from a Tim Westwood freestyle Danny Brown did in 2013. Likewise, the track has a XXX drugged out feel to it: the song starts with the lyric "Maniac off Xanny bars, sack like Santa Claus and continues to tell a story about a "wack as hell" threesome. The track stands out for being having more vintage, crazy Danny Brown lyrics than the rest of the album, but not enough to completely break the flow of the album. Still, I don't find myself coming back to this song over other songs on the album because the beat seems to not have enough energy to match up with the lyrics. The original freestyle uses the beat from Pusha T's, Numbers on the Board which suits the first verse far better than the beat that made the album.

The second half of this album is where Brown truly hits his stride. Savage Nomad features the some of the more intricate flows by Danny on the project. Featuring a guitar sample from Czech artist Ota Petrina. Danny Brown calls himself a modern Savage Nomad gangster who steals scales from his school, drives an old Cadillac, and burns trash to stay warm. The topics on this song aren't out of this world, but it's Danny's clever wordplay that really brings his description of his oddball style to life. Danny brags that he's "Always on some different shit" and that other rappers are simply offer the same shit, different porta-potty". The song ends with a sampled drum breakdown from the intro of the song Sancocho De Medula by Ofrenda and Vytas Brenner. Though the two samples on this Playa Haze produced track come from two completely different places in the world, they sound beautiful on the same track and really work to compliment one another. The drums at the end give the song punch, pushing the tempo of the album higher as we get into the second half of the album.

Next up is Best Life, one of the singles released ahead of uknowhatimsayin¿. On Best Life, Danny brings the most hopeful, forward-thinking mind-set mindset to a track I've ever heard him bring. Unlike previous albums, where the second half of the album carries the heavier, more bleak songs that remind the listener how tortured Danny Brown's life has been and how he's left with little hope, Danny Brown announces on this track that he's committing to living a more healthy life. Danny decides to "let the past be the past" and focus on living his "best life". Sonically, Best Life has a more vintage, 90s feel to it than any Danny Brown beat I've heard since EWNESW, partly because it's produced by living legend Q-Tip.

Brown continues with titular track uknowhatimsayin¿. The line "know what I'm sayin'" is every other lyric in the verses of this song. The jovial feel of the track is good, but the repetition of the verses takes some of the meaning out of the track. Obongjayar comes in with a chorus at the end of the song, his second appearance on this album, reaffirming the more positive minded theme of the second half of the album with lyrics like "my guy, don't stop now, keep moving".

The next track, Negro Spiritual, starts off with an exciting Thundercat bass riff that continues through the rest of the track. The Flying Lotus production gives this song an eerie, outer space feel. Danny Brown's voice fits perfectly on the song. The line "Came a long way from ___" shows up in this song multiple times, again pushing the narrative that Danny Brown is not angry about where he is in life, but instead working to push himself forward while being happy with the progress he's made. Still there's lyrics contrasting his success with some continued drugs use, such as the line "Season tickets for the Pistons, cut crack on dishes".

The penultimate track, Shine, is produced by Standing on the Corner and Paul White. Danny talks about how dealing with incarceration could have derailed his career if he had not fought the odds to stay focused and avoid further legal trouble. It's a track where the 38-year old is reflecting on what he's learned throughout his life, not scolding himself for the mistakes he's made. Blood Orange jumps on the track to deliver a beautiful, layered hook. It all comes together very well and leads in perfectly to the last track.

The final track starts with a quick vocal sample from 1979 documentary 80 Blocks From Tiffany's then immediately jumps into looped cut of what sounds like some sort of brass wind instrument. The lyrics on this track speak for themselves and are very summative of the second half of the album without directly repeating what's already been said. The Q-Tip produced beat has a playful feel that reminds me of the Ain't it Funny beat from Atrocity Exhibition, but the lyrics are the opposite of what we heard on that album.

The album ends with perhaps the hardest hitting verse on the whole album:

Listen, all a nigga wanted was a Chevy on some Daytons Wasn't thinkin' 'bout no lawyer, nigga, fuck savin' Didn't know we'd see them horrors like Wes Craven Hook jumpin' out them vans, throw us on pavement Locked up with dirty white boys, all musty Prayin' for probation, hope I get lucky Court-appointed lawyers, gotta stay coppin' Put you in predicament, but that's your only option Sink or swim, look at him in the system Just another nigga, one-way ticket to a prison Tried to help, only hurt in the end How the fuck 'posed to take care your kids from the pen'? It's the life that we chose, friends become foes That nigga snitched on, everybody know Some don't know how to stick to the code Nobody to trust, that's the way life goes

The beat fades and rest of the sample from the beginning plays; an old man tells that he's seen every kind of homemade weapon in the NY street. Danny's tumultuous life has been a Combat Zone, and at 38 he's seen everything that a person can possibly while escaping the US justice system that doesn't seeks to destroy people like him. He's just trying to raise his daughter and live his Best Life, even if it's pushed him to trusting no-one.

Danny leaves us with his most mature project of the decade, a decade that saw him go from rapping about drugs, to calling out for help, to pushing himself to be the best rapper he can be. Ambition has always been part of Brown's lyrics: on the final song of XXX, he rapped "But I always tell myself that it's gonna get better / You know who you is? You the greatest rapper ever". But, for the first time in his career, he's rapping from the standpoint of someone who is revered in the genre: he's not fighting for a record deal anymore, he's collaborating with all time greats like Q-Tip. Furthermore, even though he's reached this level of respect of his peers, he hasn't gotten lazy and forgotten how to spit. He's still at the top of his game.

I would probably give this album a 7 or 8 out of 10. While it doesn't quite reach the highs of XXX, there are a ton of quality tracks on this album. While he likely can't and won't make an album like XXX again, Danny Brown has proved once again that he is one of the greatest rappers of this generation with his versatility, technical ability, lyrical depth, and ear for beats.

Favorite Lyrics by /u/username

Fuck a stripper for some change, actual change Dime, penny, nickels, actual change

Dirty Laundry

Every day same shit, different porta-potty

Savage Nomad

Came from the sewer where hot dogs got boiled Right up in the same pot unc' cooked the rock

Best Life

It's the microphone magician, make the rappers disappear (Yeah) If I ain't holler at you yet, then you had a good year (Yeah)

Negro Spiritual

Had my head above water, had to keep movin' on

Shine

Got more pills than the Olsen twins

Combat Zone

Talking Points

  • talking point

What's the best song on this album? There's a lot of good ones to choose from, especially on the second half of the album.

There isn't as much of a change in topics on the first and second half of this album as there has been on previous Danny Brown albums. Does that help or hurt the album?

Does Danny Brown's voice seem more "normal" on this album or are we just getting used to it?

What other 'grown' rap albums have similar themes as this one? (please don't say 4:44)

Outro + Schedule

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Daily Discussion Thread 01/09/2020

Posted: 09 Jan 2020 05:43 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:

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[FRESH] MAC MILLER - GOOD NEWS

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[FRESH VIDEO] Future Ft. Drake - Life Is Good

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Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy REDUX REVIEW

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[FRESH ALBUM] MICK JENKINS - THE CIRCUS

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Spotify | Apple | Google Play | YouTube | Tidal | Deezer

Tracklist

  1. Same Ol [prod. by Hit-Boy]
  2. Carefree [prod. by Black Milk]
  3. The Light (feat. EARTHGANG) [prod. by IAMNOBODI]
  4. Flaunt [prod. by Da-P]
  5. The Fit [prod. by Bizness Boi | Fortune | Coop The Truth]
  6. I'm Convinced [prod. by DJ Fu | Beat Butcha]
  7. Different Scales [prod. by MARTIN $KY]
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Chad Hugo Says The Neptunes Are Reuniting Full Time & Working With Jay-Z, Lil Uzi Vert, & Miley Cyrus

Posted: 09 Jan 2020 09:30 AM PST

https://genius.com/a/chad-hugo-says-the-neptunes-are-reuniting-full-time-working-with-jay-z-lil-uzi-vert-miley-cyrus

Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo ruled the first decade of the new millennium as The Neptunes, minting dozens of radio hits and shifting the sound of popular music. In recent years, the two producers have primarily been working on solo material, but Hugo just revealed that they're back together again in 2020 on what seems to be a more permanent basis.

In a new interview with Clash, Hugo said that both he and Pharrell are zoned in on Neptunes collaborations with a wide array of popular artists.

"I'm focusing on The Neptunes stuff, getting back on The Neptunes grind," he said. "We're doing a couple of things. There's a videogame soundtrack that's in the works right now that I can't speak about, I'm not supposed to, but uh, it's in the works right now. We just did some work with Miley Cyrus, JAY-Z, ​​blink-182, Lil Uzi Vert, Brandy, Ray J, Snoh Aalegra, G-Eazy."

Pharrell has worked with many of these artists in the past. He contributed to Cyrus' Bangerz album, collaborated with Uzi on 2017's "Neon Guts," and has worked closely with JAY-Z (alongside Chad Hugo) throughout the Brooklyn rapper's career.

Hugo also cited Lil Nas X as a recent collaborator, and said they had linked up with DJ and producer KAYTRANADA:

He was in the studio, we vibed in the studio, we recorded a couple of things. I don't know if he used any of the sounds but I love his work and his DJ'ing. …and Dua Lipa? Yeah, yeah. She was here. Pharrell saw that she was using the same studio so we recorded of couple of tracks. We're still working on those.

UK breakout star Rex Orange County is another person The Neptunes have something in the works with. "I did a track for him and I actually just recently gave the track to Goldlink and Pusha T to see if they could play around with it," he said.

Although they've been less active in recent years, The Neptunes were never exactly broken up. Just last year, they worked together on a number of tracks from Justin Timberlake's Man of the Woods as well as Daniel Caesar's "FRONTAL LOBE MUZIK." 2017 saw them working together on N.E.R.D's NO_ONE EVER REALLY DIES, and they linked up in 2015 for Snoop Dogg's Bush, too.

The Neptunes are amongst the nominees for the 2020 Songwriters Hall of Fame induction, with the final inductees expected to be announced soon.

Read Chad Hugo's full Clash interview here

EDIT: From the complex article: Also mentioned in Chad Hugo's Clash chat are recent sessions he and Pharrell had with The Weeknd. "We were just in the studio with The Weeknd, and that sounds really futuristic," he said

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Future and Drake single “Life is Good” to drop tomorrow, January 10th

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Mac Miller "Circles" Official Album Tracklist

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[FRESH] Lil Baby - Sum 2 Prove (Single)

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[DISCUSSION] Who Ran Rap this Past Decade? Quantifying the Most Popular Rappers of the 2010's.

Posted: 09 Jan 2020 12:26 PM PST

I made a post about quantifying the XXL Freshman List a year ago and it was pretty well received, so I figured I'd make one in a similar vein. Here I use data to quantify who the biggest rappers in the game have been over this past decade.

I looked at five factors: Google Trends, Youtube views (top 5 tracks), RIAA certifications, highest first week sales, and Billboard Hot 100 hits (all over the past ten years). With Billboard I made up a simple formula calles BP. Essentially BP rewards those who have more charting and higher charting tracks. With RIAA I used a similar formula, awarding 3 points for a platinum certification and 1 point for a gold certification.

I would have liked to include more factors, such as spotify streams, social media following, pure sales, etc. But those things are very hard to track accurately going back to 2010. I even worry that the five factors I've included may skew too far towards recent years.

I measured these factors for a multitude of rappers including, but not limited to:

2 Chainz, 6ix9ine, 21 Savage, 50 Cent, A$AP Rocky, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Ace Hood, A Tribe Called Quest, Ayo & Teo, Beastie Boys, Big Boi, Big K.R.I.T., Big Sean, The Black Eyed Peas, BlocBoy JB, Blueface, B.o.B., Bobby Shmurda, Boosie, BROCKHAMPTON, Ca$h Out, Calboy, Cardi B, Chance The Rapper, Chief Keef, Childish Gambino, City Girls, Common, DaBaby, Danny Brown, Death Grips, Desiigner, Diddy, DJ Khaled, Drake, D.R.A.M., Dr. Dre, Earl Sweatshirt, Eminem, Famous Dex, Fetty Wap, Flo Rida, French Montana, Future, The Game, G-Eazy, Ghostface Killah, Gucci Mane, Gunna, Iggy Azalea, iLoveMemphis, Jay-Z, J. Cole, Jeezy, Jidenna, Juice WRLD, Juicy J, Kanye West, K Camp, Kendrick Lamar, Kent Jones, Kevin Gates, Kid Cudi, Kid Ink, Kirko Bangz, Kodak Black, KYLE, Lil Baby, Lil Nas X, Lil Pump, Lil Skies, Lil Tecca, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Wayne, Lil Yachty, Lizzo, Logic, Ludacris, Lupe Fiasco, Mac Miller, Machine Gun Kelly, Macklemore, MadeInTYO, Meek Mill, Migos, Nas, Nelly, NF, Nicki Minaj, Nipsey Hussle, O.T. Genasis, Pharrell Williams, Pitbull, Playboi Carti, PnB Rock, Polo G, Post Malone, Pusha T, Rae Sremmurd, Rich Homie Quan, Rich The Kid, Rick Ross, Rocko, Roddy Ricch, The Roots, Royce Da 5'9", Run The Jewels, Russ, Sage The Gemini, ScHoolboy Q, Shabazz Palaces, Sheck Wes, Silento, Snoop Dogg, Soulja Boy, T.I., Tory Lanez, T-Pain, Travis Scott, Trinidad James, Trippie Redd, Ty Dolla $ign, Tyga, Tyler The Creator, Waka Flocka Flame, Wale, Wiz Khalifa, XXXTENTACION, Yelawolf, YG, YNW Melly, Yo Gotti, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Young Thug

I only chose to consider rappers who have released albums in the past 10 years.

And yes, I know I was kind of loose with the definition of rapper

The results were as follows

Trends

  1. Eminem
  2. Drake
  3. Nicki Minaj
  4. Lil Wayne
  5. Kanye West
  6. JAY-Z
  7. Pitbull
  8. 50 Cent
  9. Wiz Khalifa
  10. Snoop Dogg
  11. XXXTENTACION
  12. The Black Eyed Peas
  13. Kendrick Lamar
  14. Iggy Azalea
  15. T.I.
  16. Cardi B
  17. Dr. Dre
  18. Tyga
  19. Rick Ross
  20. J. Cole
  21. Future
  22. Mac Miller
  23. Pharrell Williams
  24. Nelly
  25. Meek Mill

Youtube

  1. Wiz Khalifa (6.836B)
  2. Nicki Minaj (6.607B)
  3. Cardi B (6.573B)
  4. Ty Dolla $ign (5.464B)
  5. Eminem (5.331B)
  6. Drake (5.263B)
  7. Migos (5.034B)
  8. Pitbull (4.897B)
  9. Juicy J (4.631B)
  10. Post Malone (4.098B)
  11. Lil Wayne (3.958B)
  12. Rae Sremmurd (3.917B)
  13. Pharrell Williams (3.539B)
  14. Kendrick Lamar (3.477B)
  15. Iggy Azalea (3.295B)
  16. Young Thug (2.966B)
  17. Macklemore (2.959B)
  18. Tyga (2.939B)
  19. 6ix9ine (2.869B)
  20. DJ Khaled (2.857B)
  21. Ludacris (2.818B)
  22. XXXTENTACION (2.750B)
  23. Snoop Dogg (2.616B)
  24. Lil Pump (2.412B)
  25. Kid Ink (2.411B)

RIAA Certifications

  1. Drake (626)
  2. Nicki Minaj (320)
  3. Migos (245)
  4. Kendrick Lamar (233)
  5. Kanye West (226)
  6. Lil Wayne (208)
  7. Post Malone (201)
  8. Future (189)
  9. Eminem (180)
  10. Wiz Khalifa (180)
  11. Rae Sremmurd (177)
  12. Travis Scott (172)
  13. Cardi B (159)
  14. B.o.B. (151)
  15. Lil Uzi Vert (119)
  16. 21 Savage (117)
  17. Big Sean (112)
  18. JAY-Z (111)
  19. Ty Dolla $ign (111)
  20. A$AP Rocky (99)
  21. Flo Rida (99)
  22. XXXTENTACION (98)
  23. Pitbull (91)
  24. DJ Khaled (89)
  25. Gucci Mane (88)
  26. J. Cole (88)

Highest First Week Sales

  1. Drake (1.075M)
  2. Lil Wayne (964K)
  3. Eminem (793K)
  4. Kendrick Lamar (610K)
  5. Travis Scott (553K)
  6. JAY-Z (527K)
  7. J. Cole (511K)
  8. Kanye West (496K)
  9. Post Malone (489K)
  10. Nicki Minaj (375K)
  11. Future (375K)
  12. Dr. Dre (295K)
  13. Cardi B (264K)
  14. Logic (251K)
  15. Meek Mill (245K)
  16. Jeezy (233K)
  17. Rick Ross (218K)
  18. Lupe Fiasco (204K)
  19. Migos (200K)
  20. Wiz Khalifa (197K)
  21. T.I. (179K)
  22. Big Sean (173K)
  23. Royce Da 5'9" (171K)
  24. Kid Cudi (169K)
  25. Wale (164K)
  26. Juice WRLD (164K)

Billboard

  1. Drake (11,248)
  2. Nicki Minaj (5,811)
  3. Lil Wayne (4,945)
  4. Kanye West (4,063)
  5. Future (4,063)
  6. Migos (3,197)
  7. Post Malone (3,179)
  8. Travis Scott (2,823)
  9. Eminem (2,810)
  10. J. Cole (2,774)
  11. Kendrick Lamar (2,525)
  12. JAY-Z (2,341)
  13. Cardi B (2,180)
  14. Pitbull (1,819)
  15. Big Sean (1,759)
  16. DJ Khaled (1,601)
  17. Meek Mill (1,571)
  18. 2 Chainz (1,552)
  19. Young Thug (1,517)
  20. XXXTENTACION (1,500)
  21. Wiz Khalifa (1,487)
  22. Rick Ross (1,478)
  23. 21 Savage (1,427)
  24. Lil Baby (1,338)
  25. Lil Uzi Vert (1,261)

Top 25 Most Popular Rappers

  1. Drake
  2. Nicki Minaj
  3. Lil Wayne
  4. Eminem
  5. Kendrick Lamar
  6. Kanye West
  7. Cardi B
  8. Post Malone
  9. Wiz Khalifa
  10. Migos
  11. JAY-Z
  12. Future
  13. Travis Scott
  14. Pitbull
  15. J. Cole
  16. Ty Dolla $ign
  17. Rae Sremmurd (tied with XXXTENTACION)
  18. XXXTENTACION (tied with Rae Sremmurd)
  19. Big Sean
  20. Dr. Dre (tied with Iggy Azalea)
  21. Iggy Azalea (tied with Dr. Dre)
  22. Meek Mill
  23. Rick Ross
  24. Snoop Dogg
  25. 50 Cent (tied with DJ Khaled)
  26. DJ Khaled (tied with 50 Cent)
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Mick Jenkins “The Circus” album tracklist

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[VIDEO] O. T. Genasis covers “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton

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[LEAK] Future & Lil Baby - 1st N 3rd

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Album of the Year #7: Yugen Blakrok - Anima Mysterium - HipHop

Album of the Year #7: Yugen Blakrok - Anima Mysterium - HipHop

Album of the Year #7: Yugen Blakrok - Anima Mysterium

Posted: 08 Jan 2020 07:47 AM PST

Artist: Yugen Blakrok

Album: Anima Mysterium

Listen

Youtube

Spotify

Apple Music

Bandcamp

Background

Yugen Blakrok is a female South-African lyrical hip-hop artist born and raised in The Eastern Cape province of South-Africa. Growing up in one of the poorest regions in South Africa Yugen kept herself busy by taking an interest in many folktales which was an important influence on her future artistic ventures.

Going into her childhood, entertainment from the United States began to become a big deal in the Eastern Cape during the 90's and during that time Yugen listened to her first rap album 1997's Wu-Tang Forever which really inspired her with it's dense production, tight flows, and fiery political edge.

As an adult Yugen finally began rapping herself after spending much of her teenage years writing poetry. In 2013 Yugen Blakrok released her first album 'Return of the Astro-Goth' Working with soon to be long time producer Kanif Astro-Goth resembles a raw Deltron 3030. A retro-futuristic lyrical hip-hop album focused on a dystopian future where Yugen as a character is viewed as a heroic fighter in a world controlled by the elite; Which not only offered a platform for her to showcase her talents as a lyricist, but a way to vent about her issues with society in the same way those who inspired her had.

In terms of solo music much had gone quiet since 2013 leading upto a breakout opportunity given to her on the 2018 Black Panther Soundtrack curated by Kendrick Lamar. At the time she recorded the verse she wasn't even aware she'd appear on the Black Panther album. Once the soundtrack released she made her appearance on the track Opps also featuring Vince Staples; which gave her the unique opportunity of gathering a North-American following.

Coming off of a feature on one of the biggest commercial projects of 2017 a new international spotlight had been given to Yugen that she hadn't previously had. After releasing 'Carbon Form' and Picture Box as singles late 2018, early 2019 respectively. Yugen Blakrok's long awaited album Anima Mysterium released Febuary 28th 2019.

Review

From the second you start Anima Mysterium smothers you with it's thick imagery of the science-fiction and the occult through the thick and unrelenting flow that Yugen brings. We are quickly introduced to the world that Yugen inhabits on the opening track 'Gorgon Madonna' emitting feelings of an world translated between dimensions. This continues throughout the album messages from a world somewhat similar to ours with references to real world corporations like CNN on the track 'Picture Box' while also referencing ancient gods like the Roman God Diana) and Egyptian one Anubis as if they are true entities that inhabit her realm. Yugen uses this alternate reality as a way to contrast it with our own reality through the use of metaphors in order to make a statement on today's political climate.

Silent ancestor holding heavy hearts like Anubis

Consumed by anger, self confusing who the actor is

'Picture Box' for example uses Anubis as a metaphor for how news publications are willing to feed on people's fear and insecurity in the same way that Anubis would weigh the hearts of the dead and consume those full of fear and regret.

Along with the lyrical illusions Kanif's production does a fantastic job throughout Anima Mysterium of enveloping you in this fantastical dark sci-fi vibe the entire album brings. Whether it be the dark guitar riff throughout 'Manotomic Mushroom' with sampled eerie vocals from collaborator BRAVESTAR or the horns blaring over the chorus of Hydra it's varied while also being able to coalesce into a project that fits together into a 52 minute vignette of a world gone wrong. A political hip-hop epic from another realm packed to the brim with a thick and foreboding atmosphere that carries throughout.

If there's one thing to take away in terms of improvement over the last 5 years in comparison to her previous album 'Return of the Astro-goth' it's that Yugen has absolutely honed her flow from a raw inconsistent one; to one that sounds refined and honed into her own. Clearly taking inspiration from 90's legends like Wu-Tang and featured artist Kool Keith (featured on Mars Attacks) Yugen elevates her flow into something with consistency. Throughout the project she never misses a step; moving from bar to bar seemingly effortlessly. This becomes more evident than ever on the single 'Carbon Form' hypnotically weaving through the lush synths in a cold demeaner that is.

One area that will understandably be a turnoff for some is the way many of Anima Mysterium's ideas are presented. Often due to Yugen's abstract writing it feels like entire lines or bars don't really add up to an overall point. I don't believe this to be entirely unintentional. While many of the tracks on here have themes you can dissect much of what Yugen's saying almost comes off a bit... Lost in translation. I think this is done as a way to extenuate the difference between our world and hers. To really focus on building the atmosphere and world of the record and leaving scraps of decipherable information as the main messages of the album. On the track 'Metalik Crow' for example we start with:

The Black Widow sleeps – sharp knives under the pillow

When the wind blows, leaves mourn songs on weeping willows

Inaudible noise frequencies concealed in the joints

Travel needle-thin and acupuncture pressure points

Which by itself doesn't really mean anything. Yugen uses the more abstract imagery for world building and atmosphere. Strictly meant to offer a vignette into her world before giving us a bar of more substantial significance:

Common daily routines like a collective retracing of steps

Mentally dead, spiritually trying to connect

In musical notes hide the most cryptic of codes

Truth is a bitter pill and I medicate in generous doses

Which offers itself both as a bleak look on how life can often feel drab and mind numbing, and how she is able to find meaning both in terms of mental and spiritual stimulation from the music she listened to. Like her childhood where Yugen began to appreciate the political nature of hip-hop her character is learning a lot of realities hard truths from decoding it. Which then leads to bars with vivid imagery about the slums of her city where heads are sealed inside cages. The imagery is important with the lines that precede it because it shows Yugen realizing the horrors around her. That the music taught her that things that might have been seen as the norm in society really isn't all that great. Although there are many things to pick apart in Anima Mysterium much of it comes with time, and not everything is necessarily meant to be deciphered in the same way. The moments of realization when you catch something new on each listen is what keeps you coming back.

Many of the collaborators on Anima Mysterium also come through with some incredible contributions throughout. Whether it be Kool Keith on the aforementioned track 'Mars Attacks' or California native Historian Himself on the track 'Hibiscus' delivering a verse that equals Yugen both in terms of the sense of wonder and technical ability. Underground New York rapper Jak Tripper (AKA Jak Progresso) also makes an appearance bringing probably the most zany moment of the project in contrast to the cold and calculated sound that Yugen brings on the track c. The features on every song that includes them fit excellently under the backdrop they are given. Each taking the time to craft a verse that not only sounds great but also fits well thematically with each given track.

The entire tracklist culminates into a vivid picture of a dystopian landscape ending on the track 'Land of Grey'.

Welcome to the land of gray where troubles never cease

And Man's awakening is accompanied by grief

These lines are the final of the album. A culmination of fascism, out of control corporations, and a news cycle that has become one focused on crowd control rather than factual reporting feeds into a world where simply waking up comes with dread. Yugen who first became infatuated with hip-hop for it's political advocacy and themes uses her world as a way to do the same. Trying to spread similar messages in a way entirely her own. Painting a vivid picture of our potential future through the dystopia she's built.

Anima Mysterium is a truly unique album that shows Yugen's talents and creative vision at their fullest. Five years after her debut album and she's been able to not only take what worked on her previous work and improve on it, but also make the themes feel even more relevant than they had previously. Slick flows, atmosphere, and tension dominate this project through and through which makes it one of my favorite albums this year.

Favorite Lyrics

Sad souls known to grab noose and hang loose

Lay hypnotized by the tube,

Horrific daily news

Ears ringing from eerie noises,

Empty vessels make the loudest

Picture Box

The bipedal steps into the future,

Entranced by the bugler

Dancing on the killing fields,

Babies blast bazookas

Mars Attacks

I sleep with third eye open

And dream dreams of battlefields where crows feast on carrion

And carry on, fully-armed – Blakrok, red-blooded barbarian

Land of Grey

Discussion Questions

  • Now that people are more connected than ever before do you see the potential for underground artists from places like South Africa to consistently gather audiences from North America?

  • During your listen was there any specific line that stood out to you that you'd like to expand upon?

  • Where would you like to see Yugen go from here? Do you appreciate the concept she's gone with her last two projects or are you hoping for something different?

submitted by /u/IAmDarkridge
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Daily Discussion Thread 01/08/2020

Posted: 08 Jan 2020 02:46 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?")
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New Mac Miller album on January 17 titled “Circles”

Posted: 08 Jan 2020 08:02 AM PST

STORMZY - STILL DISAPPOINTED

Posted: 08 Jan 2020 10:50 AM PST

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Posted: 08 Jan 2020 08:13 AM PST

[LEAK] Young Thug - Ima Throw These Ones

Posted: 08 Jan 2020 03:19 PM PST

Addition By Subtraction: Great Songs Ruined by Terrible Verses

Posted: 08 Jan 2020 03:42 PM PST

Hey guys... Hope your having a dope day. Here's a discussion we can all agree on and definitely all agree no one has ever discussed this before.. Songs that would be great songs but are hampered by dogshit verses that drag it down. There are a lot of ways it seems like an unwanted verse can wear out its welcome. Some are offensive with how off the flow is from the rest of the song, some have a different energy and seem to be copy & pasted in from some other, more deservedly shitty, song. There's a bunch of ways you know idk. It's been a slow week for your boy so I've been in lotus pose meditating on this issue. I'll stay away from blanket statements like "Every Word Gudda Gudda Ever Said"

Ratking - Cocoa '88

Offensive verse: DJ Dog Dick

Offense: No redeeming qualities in this verse at all. Except his name which is genius

This poor kid wasted all his IQ points on his name and ran out of brain when writing (?) his verse. It's a mishmash of something that sounds like a wizard's spell towards the end and a drowsy, off beat delivery. DJ Double D completely squanders prime Wiki over a beat that sounds like the heatmakerz found a trap drum kit. It breaks the heart.

Freddie Gibbs - DOA

Offender: Big ... uh Kill

No offense to my dear, close personal friend but just the first BANG BANG BANG of his verse is so jarring its like walking into a black tie Cinderella type affair, immediately squatting down and taking a fat steaming crap in the foyer, taking a look at your work, then waltzing in like nothing happened. Like the rest of the verse isn't that bad but why'd you have to do that bro.

Playboi Carti - Poke It Out

Offensive verse: Nicki Minaj

Song in my Eyes, as is: 8/10

Song in the Eyes of the Rest of Earth, After Being Subjected to Nicki's verse: -A Million Bajillion/ 10

Verse Length: Too Long

This is one of those utilitarian examples where I am the only person on the planet who doesnt want to Double-Van Gogh myself when nicki comes on but the rest of humanity does so this is me trying to be a man of the people. I mean i get it. She's a little silly with the facetime thing, the Grr's are... strange? hot? excessive? But it's a Carti song and were worried about something that's silly? or repetitive? Like that's literally the only reason I'm here.

Cousin Stizz - Down Like That

Offensive verse: Larry June

Artistic Movement: Dadaism

This verse just drips swagger. If swagger makes you be very unlikable, boring and unoriginal. Which i guess it kinda does so nvm. But here we have a verse that is so avant-garde that it explicitly enjoys being off-beat and implicitly enjoys being very uninteresting. Something that Ongo Gablogian may enjoy but I just find it derivative.

Blu & Exile - Juice N Dranks

Offensive Verse: Ta'Raach

This one is puzzling. I think the song would be OK without this verse, well OK-ish. But to be honest this may be the worst of them all because it's the only Less-Than-Stellar song on the whole album so I'm going to blame this verse for forcing Blu and Exile to play down to their competition. The verse is just plain ol' not good. The beat does not fit the rest of the album at all. My thought is that Ta'Raach recorded his verse with no beat in the background and then Exile got drunk, got a Grand Slam and Denny's, got food poisoning, then made this beat during an intense fever.

​

what other ones are there out there? Why do you hate nicki's verse so much? Any examples from earlier in time? Phins Up

submitted by /u/AlecRackets
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Lil Yachty - 1 Night

Posted: 08 Jan 2020 11:43 AM PST

Raekwon - Ice Cream feat. Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and Cappadonna

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Benny The Butcher - INDIA (feat. El Camino) (Official Music Video)

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U.K. rapper Headie One sentenced to six months in prison

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Kendrick Lamar - Poe Mans Dreams (His Vice) (feat. GLC)

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Posted: 08 Jan 2020 03:31 PM PST

Baby (AKA Birdman) - What Happened To That Boy (feat. Clipse)

Posted: 08 Jan 2020 08:42 PM PST

[ARTICLE] Onefour are Australia's most successful viral hip-hop crew. Last year, the state police applied huge pressure, forcing them to cancel their breakout national tour. This post is a long-form look at Australia's contentious history with rap, race and the criminalisation of art.

Posted: 08 Jan 2020 10:11 AM PST

Future - Inside The Mattress

Posted: 08 Jan 2020 07:26 PM PST

Nightcrawler

Posted: 08 Jan 2020 10:05 PM PST

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[FRESH VIDEO] Wiley - Eediyat Skengman 2 (Stormzy Send)

Posted: 08 Jan 2020 10:46 AM PST

Tierra Whack - Cable Guy

Posted: 08 Jan 2020 05:21 PM PST

Mac Miller - Inertia

Posted: 08 Jan 2020 01:17 PM PST

Freeway Ricky Ross Goes in On Rapper Rick Ross: "He had a credit card in high school."

Posted: 08 Jan 2020 09:54 AM PST

Aesop Rock - Dorks on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Posted: 08 Jan 2020 02:24 PM PST

Drake-Wildfire Remix [SBTRKT ft. Little Dragon original]

Posted: 08 Jan 2020 06:10 AM PST

Kid Cudi- Do It Alone

Posted: 08 Jan 2020 09:41 PM PST

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