20syl proved himself to be quite the remix maestro in 2013, and 2014 seems to be no different. Kendrick Lamar remixes are a dime a … Continue reading
Guess who’s baaaaaaccckk? Did you miss me? The Hip-Hop Dojo’s finally ready to reopen its doors for business, and I’ve got plenty to share with you today. I’ve traveled far and wide, sailed across the seven seas, climbed the highest peaks, and braved the hottest deserts to hone my craft, learning from the very best, meditating, and planning my return (basically picture the whole training sequence from Batman Begins). In all honesty though, I appreciate your patience over the last few months, and hope I can finally get back on my grind to deliver you the freshest hip-hop product on a consistent basis.
So without further ado, let’s get this party started. This very special fifteenth edition of The Hip-Hop Dojo features plenty of familiar names, from hip-hop heavyweights like Eminem, Busta Rhymes, Q-Tip, Raekwon and Kendrick Lamar, to Dojo frequenters like Kings Dead, MeLo-X, Audio Push, Tito Lopez, and Devine Carama, . We’ve even got a few fresh faces for y’all like Michael Christmas, Dom McLennon, A La $ole, GoldLink, and Fresco Nerd. Given the sheer size of our comeback playlist (over 45 tracks!), I’ll keep it light on the words this week to conserve your precious time and keep you focused on the music. However, if you like what you hear from any of these artists and want to check out any relevant projects from them, I’ll include a link roll below.
We hope you guys enjoyed our fifteenth edition of The Hip-Hop Dojo as much as we did! As always, you can send all submissions/suggestions to baseer@themusicninja.com and ash@themusicninja.com.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ALL THE FREE TRACKS (ALT. LINK)
Roc Marciano – The Pimpire Strikes Back
Eddie B & Harry Fraud – Paper, Piff & Polo
Lecrae – Church Clothes Vol. 2
Fresco Nerd – Unexpected Expectations
Village of Pharaohs – Pharaodysseus (1996 A.D.)
In the entertainment world, the mention of a sequel to an original work that was borderline perfect is usually a polarizing experience. When you first hear it, you are excited because the original story was so great but you are also nervous because the follow-up could just ruin the first. Unfortunately, most of the time, sequels fall into the latter and are never anywhere close to the quality of the original. Such can also be said for Eminem‘s 10th studio album The Marshall Mathers LP 2.
When you mention some of the greats in hip-hop, Eminem should be one of the first names out of your mouth. For 17 years, the Detroit emcee has changed the game by breaking through multiple barriers of the corny white rapper (Marky Mark, Vanilla Ice, etc.) and delivering a raw flow that is as equally controversial as it is dope and cynical. The one thing that separated Em from his counterparts was that he had no shame on the mic; no pop-culture icon nor topic was really off limits for his comedic and aggressive rhymes. From detailing his dark upbringing in an abusive home to his battles with addiction and later his recovery, Marshall Mathers’ trauma has fueled some awesome music. Now at 41, he drops a sequel to his iconic third album The Marshall Mathers LP that attempts to continues his story and sets out to trump the mediocrity of his last few albums.
Following the release of her “Bed Peace” single and video, LA singer/songwriter Jhené Aiko drops a new gem this Monday. The single “Stay Ready (What A Life)” is another rap-assisted track with Kendrick Lamar stepping up to the plate and delivering some bars over a chilled-out instrumental. Aiko keeps her usual sound of mellow vibes, soft vocals, and raw lyrics. She still has the ability to keep it sexy no matter what she belts out and the verse from Lamar adds a little lightness to the moody single. This is yet another release off her excellent Sail Out EP, available now on iTunes.
The BET Hip-Hop Awards finally aired earlier tonight, and while I personally am not a huge fan of the show, there’s one segment that I eagerly anticipate every year: The Cyphers. The Cyphers are really where the event truly shines, bringing together some of the most talented emcees in the game, underground and mainstream. This year’s lineup is certainly a formidable one, featuring the likes of TDE, A$AP Mob, Slaughterhouse, Action Bronson, Travi$ Scott, Rittz, Jon Connor, and even some jokes courtesy of J.B. Smoove, Kevin Hart, and Nick Cannon. Check out the cyphers below, and let us know who you think went in the hardest (we’re guessing the popular answer will be Kendrick Lamar).
Top Dawg Entertainment (ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, Isaiah Rashad, Kendrick Lamar)
Watch the rest of The Cyphers after the jump
How do you go about dethroning Drake and Jay-Z? Well a good place to start would be with another high profile collaboration, this time between two of the most talented lyricists in the game, Pusha T and Kendrick Lamar. Premiered by DJ Funk Flex, the highly anticipated single features the bicoastal duo taking center stage over a rather sparse guitar driven beat. The minimalistic nature of the Nottz produced instrumental fits right in with previous singles released earlier this year, like “Numbers On The Board” and “Who I Am.” Check out the single above (with tags for now) and be on the lookout for My Name Is My Name, set to finally drop on October 8th.
Say what you want about Big Sean, but bringing together Kendrick Lamar and Jay Electronica on one track is an accomplishment in and of itself. Both deemed as saviors of hip-hop at one time, the dichotomy between how their two careers have diverged is truly amazing. While Kendrick is dominating the rap charts and garnering guest verses on just about every relevant single this year, Jay seems to be locked away in some lost corner of the globe, providing fans with a rare glimpse here and there, while leaving us all wondering when we’ll finally be able to hear his debut project, Act II: Patents of Nobility (The Turn). Still, “Control (HOF)” gives us a chance to finally compare the two side by side through seven fiery minutes of “straight rap” as Sean puts it. If it were up to me I’d say Kendrick won this round, spitting one of his most venomous verses to date.
Unfortunately, “Control (HOF)” won’t be featured on Sean’s upcoming album due to some sampling clearance issues. We’ll also have to deal with the Funk Flex bombs for now as well, but we’re hoping the full, CDQ version drops soon. Hall of Fame will finally be in stores on August 27th.
