Metal Lungies

From dropping last year’s best mixtape, to cavorting with Alex Ovechkin and ML’s very own DJ01 at a Washington Capitals game, Wale has been overdue for a conversation with ML. The DC rapper turned MVP touches on his relevance to hip-hop, progress on his upcoming album Attention Deficit, the status of the Back to the Feature mixtape, and whether or not he’ll still like us after he goes eleven times platinum.

ML: A lot of people see you as a new breed of rapper because you’re the first rapper to come up on the rap blogs. Do you feel like you’re setting a precedent?

Wale: In a lot of ways. Even from touring 40 cities and doing an hour a night. That’s roughly two days on stage with no album out. That’s somewhat of a precedent. I’d like to think so.

ML: Do you feel like there’s a lot riding on you? Do you feel a lot of pressure?

Wale: Not really. You gotta understand, I’ve managed to have a consistent fan-base and be consistent with the music without having a hit record like a lot of my peers. Mine is more of a being the brand. As long as I continue to be the artist that I am and the person that I am, everything will work out. A lot of my other peers have got big records that are larger than life right now. That’s where I could see pressure. I’ve been maintaining fans and selling out shows in major markets with no album. What’s gonna happen when I give ‘em the album? That’s when it’s gonna be like, ‘Wow, and his album is great?’ Hopefully.

ML: What would you say is the biggest difference between being signed to an indie label and a major?

Wale: Indie, you can do more. Independent is a gift and a curse — you get less help, but sometimes you don’t want help. Sometimes you wanna do things yourself. Like, you don’t somebody telling you what or how to do what you’re doing.

ML: How’s the relationship with Interscope? How involved are they from a creative standpoint?

Wale: That’s why I went there, ‘cause they let me be the artist and they be the label and we work well together. I don’t play for a coach that wants to play in the game and I’m not trying to coach. It’s a great situation. If you can remember, a year and a half ago, I could’ve went to any label I wanted at that point. So I went to the place that I felt would let me be the person I want to be.

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With the all-too-real “sophomore jinx” phenomenon that is as prevalent in music as it is in sports, dropping a second album that is a complete transformation in sound from one’s debut is a risky move. Yet, despite a platinum plaque, a Source Award for Best New Group, and loads of positive reviews (a 4.5-mic rating amongst them), Andre Benjamin and Antwan “Big Boi” Patton decided to make such a transition. From smoothed-out to spacey. From Caddies to comic books. From portraying a pimp’s lifestyle to questioning the existence of life forms on other planets. From “If you smoke a dime, then I’ll smoke a dime” to “No drugs or alcohol so I can get the signal clear”. From “Talkin’ ’bout her period late, guess what I did” to “Oh yes I love her like Egyptian”.

Granted, there were some points of similarity between Outkast’s first two albums — pieces of Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik still prevalent in ATLiens, and vice versa. The “GREETINGS EARTHLINGS” sound effect that kicks off ATLiens was first heard on “D.E.E.P.”, the closing track on Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. And, on ATLiens’ two biggest singles, Dre and Big were still talking about “slammin’ Cadillac doors” and “all that pimp shit”.

So, maybe Outkast didn’t pull a complete 180 between their first two albums… but, it was at least a 160. Rappers aren’t supposed to make such dramatic changes in styles and still maintain such a high level of success? Maybe so, but noise isn’t supposed to be organized, either. (Also, noise isn’t supposed to be spelled with a “z”, but let’s ignore that for now.)

The only two things that one could really say was consistent between the two albums was the quality of the music (incredible) and the names in the production credits (Rico Wade, Ray Murray and Sleepy Brown). And, as their work within and outside of the Dungeon Family collective throughout the years has shown, it’s no coincidence that the name “Organized Noize” and incredible music go together like fish and grits. Oh ye-yer.

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Considering we were one of the first blogs to post the remixes of the 1st single (as well as the Kanye assisted remix), I’m The Shit, off DJ Class’s album,  Alameda Coldspring (it’s still bringing us a lot of traffic to this day), it would be  criminal if we didn’t post the 2nd single for you (eventually, I know it’s been out for a bit), the fine reader of ML to bump & grind to.

DJ Class – Dance Like a Freak

While you maybe lucky enough to be at The Roots picnic in Philly watching Santigold (the artist formerly known as Santogold) live (I see you Dom & Ben), I am not and instead I have to get by with the following two items to keep me entertained:

First, here is crazy footage from when Santi was performing Unstoppable live at this years Sasquatch Festival, an impromptu dance party started by one dude grows exponentially as the song goes on.

Next Terry Urban put out a mixtape remixing a lot of Santi’s song with a bunch of popular rap songs, before it was out there was some controversy between lawyers, record labels and what not, but in the end Nah Right got their hands on it. If you slept on the Diplo X Santigold mixtape from last year, please dl that as well (to be honest it’s probably my favorite Santi related work).

Tracklisting:

1. M.I.A. Artistes (Ft. Pitbull & Ying Yang Twins)
2. You’ll Find A Way Player (Ft. Andre 3000 & Bun B)
3. Still Tippin’ It (Ft. Slim Thug & Mike Jones)
4. Can’t Say It (Ft. T-Pain)
5. Creating Kryptonite (Ft. Purple Ribbon All-Stars)
6. Fire Superman (Ft. Lil’ Wayne) [Prod. By Mike Cash] 7. Hustlin’ With The Lights Out (Ft. Rick Ross)
8. Shawty Is Starstuck (Ft. The Dream)
9. Unfreakable Girl (Ft. Gucci Mane)
10. Nann Lady (Ft. Trick Daddy & Trina) [Prod. By JKhan] 11. Anne’s Plan (Ft. Chip Tha Ripper) [Prod. By Mike Cash] 12. You’ll Go Crazy (Ft. Young Jeezy) [Prod. By Mike Cash]

Terry Urban – Southerngold (Mixtape)

Jay-Z makes several bold statements on “D.OA. (Death of Auto-Tune).” He denounces Auto-Tune and talks about robbing people for their chains, Bloods and Crips and “assault with a deadly weapon.” He knocks Z100 and shouts out Mister Cee and Funkmaster Flex. Also, the beat doesn’t contain a Santogold sample. Jay-Z seemingly steers clear of pop and caters to embittered hip-hop heads.

But why is it that “D.O.A.” feels like a shockwave even though underground rappers, bloggers and nerds the world over have been decrying Auto-Tune and its ilk from day one? If you’re one of the aforementioned people, you’re not going to like the answer: when Jay-Z says something, it actually matters. After Jay and friends made their swagger anthem, the word popped up in every rapper’s vocabulary. When Jay-Z speaks up, hip-hop listens. Expect copycat rappers (the majority of rappers) to fall back on Auto-Tune from now on.

However, if you think Jay-Z is going 94-rugged-raw with Blueprint 3, you’ve got another thing coming. His real single is a duet with the hip-hop heartthrob Drake. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Update: Here’s the final mastered dirty untagged CDQ of the song. Also, Fake Shore Drive reports that the track was produced solely by No I.D.

AND Hip Hop is Read has the skinny on the sample.

Download: Jay-Z – D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune) (produced by No I.D.)

via RapRadar

The funky, raunchy “Cream In Ya Panties” is only the tip of the iceberg. BlaQKout shot above and beyond my expectations with consistency on the mic from Kurupt and pitch-shifting, Travel-Channel-sampling madness from DJ Quik. I need to dig through Quik’s past production credits now. BlaQKout comes out this Tuesday.

Download: DJ Quik & Kurupt – Cream In Ya Panties

via OnSMASH

Also, check the video for “9x’s Outta 10,” the album’s (best?) most off-kilter song.

Funny they should leak this song now, I’ve been listening to it all week. Tanya Morgan’s sound is hard to classify; they’re lively and feel-good, but not pop. Catch them this Friday at Humphrey Lefty’s when they open for Hardcore Gentlemen.

Download: Tanya Morgan – Bang & Boogie

via RubyHornet

Most apt song title in a while. Shawn and Co$$ spit some exemplary brag-rap over Fonetik’s futuristic, dusty thump (a previous Co$$ collaborator). More people need to know about these guys. This song comes off Co$$’s upcoming Khaki$ & Taylors 12′, which is being released on Tres Records.

Co$$ – L.A.’s Best (ft. Shawn Jackson)

Here’s another Co$$/Shawn Jack team-up, produced by the almighty Exile.

Shawn Jackson – Here We Go Again (ft.Co$$)

via Up On Thingz by way of the Smoking Section

I still don’t fully understand what this album is or where it came from, but from what I can gather, it’s a Wu-Tang Clan compilation that features some new tracks. On this track, Ghostface, AZ and Inspectah Deck link up with a band called The Revelations. All three hold it down and sound great backed by a live band.

Download: Ghostface Killah, AZ, Inspectah Deck – Harbor Masters

Also, here’s GFK’s new single, which I’m not sure if I like yet. Fuck Ron Browz.

Download: Ghostface Killah – Forever 

via RapRadar

(image source)

If Kid Cudi keeps dropping heat like this, he’s going to have trouble meeting expectations with his album which is scheduled to come out in August. I’m curious to see if he can duplicate the success of “Day N Nite” with his single… unless “Day N Nite” is his single.

Download: Mickey Factz – Do My Do (ft. Kid Cudi) (produced by Precize)

GFCnewyork via 2dopeboyz