It’s no longer news when an older rapper tells a compelling a story. Nas and Danny Brown have done a fine job of dispelling the notion that rap is driven by youthful energy alone. But Bronx rapper $amhill sets himself apart with an especially earnest coming-of-age story on his first solo release, The Preface.
With his opening bars, he pays tribute to his mother and sister and quickly shows you his world: “Picture me surrounded by lost souls and and firsthand gangster shit.” His matter-of-fact flow and immaculate delivery address trifling chicks and personal growth with the same heft while while free flowing soul beats evoke rap’s infancy rather than its golden age for a proper sense of nostalgia.
The conservative rap appeal is evident, but $amhill is more ambitious than that. “The Sam Hill Story” seamlessly walks through childhood, poverty, family, teen romance, loss, and legacy with seldom seen honesty and perspective. Usually, it’s an accomplishment when a song does one of those things.
I know Cocaine 80s is No I.D.’s experimental side project where he does the stuff he can’t do with Big Sean, but “Fly Ass Pisces” could have put a middling R&B singer the map.
We told you all about Tourist back in April and he’s back now with a new single off of an upcoming EP that has him showing that he can mix something a little darker. Tonight builds like Placid Acid does but shows a breadth in style, I dig it.
Did you guys see the photo Big Boi posted on his IG with Lil Wayne missing his dreads in New Orleans during Super Bowl week?? This is *big* news you guys, scientists are currently at work calculating the affects this will have on Lil Wayne’s career and Hip Hop as a whole. Early research seems to show Wayne will be able to get to access his recording studio .0000001 seconds quicker to record a verse since there will be less wind resistance when he casually strolls in. Meanwhile, market experts expect ‘Trunk Fit’ to reach new levels of ‘no-one-tracks-this-sort-of-thing’.
UPDATE: Lil Wayne did not cut his hair, Hip Hop unaffected.
