Stones Throw’s latest signee through new imprint Good Time Records.
Folerio is the first signing to PB Wolf’s new label Good Time Records. Wolf tried to sign him to Stones Throw, but he declined, saying "Folerio is for the people and Stones Throw is not for the people."
PBW, you’re a fool for this one.
Via Stones Throw
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Produced by Blunt. Free=only rapper who still sounds good over chipmunk soul beats. Has anyone heard Philadelphia Freeway 2 and if so, what do you think? I skimmed through a stream of it a few weeks back, but it didn’t make much of an impression on me.
In other news, I’m excited about this upcoming Jake One/Freeway record, Stimulus Package? Here’s a brief interview with Jake and Free where they discuss it. I’ve got high hopes for this album.
Via 2dopeboyz
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Not to be outdone by Method Man’s entry into the Graphic Novel game, Ghostface tells his story:
CELL BLOCK Z is the gripping story of heavyweight contender Cole Dennis, whose charisma and willpower make him a symbol of justice amidst urban chaos. However, Dennis is framed and wrongfully imprisoned for murder, and becomes the primary target in a scheme turning inmates into dangerous bioweapons. Refusing to accept this fate, Dennis becomes the destructive Ghostface Killah, and contends this time, in the fight for his life in Cell Block Z.
Comes out 6.29.09, expect an ML review even sooner.
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The official single off Til The Casket Drops, “I’m Good,” has the brothers Thorton back in their comfort zone over a traditional Neptunes beat. As with “Kinda Like A Big Deal,” “I’m Good” is straight brag rap, but less aggressive and more club-friendly. I was apprehensive when I heard the Clipse were working with outside producers, but “Kinda Like A Big Deal” grew on me. Ironically, now I’m feeling “Big Deal” more than “I’m Good”. Whodathunkit?
via Complex
via RapRadar
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This song has that classic 90s posse cut feel; hard verses with a boom bap beat to match. Off Sacramento producer Lee Bannon’s Me & Marvin mixtape, which will sample Marvin Gaye on every song. Sounds good to me!
via 2dopeboyz
via Nah Right
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The Brown Bag crew stepped it up a notch with this one. A luscious beat, expert cuts, and impressive verses all around. What up to my Fat Beats family!
As it turns out, “Roses” was originally a Georgia Anne Muldrow (neosoul singer singed to Stones Throw) song for her upcoming album Umsindo, but after the guys from Frolab played it for Mos Def, he had to have it for himself. The song fits in perfectly on The Ecstatic, which also features Stones Throw producers Madlib and Oh No. The addition of Mos Def on the song is definitely an upgrade; this song has been stuck in my head since I first heard it.
via Fresh Selects
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Double Barrel is the antithesis of all the happy-go-lucky hip-hop you hear today. “Combat Drills” is the iTunes bonus track and the b-side on the 12”.
Also, Marco demonstrates how he makes a beat.
via OnSMASH
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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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