How did Curren$y do it? He exited relationships with no less than three rap titans and came out of each one stronger. He has a dollar sign in his name, but he’s not a hapless DatPiff denizen or an ironic douchebag. The Stoned Immaculate is his major label debut and it comes after years of free releases and indie maneuvering. It is also his best work to date.
Logically, this album should be a watered down imitation of his earlier work with present day hit-makers shoehorned in wherever possible. Curren$y’s deal with Warner Bros. must have been brokered over some powerful herbals because his first release with the label was a free EP with Alchemist — a blog rap dream collaboration, not a 106 and Park showpiece. The Stoned Immaculate is similarly un-raped. There are famous names — Pharrell, Estelle, Wiz Khalifa, Wale — but they all fall into place within Curren$y’s grand aesthetic.
When Curren$y spliffs up, there are harps, glowing synths, elaborate drum patterns, hallowed strings, flutes, and 2 Chainz. Curren$y could teach Rick Ross a thing or two about luxury rap. Spitta takes care to do each beat justice, but he never sounds like he’s trying. He continues to find new ways to say the same thing, while occasionally dispensing wisdom. The climax is “Chasin’ Papers” with Pharrell, which can only be described as level 5000 Jet Life.
This is what should happen when an indie champion makes it to the big time. The Stoned Immaculate sounds like the album Curre$y was trying to make with each mixtape. And it proves that patience is a virtue.
These are the best of Juicy J’s Blue Dream & Lean bonus tracks. I like the deliberate, hamfisted way he enunciates, “I’m like Bobby Brown, ho, without New Edition” on “Codine Cups.”
It’sthattimeagain where ML frantically packs for the voyage to a farm an hour outside of Nashville. It’s where 100,000 or so attendees get their faces and ears melted off from 4 days of music, comedy, and film.
If you aren’t fortunate enough to make it to Manchester, TN, Youtube has got you covered this year again on the Bonnaroo Channel (click for schedule & more info).
Each year just going through the schedule seems like a daunting task, ML is here to help where we share some of our picks. Check them out after the jump. When you aren’t checking out acts, take a moment to check out the food trucks area, which has stepped up its game for 2012.
On last years preview we mentioned our essential/minimalist packing list, this year we’d like to make one addition: Emergen-C packets/Vitamin C.
One huge thing of note is The Brothers Rosenthal aka Its The Real are like the official interview dudes for the festival.. and they are even performing live their upcoming mixtape (!!) Urbane Outfitters. (Check the preview here).
If you were paying attention, Roc Marciano owned the month of May. He’s one of the few artists whose guest appearances are completely consistent with his solo material. Random-as-fuck collaborations with British producer Purist, NY artifact Wais P, and Shinobi Stalin (seriously, who the fuck?) all would have made fine Marcberg bonus tracks. “Put Jewels On It” is a career highlight for Statik Selektah and “Granite” sounds like vintage Mobb Deep. It’s like these guys know they have to bring their A-game when Roc acquiesces to a feature. Either that, or he just disassociates himself from shitty music.
This is exactly the right beat for Curren$y. The cozy bassline, the airy flute, the glacial pace: it all adds up to something chill but not lazy. Spitta doesn’t let this gem go to waste either, weaving his lifestyle into an enviable vignette. It’s hard to believe The Stoned Immaculate is Curren$y’s major label debut when he’s already a household name to denizens of rap blogs.
“Jay Dee’s Revenge” appears on one of two upcoming posthumous J Dilla releases. Rebirth of Detroit drops June 12 and features Detroit artists rapping over unreleased Dilla beats. Likewise, Dillatroit is another 12 unreleased Dilla beats and drops May 25. Get those floodgates all the way open!
Holy crap, when the first digital short epic known as Lazy Sunday dropped about 6 years ago(!!), I played it countless numbers of times for nearly all my friends. With out doubt, it was one of the first things made for TV with the real intention of going viral. Sidebar: Metallungies was still on *blogspot* when we mentioned it in passing (it was so big, that it didn’t need a post, everyone had already seen it, word to my HS teachers).
Well, with Andy Samberg doing his last SNL episode, he called up the homie Chris Parnell and did what can best be described as a very worthy followup/sequel. The 101st installment of SNL Digital Short, wraps up the era nicely.
Shouts to Knobbz for picking up the brilliant ‘Welcome to Atlanta’ reference.
I like everything about this song. I like the beat. I like the video. I like Danny Brown’s missing teeth. I like the chicks. I like the proliferation of n-bombs. I like it when he says “Shake that ass for a hipster nigga.” I like the pancakes. I like the unabashed, Nancy Reagan-spiting drug abuse. I like that Danny is finding ways to top XXX. I like the XXXI tease. And I like the chicks. Likely this year’s best song so far.
I don’t like it when Big K.R.I.T. gets too ‘we can make it if we try’ with his starry-eyed message songs, but even in these cases, he always brings it back with a champion flow and a grandiose beat. Listen to a bonus cut about drugs below.
