Truth Via Street Rap Youtube Video Album

This is all the way back from 2008, but I have just recently been listening to it in it's entirety again. Prodigy(from Mobb Deep) is one of my favorite rappers of all time and released the album H.N.I.C. 2 shortly before going to prison. To maximize his time when he found out that he was definitely headed there, he decided to shoot a video for every song on the album. Those videos were released on the 3 disc collectors edition of H.N.I.C. 2 (the third disc has commentary over each track of the album about his thought process and what went into making the music as it as the album plays more quietly than normal in the background).
Prodigy stays in g-mode (as always) but also gets into real truth quite a bit. He is as negative as ever I'd say, despite his riches (which he also reminds you of), because of some of the very truth that is spoken of on this website(and I imagine the Sickle Cell Anemia that he's had all his life hasn't helped his outlook much either, judging by the song on the first H.N.I.C. "You Can Never Feel My Pain"). He is also totally ready to kill any man that he has to.
Pretty much all of the videos for the album are on youtube, which I have compiled into a playlist. So watch 'em or just put it on in the background, since it's just a good album anyway.

Best albums/mixtapes of 2010

Because that's how we like to remember things, discover new music, give some music another try and re-discover early 2010 classics. Here are my favorite albums/mixtapes of 2010 in no particular order, with links to downloads and/or other information when I can have them.


Boris - Heavy Rock Hits Vol. 1, 2 & 3

It was three 7" records, released in 3 separate volumes (each one with a different member of Boris on the cover, as seen above^^^) and has only been made available on this vinyl so far. Six songs total. A couple of these songs are as catchy/poppy as anything they've ever made. I saw them for the 5th time this past summer while on their tour to support these releases, and they were better than ever. It was like a good friend made you an awesome mix half-filled with stuff you've already heard and already loved and half-filled with new stuff, except that it was being performed live by an amazing band who was just creating it all in front of you. Zoned out walls of sound straight into the catchiest thing you've heard in months, slowed into trudging forward through heavy, slow riffs, into the prettiest song you've heard in months, etc. Anyway, it was a pretty good show and this was the project they were playing around.
Music video for H.M.A.(Heavy Metal Addict) below, dubbed over the Japanese glam rock band Sex Virgin Killer.




Freddie Gibbs - Str8 Killa No Filla 

Freddie Gibbs sounds as good as any rapper did in 2010 on this mixtape hosted by Statik Selektah, DJ Burn One and Josh the Goon. Statik Selektah and DJ Burn One contribute many of the beats as well. At best the beats are classic, at worst they are fairly minimal but still work well for Gangsta Gibbs' flow. His flow is so smooth while he raps as hard as ever.


Download Mixtape Free | LiveMixtapes.com Mixtape Player


Best Coast - Crazy For You

So catchy and good. Stoner-beach-pop developing-relationship music.


Wavves - King of the Beach

Singer-songwriter of Best Coast's boyfriend's project. Awesome stoner-beach-garage-rock. The 3rd great album by Wavves in as many years.



Janelle Monáe - The ArchAndroid

Starlito - Renaissance Gangster

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Provided by DatPiff.com

Yelawolf - Trunk Muzik

Country Death - 666

Awesome mixtape/album by Country Death, mixed and produced by Superstar Allstar.


Purling Hiss - Public Service Announcement
I liked this album from the moment I heard it, but it has grown on me a lot even from then. It's a great psychedelic album that covers a wide range of rock styles and leaves you wanting more when it's over.

Jurrarri - Jurrarri The Kid Part 4

Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be

 

More in the vein of Wavves, Best Coast, and another band that I love, Crocodiles. This album is really well produced and grows on you with repeated listening. It's also timeless sounding and immediately catchy.

Broken Bells

Dangermouse + dude from The Shins = a well produced, catchy album.

Diplo - Chasing the Dragon

Awesome weird catchy mix of old psychedelic rock, pop and funk songs that you've mostly never heard before.

Waka Flocka Flame - Flockaveli

I really didn't think that I'd like this album as much as I do. The production is great throughout and Waka Flocka's flow is as high energy and confident as ever.


Waka Flocka Flame - "For My Dawgs" from Derek Pike on Vimeo.

I can't believe you missed that show

Although a lot of times rap performances are lacking due in part to the fact that all of the music was made while sitting down and generally doesn't involve live instrumentation in the final mix, I really would have liked to have seen Wiz Khalifa and Yelawolf performing last weekend--but of course I had to work anyway and I'm about as broke as ever.
Wiz Khalifa is the best rapper out of Pittsburgh right now (I know that that doesn't sound great, but think of it this way; he is well respected in the south and I also say "Bone is the best rap group out of Cleveland" and they're pretty much the best there is period) and is probably the most stoned rapper in the entire midwest to east-coast region. He's super laid back and happy to tell you how wonderful his life is, which mostly does sound pretty awesome. He released this mixtape in time for 4/20 this past year:

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Provided by DatPiff.com

If you prefer torrents click here.

Yelawolf is one of multiple rappers who have been making a name for themselves lately out of Alabama (he really blew up after his songs with Juelz Santana (video) and Slim Thug (video Yelawolf isn't in for some reason) and his SXSW show this past year). He is an extremely talented vocalist who sounds something like a combination of Bone Thugs style vocals, southern rap from Houston to Huntsville, and Pink Floyd-style psychedelia.

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Provided by DatPiff.com

If you prefer torrents, click here.

And here is an enjoyable music video by Yela':

Da Bigg Homie Screwww

Torrent, no datpiff available.

Fresh Off Da Water has been one of my most listened to albums of the past year. Screwww has a slow, confident, half-sung flow that sounds like he wouldn't even think to make up any of what he's saying. Most of his lyrics are pretty simple and straight-forward, but all of that combined with his great choice of beats and the energy he brings to it ends up creating a very real feeling atmosphere. Truthful even. And we're all about the Truth around here. Speaking of truth, when I asked Slick his thoughts on Screwww, he said that "it's always kind of refreshing to find musicians of any kind that have zero sex appeal...also its really rough to be an alcoholic and a gangster.  I'd say being drunk helps him deal with the fear and paranoia that comes with being a gangster.  however, i imagine that fear and paranoia is the only thing that keeps you from getting killed or caught while being a gangster and so his drinking will most likely get him killed or locked up.  is he locked up?"
Yeah as far as I know the feds picked him up this past summer, unfortunately. Although I don't know what is going on with that at all. Considering how easy it is to find out information about Young Jeezy without even wanting to, you would think there would at least be a little info out there on one of his fellow CTE members.
My favorite songs on this mixtape are Buy In Bulk, Me & My Chick, Take No Loss, Under My Wing, Money, My Fam, and All Black Tee. No bad tracks on this one though.
Click on the "PL" in the upper left corner of the image below to show the full tracklist.

Mixtape | ThatCrack.com | Download

I can't seem to find a mixtape that has this Screwww song on it. Too bad because I've been listening to it about 10 times a day, if not on youtube then in my head. As Slick pointed out to me, a great thing about this song/video is that it feels very real and the dissonance in his chorus works really well--he might not have the best singing voice but he still makes great use of it, no auto-tune around here.

Uncle Murda - Back On My Bullshit

Uncle Murda doesnt get much attention considering that he's one of NY's best rappers; he does tracks with pretty much all of D-Block and G-Unit; he was with Def Jam until Jay-Z left; and he got shot in the head and discharged himself and was smoking and drinking again within 24 hours of it happening, bullet still in head. I feel like a lot of people know who he is but not too many people are talking about him or listening to his music outside of the east coast. Listening to this classic 2008 mixtape of his is the equivalent of watching a very well paced street/action/drama movie. It is loud, high energy, NY street rap. 50 Cent even has a link to download it on his personal website. Uncle Murda makes it pretty clear for most of this mixtape that he's all about murdering pretty much whoever.

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Provided by DatPiff.com

This is a music video that Uncle Murda featured on for Ra Diggs, the song is mainly about being broke and that being pretty lame. Uncle Murda comes in at about 2:25 and in the middle of his verse there is a great 10 second dramatic interlude.

Sckucci!

New Gucci mixtape came out this past week

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Provided by DatPiff.com

Download it here if you prefer torrents.
It's ok on first listen. Maybe better than his last mixtape, Mr. Zone 6 overall, but I thought the hits on Mr. Zone 6 were a little stronger. Not to get down on Gucci, Jewelry Selection is still a solid mixtape, but he has a gd song about being a f-ing vampire on here. It's also that his best mixtapes from last year were and are so so so good.
My 3 favorites from last year were probably Guccimerica, The Burrprint (The Movie 3-D), and Diplo's remix mixtape Free Gucci (Best Of The Cold War Mixtapes).

Wu-tang is for the children

Or at least, they were anyway. Then those kids grew up and now Wu-tang is mostly for adults. Especially the stuff RZA makes lately. Not that it's bad, but they haven't exactly been putting out multiple classic albums a year any time recently. They now have gotten into the mixtape game though and before that, wutang-corp.com was doing a good job posting yet-unheard wu related tracks for a while.
The best newer wu-tang mixtape I've heard lately is easily Coke Up In Da Dollar Bill, by Raekwon, presented by DJ Scream and DJ Whooooo Kiiiiiiiid! It has a very confident, high energy level through out, maybe it's all that coke Raekwon is pretend doing. I definitely checked out this mixtape as quickly as I did in part because of the silly cover. In a way it makes the mixtape very sad, because if Raekwon attempts to do all of that coke, he's going to die and this will have been his final album.
Also take note, ODB is not really featured on the first track. He just yells about something at the end of the track.

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Provided by DatPiff.com

Lil Mook

http://www.datpiff.com/DJ_Pyrex_Lil_Mook_No_Im_Not_Futuristik.m81402.html

or: noimnotfuturistik.torrent if you prefer torrents.

Download it! I think this was Lil Mook's 9th mixtape of 2009, released late in the year. Lil Mook could in some ways be compared to Jurrarri a.k.a. Ju a.k.a. Ju Ferrarri a.k.a. 'Rrarri, and Ju is on one of my favorite tracks on this mixtape; "Walked In tha Spot". I also especially liked "No Im Not Futuristick" feat. Trapmob, "Bands In The Sofa" feat. Jigg, "What About You", "Crazy" feat Darryl J & Cran Neely and "Wake Up To The Trap" feat. Lethal GK. Really there there aren't too many skippers on here.
If you don't know, Lil Mook has a fairly simplistic yet zone-y flow and mainly raps about things like how crazy his shoe game is, but in that 1017 Bricksquad way of rapping with confidence that makes people who hear him quickly form a strong opinion on him. Also, he's usually about this excited on his mixtape covers.

Why isn't Freddie Gibbs famous yet?

If you haven't heard him yet, Freddie Gibbs has that rare sort of voice and flow that makes you know that every word out of his mouth is the most important truth that you could possibly hear, whether that's actually the case or not. His lyrics are hard, interesting, and high and his flow always adds to the music and it flows (yep, his flow flows). Also, he's the best artist to come out of Gary, Indiana since the Jackson 5.

Of his 4 mixtapes that I listen to, I think that Midwestgangstaboxframecadillacmuzik is probably the best:

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Provided by DatPiff.com

I hear that there's a non-dj version of this mixtape floating around the internet too, but DJ Skee actually does a pretty good job staying out of the way as well as keeping the mix going.