Kendrick Lamar – Cartoons &
Cereal
Cartoons & Cereal features
Gunplay, and is a song that Kendrick Lamar released for free online. While
Lamar released maybe the best album of 2012 with good
kid, m.A.A.d. city, Cartons & Cereal is even better. Producer THC provides
the track with a bumping, sonically dark beat. Lamar and Gunplay seem like an
odd pairing, but their sort of anti-social personas meld together exceptionally
well (Gunplay’s verse is particularly wonderful). It is a wholly satisfying and
utterly refreshing track (in a world of overly generic hip hop). Available for
download: here
Purity Ring – Obedear
Obedear is off Purity Ring’s
debut album Shrines.
The Canadian duo of singer Megan James and producer Corin Roddick have created
a haunting song with Obedear. James’s voice is manipulated to have a surreal and
artificial sound, contrasting innocence and passion. Roddick’s electronic dream
synth pop glimmers (and definitely has similarities to Crystal Castles and the
Knife). Available for download: here
Pusha T – Exodus 23:1
Exodus 23: 1 features The-Dream,
and is a song released by Pusha T for free online (as part of the G.O.O.D.
Fridays ramp up to Cruel
Summer). Rico Beats provides a dark, hypnotic track that samples Notorious
B.I.G.’s What’s Beef
(it is a phenomenal beat). Pusha T spits fire (and there is speculation that he
is going after YMCMB). Regardless whether this is or is not a diss-track, it is
a great rap song. Pusha T asserts himself as the best rapper signed to Kanye
West’s G.O.O.D. Music. Available for download: here
REKS – Straight, No Chaser
Straight, No Chaser features
Slaine and is off REKS’s album Straight,
No Chaser. Working again with producer Statik Selektah, the Boston MC
delivers a classic hip hop track – that actually has real lyrics (and not just
throwaway ego strutting). REKS goes line-for-line with Slaine resulting in two
great verses. Available for download: here
Rick Ross – Ten Jesus Pieces
Ten Jesus Pieces features Stalley
and is off Rick Ross’s album God Forgives, I Don’t. The
reflective track finds a laidback/redemptive Ross rapping over a luscious beat
from J.U.S.T.I.C.E. Leauge. While Ross
seems to mostly go in on street bangers these days, I like is more soulful
tracks a lot – and this is a wonderful example of how well his voice works with
a more impassioned beat (Kanye West’s Devil in a New Dress is
another). Available for download: here
