Stuff I Heard
Meek Mill “B Boy” (Feat. Big Sean & A$AP Ferg)
First great song of the year. Shame the video is another cliched play on Spring Breakers.
Meek Mill “Monster”
Maybe it’s Meek’s year? Edit: I wrote that back in March. I’m aware of happened this year. I’m still wondering, “Where’s the beef?”
Young Thug “Spaghetti Factory”
Seems Metro Boomin discovered the pitch shift. Leany.
Young Thug “Pacifier” & “I Need Chickens”
There’s plenty mo’ Thugga in ‘15. Go check Noz’s list.
Buffy Sainte-Marie “Working For The Government (A Tribe Called Red 2015 Mix)”
Along with slipping in The Slits’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” this was my favorite left-turn to work into a wedding set.
Rae Sremmurd “This Could Be Us”
Sure, Blackalicious gets full h/t for having the definitive flip of this Black Grass loop. But you’re shitting me if you think Rae Sremmurd shouldn’t get major propers for riding this beat. “Learn from Project Pat-ah…”
Rich Gang summer 2015 leak
I refer back to Noz’s list again. I’m still going through this material. Something for everybody. “Woke Up” for the reminder of why Rich Gang matters. “Constantly Hating” for your daddy issues. “Draw Down” for meditating. “In This Game” for the club. “Mine” for lyric lickin’.
Vince Staples Summertime ‘06
There’s fat on this record, particularly disc 2, but it’s still a remarkable rappity rap album.
Jamie xx “I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times) (Feat. Young Thug and Popcaan)” & “Loud Places”
Brother knows how to make singles.
Future 56 Nights
I have a short attention span. I don’t think albums need to be longer than a half hour. This tape barely passes that mark and that’s including interludes. Future fills the rest with murky, industrial bangers. So many quotables. “Valet the car on the curb like I'm swerving on alcohol.” “All that old shit, y'all niggas still doing it / I'm over that.” “You Fuck around, get murked today / Fuck around, get work today.“ You can’t read lines like, “I got that mojo, that mojo, I'm mojo / You bozo, you bozo, you nigga that no no” -- just have to hear it. “Ballin' like the March Madness / All these cops shooting niggas, tragic.“ Left and right turns galore.
Earl I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside: An Album by Earl Sweatshirt
Almost makes me wish I was in my teens or twenties again. Condenses the angst of that age perfectly. Oh, and Earl also got the half-hour memo. Real bummed I missed him on tour this go-around.
Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment “Sunday Candy,” “Familiar” & “Slip Slide”; Chance “Angels”
I don’t really fuck with with everything Chano touches, but this is as close to Top 40 aspirations I can get behind (moreso than his actual Top 40 aspirations).
Comedy Bang Bang #336: NOT Farts and Procreation 4 (Harris Wittels, Chelsea Peretti, Adam Scott) (2/22/15)
Shit, Harris. One.
Courtney Barnett Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit
Picked this one up on a whim without knowing anything about her. What a fun record.
Björk Vulnicura
Divorce albums ftw.
YG “Twist My Fingaz”
Because.
Nef The Pharoah “Big Tymin’” or the whole EP
I miss the Bay.
Craig David “Fill Me In x Where Are U Now?”
Click-bait, but entertaining.
Starlito Introversion
And, because.
Nicholas Fraser Why the fuck you lyin’?
The year starts and ends here. Maybe RL has the last laugh.
Stuff I didn’t need to hear
Compton LP
I'm fine not hearing anymore Dre. Then he had to go ahead and release new Music
In an alternate reality…
Jive would make a Charlie Hustle: The Complete E-40 Discography box set. Twould be a lovely stocking stuffer.
Another generation would not have to be assaulted with the idea that “The Boy Is Mine” is a good song
Macola would be an actual documentary and Straight Outta Compton would be a direct-to-video footnote.
CDs I got for $1 (or less) because everyone loves vinyl and tapes again (and please keep loving them)
Cat Power What would the community think?
Damned Machine Gun Etiquette
DJ Quik Rhythm-a-lism
E-40 Charlie Hustle
Freestyle Fellowship Innercity Griots
Langley Schools Music Project
Red House Painters Ocean Beach
