Aesthetically Pleasing

Current Music Obsession- Logic- Young Sinatra:Welcome to Forever

Maryland native and recent DefJam signee Logic released a groundbreaking mixtape earlier this month. Young Sinatra: Welcome to Forever, is the 4th- and best- mixtape in Logic’s anthology. If making the 2013 XXL Freshman Class wasn’t enough to prove to you his skill then this mixtape is sure to have you on team Logic.

This production is a great introduction to the lyrical genius, who also produces, and whose storytelling gives the world a track by track insight into his life with great beats, fluid samples and catchy hooks.

Tracks like “Roll Call” over Outkast’s Sorry Ms. Jackson beat open up about Logic’s tense relations with his mother and and being biracial in the rap game

“Fighting for credibility from the lack of blacker skin.”

You can feel his hunger and his humility in his tracks. The mixtape’s introduction “Welcome to Forever” reminisces on his 9 year come up in the game, he talks about the monumental moment meeting Nas and hearing him quote his lines.

Stand out tracks “Feel Good” , “Break it Down” ft Jhene Aiko, and “5AM”

show the rapper’s versatility

. “Walk on By” has an accompanying music video that was released mid-April. The song, produced by C-Sick, samples a 70’s hit then unfolds into a 90s era New York style boom bap beat.

“Balllin” ft Castro, “On the Low” ft Trinidad Jame$ are the few basic tracks on the mixtape with twerking beats centering on money haters and females that would make great radio singles,

With many features from his fellow XXL Freshman Classmates including the above mentioned Trinidad Jame$ (On The Low), and Dizzy Wright (Young Jedi), and contributions from reputable producers like No ID and C-Sick this mixtape is of album quality.

Fortunately for the fans, the album is in the works. I’m so enthusiastic about Logic’s rise not just because hes a MD native like me but because of his impeccable flow and skill with words- I love a rapper who can tell a great story and he never misses the beat.

I’m excited to see his growth, currently a large majority of his songs center around the same topic, the grind, the come up, etc. Now that he’s really making a name for himself I’m hoping his tracks will develop along with his career. He’s a strong contender for the throne in the rap game.

-Anna Son

Kudos to Azealia Banks for not doing another typical “Harlem Shake” video, spazzing out when the beat drops. She turned this viral song into a dope anthem and looked absolutely AMAZING doing it. I think from now on whenever I hear “Whip My Hair” I’ll be thinking of Azealia and her 30 inch weave instead of Willow Smith!

Despite the drama between her and the songs original creator Baauer and producer Diplo regarding the release of the song, I’m glad she went ahead and shared it,

It’s not her best lyrically, but it’s fun, it’s fresh, and it’s tough. Azealia did the damn thing.

-Anna

santini-houdini:

I saw this awesome band for the first time opening up for Erykah Badu and was instantly intrigued! SO versatile and groovy.. They keep you wanting more

here’s there tumbly wumbly PhonyPpl

Peep them out and spread the love!!

Phony Ppl - I Wish I Was A Chair (by PhonyPpl)

Phony Ppl!!!!!!

(via thedawningofthoughts)

atlasamadeus:

Milton McCauley II - Misses Jones

I really like this

music

TORO Y MOI x Say That

Chaz Bundick released a video for the second single off his up-coming album Anything in Return. I Loveeeee how funky and off-beat his videos are, he never fails to impress me! I’m loving the vibes to this song, can’t wait to hear the whole album when it drops January 22nd!!

To Azealia Banks and Angel Haze: choose your enemies more wisely!!

So, the past few days some rap beef has been barbecuing on twitter. If you haven’t heard already, rappers Azealia Banks and Angel Haze went head to head online yesterday. From what I’ve seen on twitter and music blogs, it all started with Harlem born and raised Azealia tweeting her problem with non-New Yorkers claiming the city as their own -alluding to Detroit-born Angel Haze’s song New York. The rest seemed like typical catty banter-I don’t have time to “twatch” celebrity drama but fortunately for me and the rest of the fans, the battle resulted in the release of two diss tracks, one from each artist. “Shut The Fuck Up”- by Angel Haze and Banks’ “No Problems”(produced by Machinedrum) both threw some serious blows at the feuding artists.

Now, I am a self declared Azealia Banks superfan (is there a name for her following yet i.e Beliebers:Justin bieber, Barbz:Nicki Minaj??) so instantly I thought: “who is this no-name trying come for the Liquorice Bitch??” I never heard of Angel Haze until the beef started, but being the fair and open-minded individual that I am, I did my research and find a real reason to hate her other than my love for Azealia Banks. To my surprise, she isn’t that bad. I was really impressed by her some of her freestyles and her flow.

[Peep her No Church In The Wild freestyle-Powerful lyrics right here]

While I think she lacks the overall uniqueness and creativity that Azealia Banks is bringing to the rap game, I do think she is lyrically talented and stands out among today’s below average female rappers. Azealia Banks is still number one in my eyes and unfortunately, I think Angel Haze’s lack of originality will hold her back. But she’s definitely on the come up.

Now realizing her standing in the industry, I’m mad at both of them for not sticking together! When there are Iggy Azaleas, Krayshawns, Nicki Minajes, and Honey Cocaines (who, I shamefully admit, is my ratchet guilty pleasure) running rampant and infecting the perception and credibility of female rappers in the industry, why wouldn’t these two skilled artists band together and gang up on them instead of each other??

My only guess is that it’s because us females are catty and territorial.

Are you all Team Azealia or Team Angel?? and what’s your take on female rappers these days??

-Anna Son

asiyamigold:

Kwabs: Lay back

His voice is simply beautiful.

diasound:

Gizmo ft. Nick Hakim “Lift Me Up”

alist

huitzilihuitl:

Wynter Gordon - Stimela

(via ethiopienne)

diasound:

erimaj - social life.

vie-en-noir:

poetic justice/ kendrick lamar x drake

(via ethiopienne)

itgirls-n-icecream:

c0caino:

Diamond Messages - Liquid Summer

so smooth

Lonely Notes

The Internet,

Bonus Songs

ohmyghanda:

Lonely Notes -The Internet

(via briannalethug)

Tune Glue!! <--my new favorite website! →

Guys, I just discovered the coolest website ever (I use the word discovered loosely, in a Christopher-Columbus-people-already-know sort of way). Tune Glue is a music mapping site, just type in an artist who you like and see the artists that are similar to them, and artists similar to them, and the artists similar to them, until you have a web of artists you may or may not have heard of who have a similar sound to the initial artist you searched. It’s a great way to discover new music!

Check it out and tell us what artists you searched for and “Discovered!”

-Pepe

Kendrick Lamar - Radio Run

Pitchfork Tv follows Kendrick Lamar as he performs and speaks with the press.

I really love his music and I love what he had to say to the reporter about mainstream/underground music. Basically, that we complain about how mainstream music sucks and how much better the underground scene is but we need to bring the good quality music of that underground music to the mainstream so we have nothing to complain about anymore. I totally agree, share the music, starting with Kendrick Lamar.

-Pepe