 In the words of Jeezy rap battle ain’t dead, these rappers just scared. OK. That’s not exactly what he said. The truth is that the rap battle game is alive and thriving. No longer are these battles happening on street corners. Now they’re held in clubs and venues with a 1,000-plus capacity. With stages this big you would think that the biggest names in hip-hop would be going head-to-head. That’s where you’re wrong. Rap battles are like the dunk contest. It’s one of the most anticipated events without any of the big names. But if you look on the sidelines you will see these same stars spectating. Battle rappers are more like And 1 players. They found another way to play the game without being confined. But only a few street ballers have made it to the NBA. Just like few battle rappers have translated to mega-star rappers with hit records. But there comes a time when the world wants to see a good battle rap, and Twitter showed just who the world wanted to see battle. And Remy Ma was able to make it happen. The match. Hitman Holla vs. Eazy The Block Captain. Get your popcorn ready! The Contenders Hitman Holla is a battle rapper from St. Louis who is the more widely known contender due to his frequent appearances on Nick Cannon’s Wild 'N Out and a true veteran in the battle rap community. The other contender is Eazy The Block Caption, a battle rapper from Philadelphia who has also done some TV, most notably on the remake of the “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” called "Bel-Air”. But really still on the come up, but has made a name for himself. As you can see, both contenders have a pretty impressive resume. But that’s enough talk. Let’s get to the battle! Below are some of the bars from each round that I felt did the most damage. Round 1 Hitman Holla:
The first round was tough because both competitors had a great round, even with all the technical difficulties. But the thing that separated them was that Eazy The Block Captain had bars that stung way more, He had the crowd, Plus he was just throw combination after combination of punchlines. I gotta give this round to Eazy the Block Captain. Round 2 Hitman Holla:
Eazy The Block Captain
By this time I think he had lost the crowd and he was complaining that his mic wasn’t working. This was a great round. Both competitors had some great bars. But the technical issues was really bad at this point. Hitman Holla had seemed to really lose the crowd in this round. Eazy The Block Captain was still throwing some clever bars tho. I gotta give this round again to Eazy The Block Captain. Round 3 Hitman Holla:
Eazy The Block Captain
The third round I didn't feel like lead up to the the hype. Both rappers had subtle bars. Nothing that really stung or stood out like the first two rounds. I really say it was a tie. I think Hitman Holla was more about braggin about what he got, which battle rap is the wrong stage for that, it was more bravado than just going at ya competitor. I think Eazy The Block Captain had to many Nick Cannon bars. After a while it was like another Nick Cannon bar. The Score Card After 3 rounds I have Eazy The Block Captain winning Round 1. I have Eazy The Block Captain winning Round 2. I have it a tie for round 3. Overall, I have Eazy The Block Captain winning the fight. He had better early rounds and was able to survive Hitman Holla in the 3rd. And one thing is fasho. Battle Rap ain't dead. Let me know who you think won the battle. Here's the full battle:
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 Sometimes opportunity knocks at your door but and if you’re lucky enough you’ll be able to capitalize off it. Now when I say “lucky” I not thinking of the magical mythical thing you see in movies. Naw I mean are you prepared? Like the saying goes. Luck is when opportunity meets preparation. Sometimes that preparation means having access to capital. Which can mean. Can you take out a loan or have a line of credit you can access at any given moment? With SoLo Funds artists now have the ability to get access to the capital they need and be prepared for any opportunity.  SoLo Funds was created is a Los Angelos based fintech company, created by Rodney Williams and Travis Holoway, who are black entrepreneurs that created Solo Funds for people who were needed just below the $1,000 cash threshold that banks and other traditional lending institutions usually set as their minimums. Solo Funds was also created to keep customers away from predatory payday loans that charge astronomically high interest that can reach upwards of 400%. This is where SoLo Lends comes in. It created a platform for peer-to-peer micro loans that range from as low as $20 up to $565. Also, it has a 15% max interest that a lender can ask of a borrower. The most important thing about the app is that it also gives a community of people who wouldn’t qualify for banks to be able to have access to capital. There’s even an option to not charge interest. On the lending side, a lender can choose a loan to fund and then agree to the terms of interest rate or negotiate the terms so that the borrower has to then accept. So what does this mean for artists? Imagine if you were able to get a feature from an artist that has a buzz but you were only $300 short. You could ask your inner circle of family and friends. But what if still no one would let you borrow the money? And in this day and age of internet, the prices of artists when they're about to blow can go up overnight. Just ask the promoters who booked Ice Spice right before she blew up. They were surprised when she upped her price even if it meant cancelling an already agreed upon performance. SoLo Funds could bridge you that $300 til your next payday. Another scenario is if you're recording your album and you need $275 to finish the mixing and mastering. SoLo Funds could bridge that gap. For an artist SoLo Funds could be the access to capital that could help you get your “lucky” break. What about for those wanting to be label execs? If you want to be an exec than SoLo loans is the perfect place to get your feet wet. You can find an artist looking to fund a project and then put up the capital. Your return is then tracked in the app. You get exposure to what lending means and how to find a good deal. This could eliminate the handshake deals that people do in business because SoLo Funds actually draws up the contract for you. So, a person could say I’ll loan you $200 for your project. Just go on SoLo Funds and I’ll approve your loan request. Another scenario. An artist approaches you about needing money to go to buy merch, but they don’t have the cash right now. You as an exec sees this as an opportunity to make some money and it’s actually going towards something that will make money for the artist and help pay the loan back faster. SoLo Funds can help facilitate this transaction seamlessly. I’ve personally tried the SoLo Funds on the lending side and have tested out what it means to find a good deal. WARNING: I am not a financial advisor nor am I a fiduciary, and information given is purely for entertainment purposes. Please do your own independent research and contact a financial advisor for you investing needs. Here is the formula that worked for me. 1) Never loan out to a person that has a score below 60. 2) Never loan out to first time borrower. 3) Never loan out to a person whose last payment was late. Here are my personal wins and losses. As you can see I even went a little astray from my own rules.  The risks. With anything there are risks. Especially on the lending side. If a borrower doesn’t payback a loan, then you’re obviously out of your investment. But now there’s also a Loan Protection feature that allows for lenders to get some of their principal back if the lender misses their payment due date. But if you don’t take out the Loan Protection then after 35 days the loan will go into collections where a collection agency will attempt to collect the loan amount, with the only catch being you only get 30% of your principal back. So, for a $100 loan that’s only $30 you’ll ever see. There’s also a Missed Payment feature that sometimes SoLo Funds gives the option to lenders to get 50% of their investment back. That’s it! It goes without saying be careful out there. Risks do apply.
So, to wrap it. SoLo Funds is a place where artists can have access to capital using a peer-to-peer app that does not charge predatory interest rates or need good credit to apply for. On the flipside, people looking to help fund projects and make a little money can now get exposure to making deals while helping artists. It’s a win-win-win in my book. The only thing SoLo Funds can’t help you do at this moment is to help you build your credit. Nor will it help you become an accredited lender. But hopefully this will change in the future. Try it out for yourself and let me know what you think. 
The evolution of music is undeniable. Just look at this past Grammy’s and the fierce competition for Best Dance/Electronic Album. This can be attributed in a huge part to the Pandemic that kept us all inside, so it’s no wonder that now genres like Techno, Electronic, and House music have made a had a huge impact on pop culture. From Beyonce’s new album "Rennaissance" to Drake’s album “Honestly Nevermind”. This category of music is feeling the effects of a market being saturated due to a high demand. But the great thing about music is that the true fans can see through the bandwagoneers, and the real music, from the real artists, is usually the only thing that lasts. AP=Chem is one of the real bands that is looking to take their music all across the world and show why their true creators in this space and not just another band looking to ride the wave. Their looking to shock the world with new album Imed=2. AP=Chem is a collective of two collaborating songwriters from Oklahoma City. Anthony Mahon, who also was in the band "The Gentle Art of Floating". And Eric Gorman, who also was a band member of "The Gentle Art of Floating" and also the band "Trap Queen". They describe their music as Inexplicable Modern Existential Dread. They have released multiple singles as well as the 2021 EP "Imed=1 Inexplicable Modern Existential Dread" and their now follow "EP Imed=2". The first track off the album is called "Please Don’t Make A Dance Song (Out of My Plane Crash)", which is really ironic. This 70s infused high energy track just takes over. It’s like looking thru a TV cycling through 70s themed shows and commercials. Back when you could take drugs on a plane and be a part of the mile high club. The clashing of the sounds dance unapologetically in the listener's mind. How can you not dance to this? Throughout the you hear a voice that is seems to be a flight stewardess. Her fragmented voice layers on top of the beat. But near the end another voice comes, this time a male voice that seems to be an air traffic controller that guides the listener through the freeform nosedive of synthesizers and piano chords and crashes right into track 2.
Track 2 is called "Forensic Homicide". The track starts with an ominous bass guitar that blares through the speaker followed by the resting piano keys. But it’s the eclectic guitar that then pulling you as if cupid himself were playing. And it's the drums that let you know that your heart is still beating. It really gives off this forbidden love type of feel. Just listening to the track your mind elopes with the beat not caring of time nor space. This feeling grows as the infactuated crooner sings, “Disappear tonight, we’re never coming back here". The listener then rides the guitar cruising through the rest of the track. Forensic Homicide is a highpoint of the album.
By the time we get to track 3 "House Not Home" we are at the mid-point of the album. The track has this dark inviting feel to it. It plays out like the part right before the killer is about to make his move. The vocals tuck tightly behind the beat as support rather than the main ingredient. They go in and out leaving enough room and suspense that you have question will it return? This track highlights their songwriting abilities with a more lyric song structure. There’s a lot of ironic bars in this track for instance; “It’s a big house, off the interstate, a nice neighborhood, with an iron gate”. I just think there’s a lot of irony in having a big house that no one can see because it’s in this secluded area and neighborhoods are usually inviting but an iron gate suggests this one isn’t. But maybe that's also meant by House Not Home.
The 4th track on the album is "Tyrel Slide". The track brings the energy of the album back up. It’s pounding bass and synthesizers draw you in. The beat is beautifully layered which creates these special moments in the track. The elongated piano notes create these paths that the synthesizers can then go and roam, while the drums are like the barriers that keeps everything inbounds. The track takes you on a quest. I can imagine a montage of a hero training or the long journey the hero has to take before he gets to the boss at the end of the story. The track is short but that is also the beauty in it. Knowing it’s short means you appreciate it that much more.
The last track on the album is "Penny Dreadful". This is the finale, with that comes a combination of where we’ve come and also how far we still have to go. Maybe a Imed=3…? Penny Dreadful has this diabolical feeling to it. There’s a voice that layers on top of the instruments that sounds like an archeologist journaling his most recent discovery. Which would be this EP. Again a montage of a scientist doing calculations and writing down theories comes to mind. The hard-hitting drums keep the thoughts organized as the synthesizer's loop around the harmonized organs. This is how you want to end an album.
There you have it. AP=Chem's latest EP Imed=2. Here are some facts about the EP. There are 5 songs with a total playback time of 23 minutes and 49 seconds. The shortest song on the album Tyrel Slide comes in at 2 minutes and 42 seconds. My favorite track on the EP is Forensic Homicide, it’s just a vibe and kind of tugs at the heart strings, also Valentine’s Day is around the corner so this would be a good theme song. What I liked most about the EP is that it took you through highs and lows. That’s what a great album does. It’s able to be played through the highs and lows of life. All-in-all I think AP=Chem did what they set out to do create inexplicable music in these modern times of existential dread. And who knows. Hopefully there will be a Imed=3.
Make sure you stream the EP Imed=2 from AP=Chem and let us know what you think. Make sure you follow AP=Chem on their social media: Instagram: @apchemband Facebook: AP=Chem Spotify: AP=Chem YouTube: AP=Chem BandCamp: AP=Chem SoundCloud: AP=Chem 
Coming off the high of being a part of the historic album that was F.I.L.A. (Fire in Little Africa). What else would an artist have to prove? For Creo Cash it would be nothing. But at the same time that high can only last for so long before fans start to wonder what’s next. The gap between new music seems to get larger and larger especially when an artist is uninspired and also second-guessing his moves. Sometimes an artist has to just get out of their own heads. This is exactly what Creo Cash is doing with the release of his new EP called “More Than an Artist”. We supposed to be rich. It’s more than just a dope line or lyric from track 1 “Born Rich”. It’s actually something Creo Cash spoke about at his EP release party, and the fact that this line was was more that just a hot line, it was true. That's because he is actually a descendant of business owners who had their businesses burned down by the 1921 Black Wall Street Massacre. He wasn’t just rapping on F.I.L.A. He was actually going for what was stolen from his family. But back to the track “Born Rich”. The first thing you hear is that flute. It sets the stage for Creo Cash to talk his shit. It’s a high energy track where Creo Cash showcases his talent with melodic flows and some dope bars like this one, “Bye, bye, bye, I’m N’Sync with the cheeses.” It’s one of the best tracks on the project.
Track 2 is called Havanna and features the one-two punch that was Blaxcdanna Mafia whose members were Creo Cash alongside Foolie Foolie. The two are still tight as ever and still frequently collab including on Havanna. The track starts out with a skit from Next Friday where Uncle Elroy brags about being able to roll blunts tighter than Havanna women. Anyone familiar with the duo’s music knows that stoner rap is an easy lane for the two rap in. It’s a fun track that feels like you chillin with the homie and ya’ll reminiscing about all the hoes and weed and drank, just shootin the shit. Foolie Foolie is a great talent that has some dope lines on here and has lots of versatility as shown when he switches flows multiple times. Here’s one example; “Medicinal smoke overlookin' the mountains, she drivin’ the boat, she gonna fuck around and drown it”. You can tell the two have collabed before and each are comfortable being on the track together they seem to almost balance each other out.
Track 3 is Sticky. Cause you know how sticky it get. Or in Creo Cash’s version “Sticky situation, yea bitch we gotta problem.”. Creo Cash is in his bag on this track. He jumps from sticky situation to sticky situation. whether that’s how to deal with your woman or a side piece, to how to deal with haters. You can get lost in the melodic flow without even realizing that the track is filled with so many quotables, “keep a 10 and 42 like Jackie Robinson”. In the words of the late Virgil Abloh “Like, we weren't supposed to come up with something this clean. Like something happened”. Sticky is so clean of a track that it seems too easy for Creo Cash to crank this one out. But then again looking closer there’s so many technical bars and the way that they are perfectly structured to set up the next bar is something you gotta appreciate. Cause again he’s good. And being good makes everything you do seem easy.
Wishy Washy is the next track on the album. The beat seems to pay homage to Lil Wayne’s the Block is Hot with some of the same notable sounds in the beat and that up-tempo New Orleans bounce. Creo Cash is adamant about people picking a side and standing on it. The track drills the point home that there is no room for people playing both sides. I gotta shout out this line that pays homage to 2Pac and at the same time Creo Cash puts his own spin on the line. "No killa but don’t push me cause ur dead homies gonna have company." It sounds like rapping in the trenches.
The 2nd to last track on the project is “No Jewelry”. The track features Fr3sh who uses auto-tune heavily throughout his verse. Fr3sh has some highlights on the track and shows his versatility as he switches up his flow numerous times. His influence on the track is so heavy that it almost feels like his. I feel like there are parts of the song that are a little too laid back. On Creo Cash’s verse it feels like he turns it on and turns it off. It’s like seeing an artist jogging down the court and not getting back on defense. There are times where his flow seems lackadaisical. Then there’s these dope bars that seem like a slam dunk. Like this bar. “Got it out the mud without a mugshot. Wat!!” I just wanted to see him turn it on and keep it on.
The last track on the EP is Time Goes By. The track is more of a slower reflective track where Creo Cash pulls from all his talents, singing, rapping, and songwriting. He effortlessly is able go into singing and then switch to rapping, multiple times throughout the track you hear him doing this balancing act without ever stumbling. Again, this track has so many quotable bars like this one, “To add to my pockets, I'm subtractin’ from yo digits.”. Time Goes By is a high point to end the project on.
So there you have it. The EP “More Than an Artist” by Creo Cash. It’s important to go thru some of the facts about the album. The album is 6 songs with a total playtime of 15 mins and 33 seconds, which is just long enough to listen to on any ride through Tulsa. All the tracks on the EP were produced by 2Peece who was able to blend different sounds that contributed to the cohesiveness of the project. There are 3 featured artists on the project Foolie Foolie, CoWhan, and Fr3sh. My favorite track on the album is “Born Rich”, it’s a high energy track with all the ingredients of a hit. My least favorite track is “No Jewelry”, not to say this can’t catch on and be a hit, it just wasn’t for me. But overall, I think “More Than an Artist” is a dope project with great songwriting and quotable bars. It’s great to hear Creo Cash back in the studio making music, and I look forward to hearing more.
Make sure you go stream Creo Cash's new project More Than an Artist now streaming everywhere! Also make sure you follow Creo Cash on all social media: Instagram: @callmecreo Twitter: @CashCreo Apple Music: Creo Cash Spotify:Creo Cash YouTube: Creo Cash  We've all done it. Went on to YouTube and looking through the millions and millions of instrumentals looking for that perfect one that inspires you. Sometimes that inspiration comes from a song you've already heard and from an artist you that everyone knows, but what happens when it’s the artist everyone knows that’s doing the typing? And what if he’s curios enough to type “J. Cole type of beat”? That’s exactly what J. Cole did with his latest single “Procrastination (Broke)”.  We talkin’ J. Cole? Yes. Jermaine? Yes. Mr. The real is back, the ville is back. Flow bananas, here, peel this back? Yes. J. Cole. he actually typed in “J. Cole type beat”. And the beat inspired him so much that we actually wrote a song to it. And from his message, it seemed to come at a time where he truly felt uninspired. And looking at the views the song is doing well with over 2 million views on YouTube in its first 48 hours. So, let’s take a look at just how good this song is. The song was created by producer Bvtman. It uses his signature style of building the beat, it gives space for J. Cole to have fun as the electric guitar plays in the background and gives it that old school reminiscent feel. But the real feeling of the track comes when the bass kick hits. It gives the track depth and deeper emotions. You gonna feel these bars. It also gives it that hip-hop feel. That boom bap. That pure hip-hop track where you can hear the artist clearly because their voice is also an instrument that needs to be heard and when they have something to say, it should be the main instrument. The snare drum creates the pace for the track. At times it speeds up as J. Cole’s raps speed us. At times it slows down as J. Cole’s rap also falls in line with the pace the snare creates. The beat is good but what about J. Cole’s bars? The first verse starts out with J. Cole rapping about being uninspired. He’s being truly transparent. Artists have all been there. Writer’s block. Anyone can a song and just have bars in it, but those songs don’t last, that’s not the J. Cole way. J. Cole makes music that people can feel, but when you’re not inspired that’s when the procrastination comes in, hints the title of the song. The last part of the verse is where he explains that he’s no longer broke, and it leaves him thinking can he still make “struggle” music when he’s no longer struggling as expressed in these 4 bars. Or maybe the real is I’m so, um I think this is one of the dopest things that could happen to a producer. He hacked the system. Our maybe the system glitched. But wither way, J. Cole found this unknown YouTube producer (Bvtman), and overnight gained millions of streams and thousands of followers. And he was actually able to inspire J. Cole to write a song at a time when he was uninspired. Also, the song isn’t bad. It’s more conversational than a turn up track. But the curiosity has gained it more than enough listens to be considered a win. The next question of course is. Will he be able to make another hit? Who knows who will be the next to log on to YouTube and type in “type beat”. Tell us what you think of the song. 
Gangsta Grillz, you bastards. If you’re a fan of DJ Drama’s Gangsta Grillz albums, then you’ve heard this line many of times. DJ Drama has created a classic mixtape series called Gangsta Grillz that some of the biggest artists in the industry have used to either launch their careers (such as Young Jeezy) or helped reinvent themselves (such as the mixtape Weezy aka Lil Wayne). But what about an artist from Oklahoma? Wait. That can’t happen. But one thing the Pandemic has taught me is that Hennything is possible (you read that right). And it did. With one of the most talented artists in Oklahoma Ayilla. And it was on December 16th that the world was introduced to Ayilla and her Gangsta Grillz “Kill Us Both”. Before we get into the album's juicy details, let’s get into some facts. Because like Bernard M. Baruch once said, “Every man has a right to his opinion, but no man has a right to be wrong in his facts,” Fact 1 is that this is a legit Gangsta Grillz album with Ayilla and DJ Drama. Fact 2, the album has 10 tracks that come out to 22 mins and 4 seconds of playback time, with most tracks averaging a little over 2 mins. The song “Breathe For Me” is the longest track, coming in at 2 mins and 53 seconds, and the shortest track is “Whiskey”, coming in at 1 min and 37 seconds. There are no features on the album, and rightly so, this is Ayilla’s introduction to the world so it’s only right that she’s center stage. So, let’s get into the album “Kill Us Both”. The album starts out with "Drama Spell". As soon as the track starts that’s when you realize that it’s really real, Ayilla has a Gangsta Grillz with the legendary DJ Drama, and he doesn’t waste any time going into his Drama talk. This excitement for hearing DJ Drama is immediately paused as soon as Ayilla’s powerful voice comes rushing in thru the speakers and at the same time it rocks the listener into a trance. This is Ayilla’s spell. “I put a spell on you… cause you put a spell o n me too”
Track 2 is the album's title track “Kill Us Both”. And from the start of the track Ayilla's voice shines, you can hear her vocal range as she is able to float from note to note combined with the tracks infectious uptempo beat, it gives it this uplifting and inspirational feel. Even the way she sings the first bar gives you chills. “Head up… can’t keep me down,” But at the same time there as soon as the beat breaks down, comes this dark side to the track, because not too much later she also spits a bar “Save us all before I kill us both,”, that’s a hell of a statement. It definitely seems like the boiling point of a toxic relationship. This feels like the track Chrisean wanted to make but didn’t have the talent to. This could literally be the intro song to the Blueface and Chrisean Rock’s show “Crazy in Love”. But this is "Kill Us Both" and DJ Drama and Ayilla must've both been in some crazy relationships because they both talk about it being selfish for wanting to kill us both. “Maybe I’m selfish”, Ayilla sings. The song then fades into more instrumentation of electric guitar riffs and piano key melodies.
Track 3 “You Lie II”, at first glance seems like it would be a follow-up to “You Lie” which was track 2 on her project “The Witch Tape”. But it's when you take a listen to both you say "Hey!! What's going on here? Because both tracks are essentially one and the same. “I’m tryna be a better me, I met Adam tryna be a better me” Ayilla spits. These are only the first 2 bars and they're exactly the same in both songs. Really the only difference between these two songs is DJ Drama speaking and probably the mixing and mastering, the production for "You Lie II" feels fuller and more explosive. But that's why this is on a Gangsta Grillz. When diving into the lyrics of the song you see how it further perpetuates the toxicity theme of the album. It mentions lust over love, also it mentions going tic-for-tat, and the final ingredient, lying. That’s one hell of a mixture for a drug or some might say, love.
Track 4 "Come Inside" is like this sexy innuendo about the pain Ayilla feels and the only cure lust. You can hear in lines like; "My heart been broken, I’m hurting, can you come inside." This song is filled with lines like this. But also, the song is very short at only 2 minutes and 8 seconds, it feels like more like an interlude than a finished song. This is further supported by the fact that throughout the track there are these fragmented bars that seem like unfinished thoughts. These unfinished thoughts leave so many questions, but maybe that’s the reason for her repeatedly saying Come Inside. She literally wants to finish the conversation instead of running away from it. Either way it’s still a dope song.
When we get to the middle of the album track, we get a different feel with “Ain’t Easy”. This track feels like an old-school west coast vibe with remnants of this 90s R&B sound, hell they even throw in the old-school “dramatics” sound that people come to recognize in a DJ Drama Gangsta Grillz record. Ayilla gets back to having fun with this record. You can hear it in her vocal runs as well as in her ad-libs that make her words scat across the beat like a Jazz singer. I would say this track sounds heavily Jazz influenced even up to the strumming guitar and the way her words elongate and carry from bar to bar like a graceful aerial silk performer transitioning from one silk fabric to the next. You also get a glimpse of her ability to rap, though just 4 bars, you feel again this improv scat and Jazz influence. It ain't easy to not rewind this track back.
The next track is "Disbelief", and you’ll be in disbelief of some of the bars she sings on this track like, ”Pray got in the way. Pray came in first place.” Damn, if that ain’t a disbelief bar. I think the song is about all the crazy shit couples can say to each other and still look at one another like it wasn’t supposed to hurt the other person’s feelings. This is some real toxic shit. The song is like seeing the fine woman in a scary film. You just want to yell at her. Get Out The Fuck Out of there!
“He don’t believe in love but what the fuck is this.”
Track 7 is "Whiskey", it's a nice vibe and the shortest songs on the album. It’s like getting a pint of liquor when you wanted the liter. You can’t afford it, but at the same time you also can’t afford not to. Ayilla's voice is intoxicating, just like being drunk, you get lost in Ayilla’s voice. The chorus is like a repeating thought that you can’t get rid of. You know youd trippin’. But the liquor makes it numbs it all. Even the beat is so hypnotic and goes in and out. But black out on this track. It's something to really appreciate.
When we get to Track 8 "Breathe for me" you realize, damn, it’s almost over. But with that comes a really great track. It’s probably one of the most upbeat tracks of the album. Who taught Ayilla how to get on this track like this? If it was Yeezy, Yeezy taught you well. I like the fact that she raps a little on here. Maybe not a full fledge rap, but just enough to let you know she can do it at any time. This is one of the stand-out tracks on the album in my opinion
Track 9 "Worship the Sky" is one the tracks that also appeared on Ayilla’s project The Witch Tape, but there are some slight nuances in the track's production such as more sounds added, the beat is slightly different, but the lyrics are pretty much spot on with the original except for of course DJ Drama. I agree with this move though. I think it was a standout track from The Witch Tape and was a good marketing move, especially when performing the album. The listers will know the words. I also like the way she takes her time with this track. It seems to represent her realizing she don’t need to take this shit no more. It also has one of my favorite vocal performances when at the end she repeats “Magnify do you mind is, lift me on high, do or die, can we worship the sky tonight?” Even though this is not a new song, it still jams.
The last track on the album is "Stand Still". But I think when you listen to this song, you’re gonna want to do everything but stand still. The track has this Afro-Caribbean sound which is a great move for Ayilla and her career. It shows artistry in her ability to try new sounds and also, it’s one the most popular genres with artist like Wiz Kid and Burna breaking thru to a more mainstream audience. This song is more about getting lost in a person as the listener also gets lost in the track. And again, DJ Drama brings us back to reality, as he shouts a few people out. By the time the track is finished you realize time did stand still.
There you have it Kill Us Both the album by Ayilla and DJ Drama. Now back to the facts. Or as said Sherlock Holmes said, “There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.” And the fact is that this is a concept album about a toxic relationship and the head space you get into when you’re in one. The from the alum cover to the tracks, there's no doubt this is Ayilla's most revealing albums. If I had to pick the standout tracks on this album my vote would be for “Breathe for me” and “Ain’t Easy”. But the album did leave you wondering. Will Ayilla stay in this toxic relationship? Who knows. Maybe there will be a “Kill Us Both 2”. But until then listen to this dope piece of art from the artist Ayilla and the legendary DJ Drama called "Kill Us Both".
Gangsta Grillz you bastards! Let us know what you think of the album. To find out more about Ayilla and her latest music follow her social media below: Instagram: @eye.am.ayilla Twitter: @Ayilla11 TIDAL: Ayilla Spotify: Ayilla Apple Music: Ayilla YouTube: AyillaOfficial  I follow a few influencers on Instagram in hopes to be inspired, entertained, or also for useful information. This time it was for useful information. That’s when Gary Vee’s video about ChatGPT came across my timeline. ChatGPT is an AI (Artificial intelligence) bot that you can use natural conversational language to ask it specific questions and do specific tasks. Gary V in his post mentions how AI can do a lot for blogs and writers. So I thought it would be interesting to see what ChatGPT knew about Oklahoma Hip Hop. The first question I asked ChatGPT was. What do you know about Tulsa hip hop? Tulsa, Oklahoma is not typically known as a hotbed for hip hop and rap music. However, the city has produced a number of talented rappers who have made their mark on the genre. First off, if you know Jabee, then you know he’s from Oklahoma City. He even has his own Wikipedia page. So, there’s no real way that ChatGPT should’ve gotten this wrong. Also how did the bot not mention that he’s won an Emmy!!! How could you not mention that? The other mention is G.L.O.S.S. from Warr Acres. If you Oklahoma Geography, then you know that Warr Acres is not in or near Tulsa. It’s close to Oklahoma City which seems to be the place the chat pot pulled its information from. No mention of Playya 1000 or Nitro. No mentions of Gang51E June or even the whole list of artists that were on the F.I.L.A. project (Fire In Little Africa). But I then began to think. What if my question was too vague? What if I narrowed it down to artists it just mentioned and see how deep it would go? Jabee. Who is Oklahoma rapper jabee? Jabee Williams, known simply as Jabee, is a rapper from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He began his career in the local underground hip hop scene, and in 2015 he released his breakthrough album "Black Future" on the label Fresh Chopped Beats. Still, the information seemed very surface-level and seemed kind of outdated information. Something that a publication from New York would find in a Google search and stick inside of an article just to say they did their research. So next I decided to have a little fun and ask ChatGPT what did they know about who??? Mike Jones. Who is Mike Jones? Mike Jones is a rapper from Houston, Texas. He first gained popularity in the mid-2000s with his hit single "Still Tippin'" from his debut album "Who Is Mike Jones?" The album was a success, reaching the top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart and earning Jones a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album. Not too bad. But still outdated information. But it was still fun to see that it had an answer. Though AI and Chatbots have a long way to go. (Just ask some of the customer service chatbots and see what I mean.) There are some useful things they do provide. Like helping to get over writer’s block or helping to get started with an article. Maybe it could help artists come up with different ways to market their music. Maybe it can help write a rap. Not like ghostwrite, but a few bars. You might wanna prove read those lyrics. You don't want to end up like FN Meeka. But, one useful thing I found was to ask was: What are some ideas for Oklahoma Hip Hop Blog articles? Here are a few ideas for Oklahoma hip hop blog articles: So is AI ready for Tulsa Hip hop? Like Kanye West said, “you don’t have the answers sway.” Well at least not yet. But best believe in the next few years you may not even be able to tell who’s been writing these articles. But we are not there yet. The technology is not there yet. There are some useful things you can use this tool for in the meantime.
Let us know if you intend on using AI in the future or some of the things you've used ChatGPT to do.  Men lie. Women lie. But numbers don’t. Everyone remembers this bar from Jay-Z’s song “Reminder”. And that’s because it’s true. But to lie to someone’s face that’s a whole nuther thing. Again, both men and women lie. But the numbers don’t. And two artists that have the numbers on their side are the SAIKKO Twins, made up of SAIKKOMIKE and SAIKKO 10. Who have dropped their new single “Lie 2 My Face”. The first notable thing about the track is the acoustic guitar. It kind of catches you off guard and makes you wonder, How can this be a rap song?”. This is giving John Mayer vibes. But as the beat drops you immediately go “Ohhh!!!,” that’s how. The 808 beat brings the track back to more of a rap infused vibe. Then we get into the bars. First up is SAIKKOMIKE. Who comes in with the chorus. It’s a real vibe that sets the tone for the whole track. It talks about staying down for someone, but they still lie to your face. One bar from SAIKOMIKE really sticks out is when he says,” And I was just writing my story, but how me and you ain’t on the same page.” Part of being a brother is knowing how to share. In this case, it means that SAIKOMIKE and SAIKKO 10 both share the spotlight, in which both are able to shine on the track. SAIKKO 10 comes in on the track like a relay racer who takes the baton and runs around the beat. He pours so much sauce into the track that his voice creates its own beat at times while still being able to ride the track’s beat. It’s dope to see his brother and friends join in on his verse and use the same mannerisms that he uses when he's spittin' his verse. From the very first bar, he catches your attention with a clever metaphor. “All that shit was science fiction. I can even tell a better story. And now that you have my back like Jesse and Woody, a real-life Toy Story.”. Lie 2 My Face shows how two brothers have each other’s back even when your girl is tripping. The song showcases both artists’ songwriting abilities as they seem to effortlessly weave through the track while making complex structured bars seem easy, so easy that the listener might miss it if they aren’t listening close enough. What’s most important about this track is that it makes you feel. Whether that’s a feeling of happiness a feeling of sadness, or just vibes. But that’s art. It makes you feel either way. So go listen to Lie 2 My Face by SAIKKOMIKE & SAIKKO 10 and let us know what you think about the two twins looking to take over the industry. Make sure you follow SAIKKOMIKE and SAIKKO 10 on all their social media: SAIKKOMIKE Instagram: @saikkomike Twitter: @saikkomike SAIKKO 10 Instagram: @iamsaikko10 Twitter: @iamsaikko10  I came across this clip on SnapChat where Gillie was on his podcast Million Dollaraz Woth of Game talking about rap. What peaked my interest in this video was that he stated that it’s OK to get help. Not only is it OK to get help but the fact that most artists get help. He even goes on to ask, “Why when it say written by, does it never just say his name?”. Let’s breakdown some of the most iconic hit songs to see if there’s some truth to Gillie’s words. In any other genre ghost writing is the norm. Look at Beyonce’. She has collaborated with so many songwriters including her husband Jay-Z. One example is Halo which was written by Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic. If Beyonce’ can have help. Why can’t rappers? Look at one of the most iconic artists ever, Elvis Presley. He’s always had ghostwritters who has helped him create some of his biggest records like “Hound Dog” and “Jailhouse Rock” by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller (two black guys who everyone says Elvis stole the songs from). But If Elvis can have help/steal songs. I think you see the pattern here. DRAKKKEEE!!!!! Everyone remembers the Quinton Miller controversy with Drake and Meek Mill. But in actuality the less talked about part of making a hit track is that often it’s not just one person. There’s usually a writing team. Drake even let it be known that on his new album “Her Loss” (which is a collaboration album with fellow artist 21 Savage) him and 21 Savage both wrote bars for each other. But it doesn’t stop there. GloRilla has one of the hottest runs going on and her new single “Tommorow 2” is an example of that. When you look at the ‘Written By’ section on Genius It features GloRilla, Cardi B, Macaroni Toni (who is the producer) and Pardison Fontaine who is a known ghostwriter for Cardi B. Coincidence. I think not. But again, this is one of the biggest hits of the year. But ghost writing has to be new right? Back in the day everybody wrote their lyrics. Wrong! Here’s a few surprising songs that had ghost writers. Everybody remembers Will Smith’s hit single “Gettin Jiggy With It”. But did you know that Nas actually was the ghostwritter behind this hit? Yes Nas. When you’re talking pure hip-hop, it doesn’t get more hip-hop than Nas. But like his album said. It was written. Also everybody remembers Still D.R.E. A classic west coast hit that featured Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg together rapping once again. But did you know that this track was written by Jay-Z??? What?? An east coast rapper ghost writing for a west coast rapper. Now that’s one hell of a plot twist. And I can go on and on. It doesn’t matter what generation you're in. A hit is a hit. And most likely that hit took people to help write it. It’s really only in hip-hop that there is this stigma against getting help when it comes to writing a song. But the question really comes down to. Would you rather have a hit? Or would you rather say, I wrote a song on my own”? Only the artists can answer that question. Because to the millions of fans still streaming the song, it doesn't matter. In the interview Gillie went on further to say that, "Do you have a hit record? Because at the end of the day, That's all that fuckin' matters. Nuthin else matters!" Do you agree? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think. Also watch the episode of Millon Dollaz Worth of Game below: 
Nas is Like.. I remember hearing Nas. The rapper who took the game by storm with his debut classic album Illmatic. Admittedly I was too young to remember that album. First of all, I was young in 94. I was listening to rap of course, but I live in Tulsa. We bumpin' West Coast rap like Snoop Doggs Doggystyle. But when Nas did come onto my radar was more around the album “It Was Written” with the hit track “If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)" that featured one of the queens, Lauren Hill. It was with this breakout record that Nas really was introduced to a wider audience with this crossover track. The kid from Queensbridge was well on his way to being a legend. But that was 1996 and this is 2022. The crazy thing though is that Nas is still putting out classic tapes. But is Nas still relevant? 21 Savage had something to say that stirred all the internets up during a Twitter space conversation where he said, "he isn’t really relevant anymore.”. First I couldn’t believe my ears. The Nas slander. Had he not heard the classics he had put out? Had he not heard the King’s Disease series? But then I had to sit with it and really analyze things. Is 21 Savage talking about longevity or popularity? These are 2 totally separate things. First, we must define the word relevant. One of the definitions for relevant are appropriate to the current time, period, or circumstances; of contemporary interest. So with this definition is Nas still relevant? I say yes. Nas’s new album King’s Disease 3 garnered media attention from all the major publications from Pitchfork, to Complex, to Genius, and the list goes on. Then there’s social media where Nas and King’s Disease III was a trending topic on Twitter and also showed up on the Explore pages on Instagram. Is this not relevantcy? If what 21 Savage really is talking about is popularity, then that I can’t argue with that. Nobody is really playing Nas's songs in the club. But that’s never been Nas. He’s never been a single type of artist. He’s always made cohesive albums that has helped him build a loyal fanbase and longevity. But that’s what’s so great about Nas. His music is something that people go back to and listen. I don’t think too many people are going back to 21 Savage’s old albums and listening. He really doesn’t have classic albums that have that replay value. Which albums last longer than singles and albums usually translate to album sales. People are more likely to buy a nostalgic album, than buy a nostalgic single because you can stream a single on YouTube for free. But with a nostalgic album, you breathe it. You live it. You are emersed into it because it has songs that are relatable and that you can play in every scenario in life. And that’s what NAS DID! But what about the numbers? Like Jay rapped. Men lie, women lie, numbers don’t”. Let’s look at the numbers. The project, which is entirely produced by Hit-Boy, managed to move a total 47,000 units in its first week. Of that number, 28,000 were streaming equivalent units (aka 36.17 million on-demand song streams), 18,000 were pure album sales (boosted by merchandise/album bundles) and 1,000 were track equivalent units. It was also Number 1 on iTunes US Albums chart. If that’s not relevant I don’t know what is. 
But at the same time 21 Savage gave everyone the ammunition to set the internet a blaze. Let’s be real. He never disrespected but he did disrespect the fact that artists can be relevant without being in your face every day. And that’s what NAS DID. So, is Nas still relevant? The numbers speak for themselves. He’s more relevant and he’s still putting out classic albums. Just because it's not in the club doesn't mean it's not charting. 21 Savage should be glad that Nas is still relevant because it can only help him as he goes into the later stages of his career. Nas is showing you the blueprint. And we didn't even talk about his Angel Investing which has helped him make way more money than music has. And that's something 21 Savage can definitely learn from. If you still don't believe me, go listen to the King's Disease III album. Leave a comment and me know what you think. |
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