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It’s been almost 10 years since Kendrick Lamar spit this line on his song “Hood Politics”, And since then Killer Mike still continued to push the needle of hip-hop, but to many it was a surprise that he would win the Grammy for Rap Album of the year for his album “Micheal”. A 14-track 53min and 51 second album that was released in June of 2023. To be honest it was a star-studded category with Metro Boomin (HEROES & VILLAINS), Nas (King's Disease III), Travis $cott (Utopia, and Drake & 21 Savage (Her Loss). Killer Mike beat Nas, Drake, and Travis $cott. All I could think was that this has to be an amazing album. So, let’s see why this is the Rap Album of the Year!
The album starts out with the track “DOWN BY LAW” that features fellow Dungeon Family member CeeLo Green. This track sets the tone for the album, Killer Mike lets you know, this is a rap album. His delivery and tone are similar to that of a revolutionary and he is unapologetic about his use of words. The song also represents an era where songs where 4 minutes at the minimum. Just skimming through his album, the shortest song is “TWO DAYS” which is 2 mins and 14 seconds, which is still long in this current time of streaming and it’s just straight bars. This can’t be taken lightly Kiler Mike is really rapping on this album. There’s so many quotable lines in this album for instance on NRICH “It's underwhelmin' to be so overly underrated”, I could only think that he has been the long shot his whole career. Now he has the championship. Another line is “I don't give a fuck who the president is, if the president ain't for me”. Or this one on SPACESHIP VIEWS, “What you know about college educated and still had to sell cocaine, nigga?”. To be album of the year, especially rap album of the year, you have to have memorable moments in the album, and that's just what these quotable bars are. A high point of the album is seeing the Dungeon Family lineage of artists featured. From Rico Wade to CeeLo Green, to Andre 300, to finally Killer Mike and Future. The Dungeon Family has created the sound for Atlanta hip-hop and to this day continues to push the genre forward. On SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS is where the reunion continues as the futuristic production lend room for two artists from the future themselves, Andre 3000, coming off a totally instrumental flute album, reminded people that he still loves rap and is still one of the most anticipated featured artists. Check the wordplay “A stamina stampede of happily happenings, dabblin' into obliv-ion, neon, beyond the ambiance”. Let’s not forget about Future who is undoubtedly the Andrė 3000 of this time. Few people realize that it’s not by chance that Future is such an amazing artist. He is a part of the musical branch of the Dungeon Family and it shows in lines like, “Learned how to turn a trap house to a mansion, Watched me watch the world take my pain and balance it, It's better to be an outcast in a world of envious (Oh, yeah)”. To be a fly on the wall when this track was made would be Heaven. Talk’n Shit is probably the most turnt up songs on the album, the song pays homage to Three 6 Mafia by sampling two of their tracks “Tear da Club Up” and also “187 Invitation”. He further pays homage by mentioning DJ Paul and Lord Infamous who are credited with creating Three 6 Mafia. Killer Mike shows his versatility as he switches his flow multiple times throughout the track and just executes so masterfully. He even switches from talking about underground kings like Bun B and Pimp C to talking about being in rooms with politicians. His bars are as versatile just much as the company he keeps. “I don't give a fuck who the president is if the president ain't for me”. There’s plenty of depth in the album, one example being the track SLUMMER, where Kiler Mike talks about having an abortion, and then his lady going and having a baby with an older man. It doesn’t get more deep than this track. It also showcases his storytelling abilities. With bars like, “A couple summers and our teenage love had turned to somethin' slummer, can't love her like I used to, she somebody's baby mama”. These are real life bars. Then you get to the track SOMETHING FOR JUNKIES which is another song that has a lot of depth to it. The way he raps in this song puts you into the conversation he had with his aunt. To still see her as a person and not what she’s been labeled is empathetic and what the world needs more of. Also, we find out that he hit a laced joint, which was huge plot twist when going in with a preconceived idea of what the song would be about. The depth of the songs on this album is definitely my criteria for Rap Album Of The Year. When you think about Killer Mike and who would be in his class I think Curren$y and 2 Chainz are right up there. All three artists had to grind and create their own cult-like audience that helped them to reach different degrees of success, Killer Mike now having the highest musical accolade with 3 Grammy wins this year, it was great to see all three on the track SPACESHIP VIEWS. Plus, they are all car junkies. The self-proclaimed “King Of Car Talk”, Curren$y really shined on this track, “I bought this hoodie on Fairfax, I'm all over hundred” (Peep my Genius annotation). Don’t forget about 2 Chainz, who brought his original signature flow “Half a mill' for my fee-finder, Use a coffee grinder for a weed grinder, Search your house for a key, find it”. This is one of the many great moments in the album. I take it back when I said about SLUMMER and that it doesn’t get more deep that that, because MOTHERLESS is one of those powerful, emotional, and thought-provoking songs period. “My momma dead” The song could’ve ended here, and that would’ve been enough, no other words were needed. But Killer Mike fought through the emotions of this bar and gathered himself enough to deliver a powerful performance. His words really had me sitting back and thinking, like in this line, “If God sent me back to normal to be next to you, I would gladly trade it all 'cause I be missin' you”. And let’s not talk about the performance. There was this relatable pain and flow of emotions that translated as he stood in front of a live audience on the Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show and rapped his heart out. Look at the emotions in this and tell me you didn't feel it. DON’T LET THE DEVIL definitely sounds like a Run The Jewels track, as both members Killer Mike and El-P showcase their ability to rap and why they have been so successful as a group. El-P gets off on this track, “How you movin'? One of two in, super groupin', Gorilla glued up to the cash, couldn't lose it”. Maybe this track is a foreshadow to another Run The Jewels album in the chamber. We’ll just have to wait and see. The last track of the album is HIGH AND HOLY which starts out with this lady of African-decent that is speaking what sounds like an African language. It’s spoken so beautifully that I found myself wishing that I could understand and speak this lost language, it’s somewhere rooted in my DNA but lost through the enslavement of my ancestors and probably further lost with the burnings and killings of my people. Until now, I feel like the resistance of the blacks is in this album sewn into each bar is this language that we created, and without a computer it’s constantly being updated through hip-hop. He forreal spittin’ holy bars, "'Cause we just trifle, we carry rifles, granny carry Bibles, We carry hatred for our rivals, same as Cain and Abel, Killed his brother 'cause God showed him favor”. But wait there’s an extended version of this album, that’s just how good this album is. And as I get deeper into the 2nd part of the I keep coming back to the production of the album and how big the sound of the album feels, this is probably partly because of the amazing engineers, mixer Migui Maloles, and engineer mastered by Nicolas de Porcel at Million Dollar Snare. Who is known for Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar’s “Family Ties” and also Roddy Ricch’s famous track “The Boxx”, just to name a few. This album is another masterpiece to add to their resume. Killer Mike described this album as "Like A Prodigal Son Coming Home". That’s exactly how I would describe the second part of this album. It feels so Atlanta. It feels like you’re there. You know where the good spots of town are. You know where the bad spots of town. But all-in-all you know what it takes to make it here. The 2nd part of the album features 4 new tracks “YES!, MAYNARD VIGREETTE, “GET SOME MONEY”, and “ACT UP”. You probably can't mention Atlanta rap without mentioning T.I. who is featured on Maynard Vignette, he kept it playa partna, and the T.I. we all love to hear lent some dope bars, “my life full of highlights, if it was a book, it'd be a page-turner” The track also features JID who just came off a huge single “Surround Sound” that was pushed by TikTok, it was well deserved just like Killer Mike, he’s been paying his dues and now is being rewarded. He shows his crazy wordplay, especially in this line, “Tell me more about the war, the wins, I know the stories of the horrors we in, Now we goin' for the glory, I'm on a victorious binge”, GET SOME MONEY is about what you think it’s about. The Powernomics. Killer Mike is rapping like the rent is due. At times the chorus becomes this chant. He sings, “Get some money bitch”. The song even does some interpolation by using Yung LA’s hit single “Ain’t I” that Killer Mike uses in verse 1. He doubles down on needing money by ending the track with the bar, “You can't do nothin' if you're broke”. ACT UP is a track where Killer Mike is not playing fair. He’s just doing rap somersaults on this track. You’ve already proved that you're a rapper. You ain’t gotta step on the competition’s necks like that. Just bars! Just bars! We ain't worry! But also, I would say this is balanced by Young Nudy’s slower tempo’d verse. It feels like Killer Mike shooting the shit with his trap homie. It's a really good song. Like I said, the 2nd part of this album is so Atlanta, this point is brought home with DOWN BY LAW - Live frin Atlanta, GA. The song is literally a homecoming for Killer Mike. The track draws you into what it would feel like to be from Atlanta in front of your home crowd. Listening to this track is like hearing the record for the 1st time but with the addition of live instruments and hard-hitting bass. What I like the most about the live version is hearing the different voice inflections and imperfections and improvisation that comes with performing live. It's better my Nigga. Plus, he got CeeLo Green to sang like he was pulpit in an Atlanta church. Wooo!! Another track that was remade for this second album was RUN titled RUN - Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley Version. The song is a great marketing move on Killer Mike’s part seeing that music is going to a more worldly sound. This version is heavily Reggae influenced and even featured one of the greatest musical linages, the Marley family, that is Damian Marley, you gotta go through him to get that co-sign that you aren’t riding the wave of a certain vibration, that is not to be messed with. But it's a dope rendition of the song. MOTHERLESS hits so much harder on the 2nd version called the MOTHERLESS - Robert Glasper Rendition. They way the piano plays so somberly in the background coupled with the life lessons that Killer Mike puts into his verses is fucking amazing. One thing I also noted was just how vulnerable he allowed himself to be in this song as he rapped about missing both his mother and grandmother, there's still the deep emotion this song provokes on even the 2nd and also 3rd version of this track. You saw that right, there is also a 3rd version of the song MOTHERLESS. The last one being the single version that has that radio feel. It’s like he knew MOTHERLESS specifically would be the song to make it undeniable that he should win a Grammy. When it comes to TALK'N THAT SHIT, the 2nd version, it’s like he invited Three 6 Mafia in the booth with him. The DJ Paul ad-libs and the sampled productions seem to run deep into the core of the Three 6 Mafia sound. This is re-emphasized when the beat switches to “187 Invitation”. It’s a track that you have no choice but turn up to. It's his club banger. Every Album Of The Year needs that one club banger. Who's better than Three 6 Mafia at doing that? The last track of the album. No really this time. The last track of the double version is DON’T LET THE DEVIL - Single Version. This is a more polished version of the song. The production is crisp and clear. What’s still there is the lyrical assailants that are Killer Mike and El-P, their verses are a display of their lyrical skill. Again, I ask, a new Run The Jewels album??? Maybe. Let’s just enjoy this track until then. There you have it. The album of the year and Grammy Award Winning Rap Album of the Year “Micheal”. This album was worth all the hype, because it wasn’t hype. It was a masterpiece, a work of art, and worthy of every award that it wins. The album was filled with some of the biggest features and also took you on the journey that was Micheal. It was an album where Killer Mike was the reason why the featured artists stepped up their bars and knew they had to "rap rap" or be destroyed by Killer Mike on the track. But also this album has a lot of depth that hits hard. Maybe that's because it is so relatable. The constant duality of being human. The album cover illustrates this as a young Killer Mike is pictured with a Halo and the devil horns. We are both good and evil. There is a message for people who do good and a message for the people who do evil. And it’s all told through Michael. That's why this is RAP ALBUM OF THE YEAR! So give the album a listen and tag Killer Mike to read this album review.
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What does it mean to be from the East Side? To be overlooked. To be undervalued. To be counted out before the game even starts. Growing up on the East Side puts a chip on your shoulder. Your thrown into this environment with so many different cultures that you even you have trouble knowing where one culture’s neighborhood starts and another ends. But that’s the East Side. That’s also the advantage of the Eastside. This past weekend 3 artists Doc Freeman, YungxHalloween, and Yung Qwan showed just what it meant to be from the East. Paying homage to the Beastie Boyz, the 3 artists did their own flip on the name and came up with what would become the Eastie Boyz. The SoundPony stage was set as hip-hop was in the building. The first up was the artist known as YungxHalloween who got on the mic and showed a side of the East. YungxHalloween has a sound that explodes with energy and emotion. Also, in his music he represents for his community and his Hispanic culture as he drops gems and terms that if you know, you know. At times he seemed to blend into both Rap and Rock n’ Roll, which is true to the Beastie Boyz legacy. Go check out his Instagram: @yungxhalloween Next up was Yung Qwan. I feel like Yung Qwan had this period of time where he was completely ghost from the scene. Coming off the highs of an amazing EP and the Fire In Little Africa project, it was bizarre to not see him out and rocking shows. This night he reappeared, but without his signature dreads. He stood center stage with a microphone in the stand. I can say that when it comes to the bars it was clear that he's still got them, but it was at the end of the song where you could see his change, as the beat continued to play Yung Qwan repeated the chorus with a pain that deepened with each repeat. “I cut the locs off, looked in the mirror, and found me”, I think Yung Qwan is in a new version of himself and it's exciting to see. His artistry is expanding before our eyes and his new project is gonna be crazy. Look out for that fa sho and go follow him on Instagram: @iamyungqwan The last performer of the night doesn’t need an introduction. You can call him Doc Free, you can call him Doctor Freeman, but just don’t call him not from the East Side. Doc Free has been reppin’ and waving the flag since his insurgence into the Tulsa Hip-Hop scene. His impressive resume’ has made him one of the most well-respected MCs (also a member of the Oilhouse collective) and also one of the most sought after djs that can rocks crowds no matter the genre. No doubt his dj skills have also helped him uncover some sampling gold. His words cut with this laser cut precision that only a doctor could. (go listen to Dr. No, he is so on target with this album, like if James Bond was spitting real life Spy shit.) This night the doctor didn’t need an assistant as he was his own dj while also spitting bars from behind the table. And when the music was over, he was gone. Lost in the nights bars he escaped to hit the j., after the completed mission. Go follow him on Instagram: @docfree918 The Eastie Boyz. It’s a showcase of the East Side’s best. Who knows if the next time it will be the same crew. Who knows if next time it will be on the Eastside. The only thing that matters is that the Eastside has some amazing talent. This night proved that it’s just started. When you think of what’s underground and what’s considered indie, your first thought to come to mind is that hip-hop has so many underground artists, especially in a city like Tulsa. But that wouldn’t be true. If you look at hip-hop even here in Tulsa, it’s beginning to get the recognition it deserves. That starts with having acts at big venues like Cain’s or even the Vanguard. To be truly underground means that your genre isn't in these big venues and therefore you have to create spaces that go against the norm of poplar mainstream music. That sounds like Noise. Noise is a genre that goes against everything conventional and is definitely not mainstream. That sounds like what we witnessed on Wednesday night at the One Aux event at Noise Town. I know what you're thinking. What’s Noise? My answer would be, what isn’t Noise. Because Noise isn’t something that can be defined. It is more or less experienced. The first performer of the night NURTURANCE is a living embodiment of that. During NURTURANCE's set he surrounded by all these high-end pieces of equipment with so many different cords and outputs. It was as if he had a mini studio with him. He played each piece of equipment like a conductor making the machines play with a frequency that moved sound, while a projector displayed images of him and also silhouettes of people that you couldn’t quite make out. His performance was intense concentration but with a freedom, and at times he would lean over to a controller with vertical wires and literally bend the sound. Now that’s Noise. The next performer was GOLDIELXCS. GOLDIELXCS has performed in both R&B and hip-hop heavy events, but this time seemed different. This time felt like the unstructuredness of the genre gave her the freedom she was looking for. Her performance proved just how wide the spectrum of genre of Noise is because it was completely different than the first. Her music was so soulfully unstructured. GOLDIELXCS used a beat making-like setup to play looped sounds. It was as if her voice carried in this spatial spacing that transcended her into different places in the room. At times she would pick up the mic and go into this short vocal backing of the track almost she was there to back up this moment in time as an alternate timeline in the multiverse. She’s played with a comfortably that let you know. I’m the shit. This is my Noise! The next performer of the night was SYNTHDOM. His setup was so grand that everyone marveled at it. One of the audience members began to calculate all the pieces of equipment and how expensive it is. This is the mothership. This is the setup that artists with lower end equipment's try to mimic. And it showed how just wonderful it was when the first synth progression played. His set started with a backing drum kick that he then layered different drums, cymbal clashes, and synths on top of. He was the master of his setup and at times looked like a mad scientist jumping from sound to sound. To a rapper at times, it sounded it feel like being in the studio with a producer who is making the beat from scratch. And true to the genre of Noise. It’s not how it starts. It’s how you feel in each moment of the performance, and with SYNTHDOM, no two moments were the same. The last performer we caught that night was ACESHOOTMEDOWN. That’s a long ass name. Unexpected. Sort of like the performance though. She got on stage with only her phone that was bluetoothed to the stage's sound system. ACESHOOTMEDOWN started rapping! What!!! But that’s Noise. It’s unexpected. She had bars as she took the stage with a bravado and stage presence that let everyone know that she was the shit. Her music was probably the most structured of the night as we grounded ourselves, knowing that we personally were in our element. We know hip–hop. ACESHOOTMEDOWN seems like a student of hip-hop as told through her stories and song structure. I’m looking forward to seeing her again and where she takes her music. So, there you have it. Noise. Unorganized Noise. To an outsider it may seem like an AV club convention with the AV carts and monitors and all the cords. Just the sheer electricity alone separates this genre into something that’s different. But what we learned is that Noise is a community that knows each other and is supportive rather than competitive. It’s a genre that feels more improv than the programmatically structured predictable styles of mainstream music. It seems to focus more on bending sound than adhering to it. Lastly, Noise is more than the sound that it makes, it’s more about the experience that it creates that audiences love. So next time you want to hear some underground music. Go listen to some Noise, the genre that’s underground!
The first day of 2024! We watched the ball drop, we sipped champagne. We did all the etceteras. But what we didn't know is that there would be a tape. A tape from the legend that they call Pade and his producer dj noname.. I don't gotta say too much because the tape speaks for itself.
So let's just listen to the tape! You can Purchase the tape from BandCamp here: Stoic: Day One When you’ve been in the Oklahoma music scene for a while you start to notice the trend. In the beginning it’s these old artists, that people know and respect and have pushed the culture forward. Then there’s the middle-aged artist that have been doing music for a long time, but you start to see outside influences take their time away from the music such as relationships and kids. Finally, you have the young artists. These are the artists that haven’t been jaded by life. These artists don’t have much money but what they do have on their side is time, and a fearlessness to get their music in front of anybody and everybody who will listen. As J. Cole put it, “I was like a young Simba, couldn't wait to be the king.”. Last night embodied the young artists that are waiting on their turn to take the throne. The Don of New Era, a fitting title for the nights festivities was filled with the upcoming artists in Tulsa. The new era of kings, which included performances from Crigga, Wxlon, Savvy Kray, JediahKO, Uncle Jay, Shay Breezy, ABK, and JuiceBox. You might be wondering how these artists all came together. It was a collaborative effort from all the artist plus The Underground Collective, Sharpside Trent, and also DJ Alive on Arrival. Admittedly I didn’t catch all the performances, but the performances I did left a lasting impression. My biggest surprise of the night was Uncle Jay. I didn’t expect for his music to be that good. And it was so versatile. He was able to turn up with the crowd and also have some vibey chill music. The crowd was moving to his music which showed that he’s on to something. Make sure you follow Uncle Jay (@unclejaymakesmusic). The next artist that really caught my attention was Wxylon. Of course, because of his looks he’s going to get a Kid Cudi comparison. I would also say he also draws comparisons because of the way his music seems to draw in people. By the time he got to his second track the crowd had already surrounded him and were holding on to every word. But he’s not only a rapper, he’s also a producer who produced some of the tracks that were performed by artists sharing the same stage. Maybe that makes him more Kanye, but mostly that makes him an artist. You are definitely going to hear more from him in 2024. Make you follow wxlon (@wxylon) Last but not certainly least is an artist that has been going for the thrown ever since I first seen him at The Soulbody Cyphers American Idol style contest. JediahKO. It seems like from time I first saw him he’s done nothing but go up. When we talk about artists that can bring a crowd, it’s definitely JediahKO. He’s been one of the most consistent and most booked artists this year. The music just speaks for itself. He has that part down. The versatility to go from hard hitting bars to love songs embody what it means to be an artist. He has a comfortability on stage that shows and he can move the crowd. He is also on our mixtape “The Purple Tape Volume 1.5: The Purple Flee” where he delivered a dope performance on his song “Samson”. The price for JediahKO is going up in 2024. Make sure you follow JediahKO (@jediahko) Advice: It’s important to know that when you’re young, you can still learn from people who’ve been there and done that. In my case I’ve been to 100s of shows. So here are some things I would tell all the artists. The first major rule is: DON’T RAP OVER YOUR LYRICS. This is what separates a rapper from an emcee. Trust me, you will be able to do so much more with your performance by not rapping over your vocals. The second tip is: Learn breathe control. With being an artist there is so many bad influences but one thing you have to do is to be able to rap rap for over 10 minutes, and the only way you can do that is learning breathe control which takes most likely, training. But it goes a long way to not be wheezing trying to catch your breath and still be mid-bar. My last tip is: Network and work the crowd. You never know who is at these shows, so don’t just leave after your performance. Stay and network because it might be the person who books shows looking for new talent sitting right in the audience. Or it might be an artist looking for more artists that want to perform. Your network equals your net worth. LITERALLY!!!looking A bonus tip would be: Put your music on BandCamp other some other site where people can buy your music rather than solely streaming it. Trust me, the bags bigger. And get some merch. That's a whole bigger bag. All in all the night had some amazing talent. Too much to highlight. I can’t wait to see these kings grow and take the throne. But the unique thing was that this group of young kings who all had their own palaces, for one night joined under the same banner. Will it ever be done again? I sure hope so. Because these events are important. And the thing we can do as music lovers is support these young kings by going to their shows, liking and sharing their content, and of course, actually buying their music. Not just streaming it. But actually, buying their music. This is how they invest in their craft and get better, And when they finally do claim the throne still, we need to support them, because kings still need support at the top. Ask Simba!
When it comes to making music there are a million artists on this planet to choose from. But maybe that's where the problem lies, we’re only looking for artists that are on this planet. It’s a big universe. So why limit yourself to just the Top 40. Go see the galaxy. That’s exactly what NASA BO’s latest album Mr. Universe is doing. It’s doing things on an intergalactic level. And passing up all the haters in the process. Let’s take a look at the latest project from NASA BO.
NASA Bo is an artist from Oklahoma City who has become known for his hardcore in your face delivery and his hard-hitting bars, and can you believe this is his first full-feature project of which comes in at 20 tracks. An album with this many tracks comes in handy if you’re planning to go across the universe. You’re gonna need a lot of music, and that’s just what this project provides. THE INTRO
Every album needs that first track to make an impression. That’s just what the "Intro" is. The intro makes an impression right out the gate and sets the tone for the album. That tone being slapping beats and NASA BO rapping, rapping. NASA BO ain’t just making words rhyme. He’s going in. I’m talking about bars. And this is just the intro. When you get to track 2 “Tesla”, you know that track 1 wasn’t a fluke. NASA BO can really rap and he knows his value. “If these rappers wanna feature, ima charge em like a Tesla.” It’s witty bars like this that aren’t sprinkled throughout the album, Naw forget that these witty bars are heavily poured like your grandma’s kool aid. But the intro ain’t over, NASA BO let’s you know just how to say his name on the next track ”Nasa not Nasha”. “If you speaking on my name then pronounce it right.”
THE SAMPLES
It’s clear to hear in the first few seconds of some of the tracks that NASA BO wasn’t afraid to dig deep in the crates and rap on some of the most iconic tracks. Track 4 for instance is this soulful sample of Deniece Williams song “Free”, which also happens to be the name of the track. It’s like the producer just gave NASA BO free range to murder the beat. Another classic sample is Tupac and Jon B’s “Are You Still Down”. Also is Bill Withers classic “Just The Two Of Us”. This track is more of a slower tempo with bars that reference what it means to really stay down. Most of the album goes deep in the sample crates which is a vision that was brought to life with the help of producer SAUCEMEUPGQ. Which we’ll talk about next.
SAUCEMEUPGQ
We had to take a second to give respect to the producer SAUCEMEUPGQ and Track 5 shows your why, because by the time that you get to this track you realize that SAUCEMEUPGQ has been mentioned numerous times already. And not only do you hear his iconic beat tag all over the album, he also executive producer over the project, so it’s only right that he gets a track inspired by the producer on the track called "SauceMeUpBO". “Fuccin with GQ got me sauced up.” The beat is on go and so is NASA BO. You really see the magic of this track at the 1-minute mark where the bass is stripped out and NASA BO switches up his flow as if he’s sprinting on the track. This track is definitely sauced up and is a high point of the album. SAUCEMEUPGQ even gets to shine as a featured artist on the track “Triple Double”. NASA BO goes in himself from the very beginning and then throws the assist to SAUCEMEUPGQ, who shines with some clever lines of his own. “Me and NASA on the beat, Houston we have a problem”. Another surprise about this track is that it's actually produced by his NASA BO's son Jamango.
IRONIC BARS
Throughtout the tape there’s these ironic bars that stick out, some of them are really witty and some of them are bluntly rhetorical. For example, on Track 9, “Keke Palmer” he says the line, “How you real but you wear fake clothes?“. It’s a really bluntly rhetorical bar that makes you just think. On another track he spits the line, “How your baby momma love me, but mine don’t.”, that’s some irony for your ass. But this also shows NASA BO’s ability to make even the most sensical bars into a perfectly painted picture. You gotta give him his just do.
THE FEATURES
When it comes to the featured artists this album only has 3. That’s something you wouldn’t expect from a project with 20 tracks, and surprisingly it’s well balanced. This is NASA BO’s project, so you gonna get NASA BO. But as far as the featured artist, we’ve already talked about SAUCEMEUPGQ who lends his production skills and bars to the project. Also, there’s Uno who lends his vocal talents on the last song of the project. He brings a softer side to the album which if you want to sale records you gonna have to have a few for the ladies to vibe to. And the track “No Lettin’ Up” does that with its infectious chorus. But our favorite feature of the project has to be on “Heart Breaker”, which samples Mint Conditions track “Breakin' My Heart”. NASA BO comes in so smooth with a pimp vernacular, then he switches up his flow up while calling out famous tv female co-stars from 90s tv that he had a crush on. The featured artist Tony D. just shines, his unique delivery and undeniable confidence makes him stand out. Listen to this bar, “Hittin licks with Jordans, blocks on blocks, DeAndre, Blueprint like Jay-Z, Irreplaceable Beyonce”. He’s in his pocket on this verse.
THE METHAPHORS
As you go through the album it’s clear that you’ll hear some crazy metaphors. NASA BO really be out here rapping. There’s so many lines we’ve already quoted but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The album is bar, after bar, after bar. For instance, on “Stuck N Love” where he spits the line, “She was black but now she Russian how she getting her cream on.” and not only that bar because throughout that track are so many more like, “Ain’t nobody got my back like this VLONE”, bars. Also on "Gilbert Arenas" he has this crazy wordplay where he says, “I be with my daughter teaching her ABCs, I got racks but they didn’t come from no EDD or no PPP, it was all on me, now we eatin like EBT.”, NASA BO is flexing on the beat. He has an undeniable talent. And it shows all throughout the album.
TULSA LINES FAVORITE TRACKS
When it comes to our favorite tracks, “Get Down” definitely is extra sauced up with the sample of Earth, Wind & Fire’s track “Reasons”. In this track NASA BO gives all the reasons why niggas can get down. And them 808’s by ADHD makes each bar hit harder. This a hit. "SAUCEMEUPBO" is another one of them ones that just goes. "Heart Breaker" for the reasons starred earlier. Another one is “Stuck N Love” because it has so many bars. Lastly, “Doe Party”, this is a straight to radio hit. This is a track that you’re gonna hear in the club. IT'S IS A STRIP CLUB ANTHEM! Like he said, "That nigga snappin'," So as you can see it’s hard to pick just one track. There’s just so many hits on this album which says a lot for a 20-track project. NASA BO did his job.
So, there you have it. The album Mr. Universe by NASA BO, and executive produced by SAUCEMEUPGQ. This isn’t an Oklahoma City album. This is an album that can penetrate any market. New York, L.A., Atlanta, Detroit. It doesn’t matter. NASA BO has what it takes to get to that next level. The album is literally out of here. And next year we wouldn’t be surprised if NASA BO is out of here with it.
THE VERDICT
JAM IT!
Also make sure you follow NASA BO on social media: Instagram: @nasa_bo405 YouTube: NASA BO Spotify: NASA BO Also listen to Mr. Universe by NASA BO below:
Have you ever wanted to take the perfect picture but didn’t want anyone to see you pull out your phone or some bulky camera. Here are some that glasses come straight out of your favorite spy movie. Like a 007 agent you can only imagine all the spy stuff you can do with the Ray-Ban Meta glasses. Like for instance, taking a screenshot while you're on FaceTime, catching the homie taking your last joint, let’s not forget when you are going thru your girl’s phone, and you need to get evidence of dudes in her DMs. These glasses will revolutionize the way we capture things.
Well Maybe not exactly. The truth is that these glasses will have a million and one applications for use but what it will probably be used the most for is creating content. And for the socially awkward, this is something we’ve been waiting for. A way to be a part of the action without being a part of the action and standing out so much during the action. Imagine being front row of an intimate concert and no one has their phone out, but you want to take a picture. Suddenly capturing that perfect moment can feel like all eyes are on you. The Ray-Ban Meta glasses can help you to discreetly take a picture without anyone thinking any different. Plus, there Ray-Bans so they have the social currency and a low-profile that will keep your secret identity, secret. Even if you don’t care about being seen and don’t have social anxiety, the Ray-Ban Meta glasses still has you covered. It’s livestream feature allows for you to take your audience with you while you are in the moment and give them a front row seat to what you’re doing. Imagine being on the set of a new music video and capturing behind the scenes content without having to have a second cameraman. This is POV at it’s finest. 1st person shooter mode. Meek Mill almost broke the internet when fans saw him go live and he wasn't holding his phone. It was the Meta Ray-Ban glasses.
Here are some of the features for all the nerds:
What do you do when you’re the king of the music industry? When you’ve slayed most of your enemies? When you’ve reached the pinnacle of what success looks like? And last but not least, when you have stayed on top of the game consistently for a decade? For Drake, this means looking to his son Adonis. If Drake is the king, then Adonis is the heir to the throne. Let’s see what the king has to say. So, Adonis. Who is he? He’s the son of Drake who was pulled from the shadows into the middle of a rap beef. And since he has been seen on everything from tabloids to blogs, to Drake’s social media timeline. Fast forward to today, Adonis has been put into the limelight again but this time it was his art, as seen in the 8 Am in Charolotte video. The video featured Adonis and Drake talking about his drawing. which would become the cover of “For All My Dogs”. Anyone who has heard the 23-track album realized that on “Daylight”, Adonis would make his first album feature as he dropped 8 bars. The internet went crazy. It was actually one of the best features of the album. It was becoming clear that “For All My Dogs” was quickly becoming “For Adonis” as following up the release of the album was Adonis’s debut music video called “My Man’s Freestyle”. Disclaimer: Now let’s be clear. Adonis is only 6 years old. But we have to hold him to a high lyrical degree being that his father is Drake. It’s unfair. But that’s life. So, let’s get into the video. Let’s start with the beat. I was very surprised with the beat selection. Mostly because you would expect some high-tempo drill beat that the new school rappers usually recycle. But this beat is unexpected because It’s got roots in more of a Boom Bap old-school New York-style production, with just enough synth on it to give it a more updated feel or maybe RZA feel. The eerie strings stretch around each bar clearing for a soft landing for Adonis to have fun with the track. The video. I liked the video. It was Adonis with his friends, most likely the basketball team, and the whole team was having fun. It was dope to see Drake also in the video supporting his son and putting a battery in his son’s back. There’s even a part that reminds me of his dad’s videos where the video breaks and Adonis goes into a monologue about how to win the game. That’s classic Drake. It was a posse type of vibe and Adonis was the star. Now let’s get to the bars. The meat and potatoes. Adonis’s pen…. What I liked: I liked that the song was about a kid having fun with his friends. It wasn’t about sliding, it wasn’t about the opps, and it wasn’t some oversexualized video of him chasing grown women. It reminded me of when hip-hop was just fun. When people used to do it for the fun of it and not for the fame of it or for a quick check. What I didn’t like: There wasn’t a lot of substance or metaphors or double entendre's. Some would say that’s OK for a six-year-old who probably has a trust fund larger than what some people will ever make in their lives. But I digress, for Drake standards, I need to see more. On top of that, I would argue that his dad should’ve shown him some type of song structure as some of the bars were repetitive chants instead of the carefully crafted bars we’ve come to know from Drake. He’s six. I understand that the ability to write a compound sentence may be an advanced tool, but hey, he could’ve been given some guidance. But then again, it’s a fun song, and his first song, so maybe the point is he has time to build. The best part of the song by far was the hook. This is the part he obviously gets from his dad. His father has always had a knack for making catchy hooks, and that’s what has always sold records. So, there you have it. Adonis’s song “My Man Freestyle”. He’s officially in the game. It will be interesting to see what happens next with his music career. Also, how will his skills develop as a rapper? The heir to the throne. Just know that heavy is the crown that wears the crown. Let us know what you think of “My Man Freestyle”. I’ve always heard about the life of a writer, but I never saw it as an actual career that you could live off of. When you hear the term “starving artists”, this category often includes writers. Many of which, didn’t get their name in bright lights until well after their deaths. Even if they did get their flowers, oftentimes writers had to go through some period of substance abuse like chain smoking or drinking themselves to death as they literally poured out their souls on each page. So, naturally, I thought, there’s no way a writer can make a living from solely writing. That’s until I got invited to go to New Haven, Connecticut for a meetup with some amazing writers and a secret writer panel. First, let's talk about the opportunity. Over the past 3 months, I’ve had the opportunity to write for the Independent Review Crew which is a crew of writers from all over the country like; LA, NYC, Boston, and of course, Tulsa. The Independent Crew is supported by the nonprofit Online Journalism Project. Formed in 2005, The Online Journalism Project's mission is “to encourage the development of professional-quality hyperlocal and issue-oriented online news websites. Sites like this one. We also assist others undertaking online journalism initiatives.” What do we write about? Local events. The arts. Because if we don’t tell you why you should go, then why would you go? And I’ve gotten to write about some amazing events all the while showcasing the great art that is going on in Tulsa. My editor Alicia Chesser, has really helped me grow as a writer. I still dread the red marker. But it’s only there to help me get better, so I trust the process. So, in working with The Independent Crew I got the opportunity to go to New Haven and meet up with the writers and the organizers of the Independent Review Crew. League Of Extraordinary WritersNot every hero wears a cape. Well also, not every writer knew that they were destined to be a writer. As I started to meet the different writers, I started to notice that some of us didn’t take the traditional path to becoming a writer. What does that mean? We weren’t English majors. We never worked or interned for a news publication. And last but not least, we were never English teachers. What we were, were people who had regular jobs who happened to love the arts and felt the need to shout or rather write it from the rooftops. Did It All Without A PenPens are cool. But I’m not gonna lie. I only use them as a last resort. A computer has been my sanctuary. But pen or not, I never really thought words could provide a livable wage in 2023. Not with the slow death of the newspaper. All that changed when I met the panel of writers. The panel consisted of Independent and Review Crew Arts Editor Brian Slattery, New Yorker music writer Kelefa Sanneh, The New Yorker food critic Hannah Goldfield, and profile writer Jazmine Hughes of The New York Times Magazine. Most of them started their careers in New Haven and then decided to make the leap to New York. What really caught my ear about this discussion is that writing was their only job!!!! And it wasn’t a job. Writing still seemed to give them that same passion that they had when they first decided to write. Also, 2 of them were black. So I saw myself in them. Probably something that if I had seen earlier in life, would’ve led me to becoming a writer sooner. Because you’re influenced by what you see and how close you are to what you dream. Sometimes when you start off on a new adventure you get to second-guessing yourself. Many people usually call it Imposter Syndrome. It’s not until you realize that you’re already doing the things that you’re worried about. For me, that meant I’ve always written, whether that was writing 10-page papers at the last minute, and still getting an A. That meant writing poems and raps. Side note: One time I turned in a rap to my English class on accident, but that’s a story for another day. The point is. I am a writer, and I’ve been writing my whole life. So I left New Haven with that confidence. The same confidence I saw from Kelefa Sanneh during the panel discussion. I think my only regret from the trip would be not being able to ask him how to become a better writer. But with an editor like Alicia, I feel like I’m right where I need to be. Until next time New Haven. This is Ryan Anderson, The WRITER! Hoping to see you soon. If you know Jay-Z, then you know that he’s had one of the longest-running careers of any hip-hop artist. You also know that he’s had countless crossover hits. Jay-Z is truly an artist that both the culture has celebrated by winning multiple BET and urban outlet awards, as well as with the industry with awards such as Grammy’s and being inducted into both the Rock & Roll and the Writer’s Hall Of Fame. And he did it without a pen I might add. He’s even been a guest and performer at the White House. There’s no doubt that Jay-Z has been celebrated around the world. But to be celebrated in your own home. I would have to think that’s a whole other feeling, because few people are celebrated in their own city, much less, get to come back home a hero. But that’s just what is happening with the new exhibit at the Brooklyn Public Library called “The Book of Hov: A celebration of the life and work of Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter”. We got a first chance look at the exhibit. The PicturesThe exhibit was not just put together by the good people of Brooklyn. No. This was a curated art installation that the Brooklyn Central Library partnered with Roc Nation in order to create some truly personal and interactive experiences between Jay-Z and visitors. I found myself lost in the memories of photographs that lived as artifacts like cave drawings, yet these pictures were plastered on wooden blank canvases. The interesting part is that these photos never seemed to show a particular chronological order, but more a less a collage of Jay-Z memories, maybe how his mind has mapped them out. Either way, each picture captured a moment in time. Some of these moments I remembered. Some of them I wish I could’ve been there to experience. The pictures themselves seemed to capture a thousand lifetimes. MemorabiliaWhen you talk about Hov. You gotta think that there has to be a crazy amount of memorabilia. This installation confirmed that. It was amazing to see Jay-Z’s setlist or his track list written in his own handwritting. There were rooms you would go in and encapsulated behind plexiglass would be items like the Che Guevara t-shirt he wore during his famous MTV Unplugged concert. Or the guitar he played when he headlined the Wonderwall rock festival. Let’s not talk about the concerts. He literally had a box of backstage passes to concerts that he had either performed at or probably was invited to. I was amazed also to see some of the awards that he had put on display there. Obviously, none of his Grammy awards were there, but there were still the Academy Awards and the NCAAP award on display that are all quite impressive just to have one. He has multiple. We all love a good magazine. What magazine cover has he not been on? There were many of the most prestigious magazines around that had featured Jay-Z. From GQ, to Life, to even the Cigar Aficionado magazine. I was also amazed to see that Jay-Z even had some of his masters on display like the one for his Carnegie Hall Live Performance or the negatives for the Streets Is Watching movie. Baseline StudiosIf you want to know how Jay-Z became Hov, then you gotta know about Baseline Studios. The art installation featured a fully functional analog studio that was designed to resemble the actual Baseline Studios which was on 127 West 26th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, where Jay-Z made some of his greatest pieces of work, such as “The Blueprint” and “The Black Album”. Both pieces are featured on the walls of the exhibit showing their platinum status and sales in an age where fans literally had to get out of the house and go to a store to buy a CD. This was also where the documentary “Fade To Black” was filmed. Who could forget when Jay-Z took of his bucket hat and put it over his face when a young Kanye West played the “Lucifer” beat. This is Hov’s workplace. This is where he continued getting in the reps that helped him become the One. The Library CarDWhen it comes to going to see any memorable moment. What do you want the most? Of course, you want some type of souvenir. Right? Well officially for The Book Of Hov art installation, there is none. Because of course this is a library, and aside from pictures and the “The Book Of Hov” installation guide, there wasn’t anything to truly help you remember this moment. But if are a resident of New York, then there is something. For every resident of New York there was a limited-edition library card that you could get, that features one of Jay-Z’s albums. Each library location would have a different card that featured a different Jay-Z cover, as seen here. I guess that sucks for someone from Tulsa. Right? You’re left out. But they say, "If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere.". And Tulsans say, "where there’s a will, there’s a way.". Side story: So, I’m from Tulsa. I walk in the library. There's this Black dude sitting behind the desk. He had to be no older than 34. I ask him, “Can I get a Jay-Z library card?”. He says,” Are you a resident of New York?”. I say, “No I’m not. But come on. Help a brother out.” And of course, he is acting like he gonna get fired for giving out one card, or he gonna be missing out on some sales commission for not signing up someone for a library card. I even offered him $20. Come on. You not gonna take $20 when nobody will know either way. But like I said, “I’m from Tulsa, where there’s a will, there’s a way. I continue going walking around the exhibit. Maybe like an hour in, and it’s almost time for me to go. That’s when the homie is like, "How they gonna know you don’t live here? What about the hotel?" It then hits me. Ohh, shit, the hotel is a Brooklyn address. So, I go on the Brooklyn Public Library website, and I sign up for a library card using the hotel’s address. Success. I get a code. Now I ain’t taking this to the same hating ass library worker. Naw, I’m going to the other desk. It was someone else sitting at the desk. They asked me for the code, I gave it. Then they asked, “Can I see your Id?”. Of course, my ID from Tulsa. Then they ask, “Can I see something showing your name and the address of this place?”. So, I hand them my phone that has the hotel agreement with my name and address on it. They peeped game. What went on was a one-minute back and forth about what constitutes as being a livable dwelling in New York. (which I still think that being in a hotel is a legal short-term lease agreement that holds statues as being a resident of place) But they admired my hustle. The same hustle they probably have and would’ve used in my predicament. So, in the end, they said, "Don’t tell nobody you got this from me.” As they proceeded to hand me the library card. My souvenir. Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life So, there you have it, The Book Of Hov art installation in Brooklyn. If you have a chance, I suggest you go see it. You won’t be disappointed. And Brooklyn is a dope city. Maybe I’ll tell you about some of my other adventures another time. Until then. Hov Did! |
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