This week is my turn for that good ole musico. First off, a small history of my take on music. Which isn't big in general. Not at all a big fan of really anything from the jump, the Shin of now compared to the Shin of then would know just a bit more. But i'm a person who listens to the music/beat rather than lyrics. So keep that in mind going down this week's beat trip. On top of that, each day will be (or...try) to be a genre/theme just to keep me in line and my mind not racing for "OH OH this song too" out the blue. Today, we'll start easy and small with Rap & R&B

Little Brother
Justice mentioned 9th wonder last week and i'm only slowly getting into rap as a whole. Curious to find more oth 9th wonder's stuff after hearing them, I turned to Little Brother's first album, "The Listen". The album itself plays out like a radio show/station (named WJLR...JLR= Justice Leauge Radio) and personally, this is a good album lyrically and musically.

Love Joint Revisited


This has been my current crack on my Zune while I drive to work. Don't know why. Maybe because the beat and the chorus. But I find myself listening to this a good amount.

Speed


While down...buying this cd, I read on the Wiki that BET refused to play this song and its video on their channel because it was too smart. I pretty much believe that it's too smart. We see how well BET (or music channels in general) are doing when it comes to music. I had to listen to this one a good few times to really understand it since i'm a slow person with lyrics.

Lupe Fiasco
I honestly wouldn't really know anything on the guy if my sister didn't let me listen to his album while she was driving. Considering the guy's rather good on the lyrics(claims to be retiring after his next 3 albums...) it has the 90s feel with telling an actual story about something (rather than rapping about hoes, bitches, gold, money, cars all the time.) be it about drugs, hard times, etc. The pictures in his "Food and Liquor" Album which had hood kids throwing books and other type of education at people on the street had me laughing hard as it points out a lot.

Dumb it Down


another song I had to listen to a few times before I caught on for sure. I laugh so much at this song along with shaking my head in shame as well...when most people listening to rap (or the super mainstream stuff) this can clearly apply to them once the chours hits.

American Terrorist


This was my first real favorite when I first heard of Lupe. This is like the above dumb it down on it's kinda a deep song if you understand it. But I was always attracted to the actual music piece in this..and the guy saying AMERRRIIICON TERRORIISSSSST.

Hurt Me Soul


here's another deep one. Not only is the beat good, the lyrics go on about the many different things/stuff/emotions/etc that could really get to you inside hence...the name hurt me soul. It's a very mellow yet hurting song. But this along with american terrorist take my heart from the first album.

N.E.R.D/Neptunes
More funk than Rap/R&B, but who cares. Seeing the things Pharrell does (even hearing he did the music for SFA3) it's more than enough. I wasn't a big fan of Pharrell when I first saw him with Grindin (which at that point, didn't really know much on clipse and N.E.R.D.) but after my sister let me listen to their first album. Plus theme dudes are some bigtime gamers underneath.

Rock Star


Their first album, "In Search of..." has 2 different versions. (UK and US versions). The UK version is more synthesizers and electronic while the US version was redone with the sound mob for a more rock feel. While I personally like them both (with some songs being better than the other), Rockstar is one song that literally demolishes the UK version. This is a song I always feel I need to speed up and start slipstreaming through traffic because it's loud, a big bass beat, loud, good, and loud. The startoff with the drums alone gets me pumped and bopping my head. If I were to go smash someone's car up like the guys did with that printer in oiffice space, this is the song I want played for the audience.

Tape You


This is one I don't mind either the UK or US versions. Not much is changed (outside the extra minute or 2 in the UK version..which is nothing to fret over. Plus a lighter beat) and in the end, it's still a song you'd probably think someone would have sex to in the background.

Grindin


...so it's not a NERD/Neptunes song, but Pharrell made the beat for clipse and he is the one saying "Grindin" in the chorus. At this point, it's somewhat illegal to hear either Clipse or NERD and not like/hear/know of this song. When I was in high school, kids were always at some table during lunch beating on the table with the grindin beat trying to either flow/battle. Granted i'm sure they sucked, the thing is, when this song came out, EVERYONE used this song for something because it's literally a beat....repeating over with no tricky chorus catch/music solos/etc. Just pure 1 set beat which makes it easy for even the not so good rappers sound good. Everyone and their mom has some type of mixtape using the grindin beat. I really hated this song when it first came out as at that time, I wasn't really listening to any type of rap anymore. But since NERD is actually not the same as others and clipse are actually decent, I appreciate it a bit more.

Frontin


I can never find a good version of this song that's actually at a decent volume but I think this song was what made me relook at Pharrell. I really love the guy's beat and use of the synthesizer sound. Doesn't help that some of his stuff sounds like it can be in a video game.

Spaz


I could go on forever with NERD but this will be the last. Microsoft used this as one of the songs to promote Zune (or...something with Zune during the summer of 08 right before Seeing sounds dropped.) clearly realizing it was NERD's song, I was pretty much hooked. I have other favorites that I like much more than spaz now but I could picture this as a nice instrumental to race with in Wipeout.

Aaliyah
My R&B is rather weak but i'll add a few I can think off from the top of my head. One being Aaliyah. I came somewhat late into liking her stuff (which was around a year before her death.)but I can say I do remember her stuff when I was younger.

Rock the Boat


This is a personal favorite. the music makes me think of good times. It's a mellow/chill beat even though it's uh...not supposed to really be that type of mellow/chill i'm thinking of. On top of that, this was her last actual music video before her death. I always wonder what the genre would be like when these artist die rather early. R.I.P Aaliyah.

and I think i'll end it with that. Tomorrow's genre will be Rock/Techno