Just Hip-Hop

Freddie Gibbs - BFK (Official Video) I hope some of you took my...

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 20:49:00 -0500

Freddie Gibbs - BFK (Official Video) I hope some of you took my advice & started bumpin that Gangsta Gibbs. He dropped the Baby Face Killa album with Drama a few months back & it’s still slammin now. This is the latest visual off of it, and it stays in the same high definition ultra-grimy vein as his last two videos, Thuggin & Shame. He’s got his hometown of Gary, Indiana on display in this one, taking over a gas station to mob out & even getting local police in trouble for lending him their cruisers for the shoot. Gangster shit. Check it out.

@UncleSamMC

Man, I’ve been dying to blog this since it dropped, but...

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 17:16:44 -0400

Man, I’ve been dying to blog this since it dropped, but the leak police have been all over YouTube, ripping down every version I found. So this is the Funk Flex version, but he doesn’t drop too many bombs, I promise.

This song is straight BEAST mode. Fucking love it. Real straightforward beat (drums & GFK sample fromMighty Healthy), which forces the MCs to bring their A Game. Pusha is especially savage on this one “Came aboard for more than just to rhyme with him/think ‘99 when Puff would’ve had Shyne with him”. Ye is at his extravagant shit-talking best, spitting some of my favorite bars from him in a while. He’s sounding confident, yet with the hunger from theDropout days. Now if we can just get some new beats from him…

But you all heard those verses when the song came out over the summer. So why am I blogging it now? Three words: Ghost Face Killah. They came full circle and brought the God, Tony Starks himself on board for the album version. He does not disappoint. Ghost starts by painting the picture of himself as a Scarface-type mob don, smoking cigars in his bubble bath, gold chain on, Mac-11 beside him, remembering that he needs to feed his pet lion. Once the scene is set, it’s nothing but vintage GFK poetry “got soccer moms paying for cock/Asians get it from behind while they’re cleaning their wok … dead a cow for his fuckin’ leather.”

I can’t stop hitting repeat.

@UncleSamMC

I don’t listen to enough Talib Kweli, and chances are you...

Sat, 15 Sep 2012 11:48:23 -0400

I don’t listen to enough Talib Kweli, and chances are you don’t either. Well, do yourself a favor and check out his new mixtape with DJ Z Trip. If I had to pick a word to describe it, I’d say its…refreshing? It’s pure hip-hop, but not in the outdated sense. Yes, Greg Nice makes an appearance, but there’s also guest verses by Lil Wayne, Killer Mike, Styles P, Black Thought, and more. Kweli makes it all work, and continues to demonsrate his great ear for beats throughout.

I was hooked two songs in, and shootin’ links to my buddies by the fifth. Start to finish there’s something for everyone here. If this is the free music we’re being given to get us ready for Prisoner of Conscious, then that album is gonna be serious.

Check out Attack the Block here.

@UncleSamMC

I’ve been hype about this Kardinal Offishall & Nottz...

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 19:15:25 -0400

I’ve been hype about this Kardinal Offishall & Nottz project for a while now, so I downloaded it as soon as it came out. You know what? It lived all the way up to my expectations. One of the BEST free albums anyone’s given out in recent memory.

Nottz is that dude on production, and he laces Kardi with some bangers. Pure head-nod hip-hop goodness. He even raps on a few himself. Kardinal is in beast mode throughout the album, shifting into a gear most probably didn’t know he had. The album is called Allow Me to Re-Introduce Myself, and he does just that. Aggressive lyrics & delivery, but plenty of gems being dropped as well. Kill Shot focuses on inner city gun violence, while other tracks provide the motivation to elevate yourself from your daily struggle.

Kardinal’s struggle seems to be balancing his two worlds while staying honest with himself. “I come from the ghetto, but the pop life pay me”. He succeeds at achieving that balance here with Nottz, creating an album that’s gonna be in rotation for a long time to come.

Listen to and download the album HERE.

@UncleSamMC

50 Cent -Complicated: This is my jam right now. The Lost Tape is...

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 16:14:00 -0400

50 Cent -Complicated: This is my jam right now. The Lost Tape is really starting to grow on me. This track here reminds me a lot of Hustler’s Ambition,which is a very good thing. Video looks like Fif’s bout to get back on his early 2000s shit. Bulletproof vests, du-rags, & Louisville Sluggers. Aiiight.

Check out the mixtape here. He’s not breaking any molds or anything but most tracks are solid & a few are certified bangers. First time I heard it, I was like “hm, OK”. But I downloaded it about a week after that, and after a few spins it’s stayed in rotation. I know Get Busy is pretty much I Get Money all over again, but that hasn’t stopped me from rappin about the ”canarie yellow rocks in my raaang” as I walk down the street with my headphones in.

If you’re a 50 fan at all, you’re gonna like this.

@UncleSamMC

P.S. This is definitely a discussion for another day, but could you make the argument that 50 Cent is “underground” now?

“Ain’t shit worse than a waste of talent- still,...

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 18:32:20 -0400

“Ain’t shit worse than a waste of talent- still, life goes on without it.” TRUTH from the mouths of Camu Tao (RIP) & Metro, otherwise known as S.A. Smash.

The two only put out one album together as far as I know, and this is one of the standouts on it, produced by El-P. They were signed to his Definitive Jux label when it was killing everything in the early-mid 00s.

Metro wasn’t very active as an MC, but Camu was affiliated with a whole lot of projects and crews, including the Weathermen & MHz. I was lucky enough to see him perform live before he passed, and it’s not something I’ll soon forget. The man’s energy was massive. He was on tour with fellow maniac Tame One. Quite the show.

@UncleSamMC

Killer Mike & El-P: Big Beast (NSFW) I told you this album...

Sat, 09 Jun 2012 12:50:00 -0400

Killer Mike & El-P: Big Beast (NSFW) I told you this album was gonna be hot when I first heard about it, and now that it’s out I dare you to disagree. Here’s the Official Video featuring Bun B, T.I., & El-P.Definitely graphic, definitely gangster, definitely deserving of your time.

I’ve had some time to listen to a few tracks on the album & so far they’ve all been solid. Hard-hitting production & revolutionary raps. El-P dropped his 3rd studio album last week too- more on that to come.

@UncleSamMC

Anybody who’s been faithfully reading JHH for any amount...

Fri, 25 May 2012 12:49:00 -0400

Anybody who’s been faithfully reading JHH for any amount of time knows I’m a big Freddie Gibbs fan. There are a lot of folks out there who still haven’t heard of him though, something that I find unacceptable. He’s been rockin’ since ‘01 so there’s a lot of tracks to sift through, which can make an artist like this tough to get into. Here’s where I’d start if I were you:

If you’re feeling any of that at all, I’d suggest you hit Datpiff & download both of these mixtapes:

That should be enough to get you started. Plenty more music though if you decide to keep digging. Click Here if you want to check out the Gibbs tracks that I’ve featured on Just Hip-Hop in the past. Lots of random singles, dope features, etc.

@UncleSamMC

Ughh - This is the new Pusha Ton track that’s had Wayne...

Thu, 24 May 2012 10:26:00 -0400

Ughh - This is the new Pusha Ton track that’s had Wayne lashin out last night on twitter. What a way to wake up! This one’s meaner than anything I’ve heard in a long while. Pretty clear he’s going at Drake at the very least, but this seems to be a “get out of my way” warning to everyone in general. This is What’s Beef: 2012.

I just hope Wayne actually spits something. Pusha & Malice have been talkin shit on wax for like seven years now. Ever since Wayne stole Pusha’s “ughh” adlib. I mean Mr. Me Too was a smash record and most likely all about Weezy. We’ll see what happens. Until then:

And in case you’re wondering, Exodus 23:1 reads: “You shall not bear a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.”

UPDATE: Here’s Wayne’s diss track. Pretty disappointing in my opinion. Judge for yourself though.

@UncleSamMC

Just discovered this dude MaLLy & his boy The Sundance Kid;...

Wed, 16 May 2012 21:04:00 -0400

Just discovered this dude MaLLy & his boy The Sundance Kid; I’ve gotta say- this is pretty nice. I guess they’ve got an album that dropped yesterday, so I’m gonna have to check that out. What do you know about this duo?

Jadakiss -Paper Tags Featuring Wale, Styles P & French...

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 11:25:00 -0400

Jadakiss -Paper Tags Featuring Wale, Styles P & French Montana: This right here is my grind music right now. You already know Jada’s in my top five, so I’m looking forward to his new Drama mixtape that’s coming soon. Those two have a solid history together. That’s another thing I like about Jada- it seems like all his mixtapes are either Green Lantern or DJ Drama hosted. He finds a formula that works and sticks with it. The loyalty is there- he’s not jumping from DJ to DJ.

This track’s not gonna change the game or anything, but it works for me. Solid beat, classic Jada flow. Styles is spitting hard as ever. Recently he’s been making it really tough to tell who’s the nicest out of the L.O.X. And him & Jada didn’t go back & forth on this one, so you know that track is still to come. Wale kicks off the beginning nice, & I wouldn’t be surprised if his verse is what led to the title. And finally: THIS is how you use French Montana. Nothing against the dude, but I would much rather hear him sticking to hooks when he’s on tracks with artists I like. Give him eight bars & he’ll give you something catchy that you can vibe to.

@UncleSamMC

UPDATE: Consignment is out. Listen & Download here.

Gang Starr -Above the Clouds:One of my favorite Gang Starr...

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:27:00 -0400

Gang Starr -Above the Clouds:One of my favorite Gang Starr tracks of all time. Just Guru & Inspectah Deck lacing a fresh Preemo beat. Simple, powerful, timeless.

Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal indeed.

@UncleSamMC

Tame One - Dreamz: I never got too into El da Sensei’s...

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:39:00 -0400

Tame One - Dreamz: I never got too into El da Sensei’s solo stuff after Artifacts, but Tame One was my dude for a while. His music is a real trip, especially the stuff he did with Cage as the Leak Brothers (it’s about PCP if you couldn’t guess). He doesn’t tell spaced out, slow motion drug tales- instead he flows like a maniac & is witty as hell. Plus he’s pure hip-hop. Braggadocio rhyming, graffiti writing, etc. He reps the culture to the fullest.

This track is off When Rappers Attack, ad it’s cool as hell. Turn it up.

Artifacts- Easter: The Artifacts are back. Tame One, El da...

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 12:10:00 -0400

Artifacts- Easter: The Artifacts are back. Tame One, El da Sensei, & DJ Kaos lace this Khrysis track to announce their official return after a 15 year hiatus. The trio appeared in a video a little while back together, but nothing was certain yet. I’m pretty pumped to hear what an Artifacts album in 2012 will sound like.

And for you kids out there: Watch This Video.

@UncleSamMC

YO - How did I not know that there was a song with RZA, Tech...

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 11:37:30 -0400

YO - How did I not know that there was a song with RZA, Tech N9ne, Eminem, Xzibit, Pharoahe Monch, Chino XL, & KRS-One in it? Even Jayo Felony spits a few bars. The fact that there’s a video only makes it more epic.

@UncleSamMC

Freeway & Young Chris - Lean Wit It (Freestyle): These two...

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:58:00 -0400

Freeway & Young Chris - Lean Wit It (Freestyle): These two Philly vets hopped on the instrumental to Meek Mill’s single. I feel like Young Chris has always been one hit away, kinda like what Jay said about Memphis back in the day. He’s been consistent for a long time, but just never really blew. He’s got bars though & a style that you can even hear in Jay from time to time. Free’s definitely sold a few more records (and you know how I feel about Philadelphia Freeway), but he’s been on his underground grind lately. Still got that unorthodox flow on lock.

This tracks pretty solid for what it is.

@UncleSamMC

Ski Beatz -Heaven Is feat. C-Plus: Another silky smooth track...

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 21:36:00 -0400

Ski Beatz -Heaven Is feat. C-Plus: Another silky smooth track off ofTwilight. Ski’s been on a nice little run lately. Not like he was ever a slouch. I mean, the man produced four tracks off ofReasonable Doubt…

He seemed to take a break for a little while though, but has come back with a vengeance, lacing some of my favorite artists- Murs, Gibbs, Cam, to name a few. He’s been doing tons with Curren$y too, and apparently working with Camp Lo again. Dope.

@UncleSamMC

Dope Shit You Might've Missed

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:16:06 -0400

Nipsey fuckin Hu$$le drops a video for Run a Lap. The Marathon Continues has spawned more videos from him than I remember seeing in a long time. Love the grind.

It took me a while to get around to listening to the newest Raekwon mixtape. This track with JD Era & Camouflage was one of the standouts.

I dropped a video of my own recently that you should probably take a look at & give me some feedback.

Torae & Preemo let loose some visuals for their For the Record cut. NYC stand UP.

Had a little La Coka Nostra session the other day. Listen to this & this if you’re unfamiliar…

OK, that’s it for now. Until next time:

Kardinal Offishall & Nottz - Kill Shot: More visuals from...

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 15:05:00 -0400

Kardinal Offishall & Nottz - Kill Shot: More visuals from A.M.T.R.I.M., which I can’t even explain how hyped I am for right now. Cannot believe it’s not getting more attention. This is some HIP HOP.

“Gun na kill nobody- people kill people!” So dope when he goes in an out of his Jamaican accent on wax.

It’s a Black Moon kinda day. This one’s called Stay...

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:56:00 -0400

It’s a Black Moon kinda day. This one’s called Stay Real. Just Blaze gets a lot of rec for flippin the sample on Jay-Z’s P.S.A., but these guys were on it a bit earlier with this track. Even before that you can hear it at the end of one of the song’s on O.C.’s Word…Life album.

This is the kinda stuff I love about hip-hop- seein the different things every artist can do on the same canvas. Jay’s version was big, bombastic, & get’s you amped. Black Moon’s version makes you want to stop whatever you’re doin’ an get on your grind. Both great tracks.

I don’t know if I can pick one that I like better than the other. You?