#G.O.A.T Emcee!

[thesavageislander]

Eric B. & Rakim - "In The Ghetto"...(remix).

Planet Earth was my place of birth

Born to be the soul controller of the universe

Besides the part of the map I hit first

Any a rhyme that I can adapt when it gets worst

The rough gets going, the going gets rough

When I start flowing, the mic might bust

The next state, I shake from the power I generate

People in Cali used to think it was earthquakes

'Cause times was hard on the Boulevard

So I vote God and never get scarred and gauled

But it seems like I'm locked in hell

Looking over the edge but the R never fell

A trip to slip 'cause my Nikes got grip

Stand on my own two feet and come equip

Any stage I'm seen on, a mic I fiend on

I stand alone and need nothing to lean on

Going for self wit a long way to go

So much to say but I still flow slow

I come correct and I won't look back

'Cause it ain't where you're from, it's where you're at

Even the (ghetto)

I learn to relax in my room and escape from New York

And return through the womb of the world as a thought

Thinking how hard it was to be born

Me being queen wit no physical form

Millions have settled wit one destination

To reach the best part, it's life creation

9 months later, a job well done

Make way, 'cause here I come

Since I made it this far, I can't stop now

There's a will and a way and I got to know how

To be all I can be and more

And see all there is to see before

Called and go back to the essence

It's a lot to learn so I study my lessons

I thought the ghetto was the worst that could happen to me

I'm glad I listen when my father was rapping to me

'Cause back in the days, they lived in caves

Exile from the original man, a straight way

Now that's what I call hard times

I rather be here to exercise the mind

Then I take a thought around the world twice

From knowledge to born back to knowledge precise

Across the desert, that's how to store a radiant

But they couldn't cave me in 'cause I'm the Asiant

Reaching for the city, a Mecca, visit medina

Visions of Neffertiti then I seen a

Mind keeps traveling, I'll be back after I

Stop and think about the brothers and sisters in Africa

Return the thought through the eye of a needle

For miles I thought and I just fought the people

Under the dark skies on a dark side

Not only there but right here's an apartheid

So now is the time for us to react

Take a trip through the mind and when you get back

Understand you're third eye seen all of that

It ain't where you're from, it's where you're at

Even the (ghetto)

Even the (ghetto)

No more props, I want property

In every borough, nobody's stopping me

Because I'm thorough, rhymes are making real estate for me to own

Wherever I bless a microphone

007 is back and relaxing

On poignant reacting and ready for action

I'm so low key that you might not see me

Incognito and taking it easy

Quiet, it's kept on a hush hush

In front of a crowd, I get loud, there's a bumrush

Be calm, keep a low pro, and play the background

Over the wack rapper, put the mic back down

So rip it, break it in half, go head and slam it

'Cause when it's time to build, I'm a mechanic

I'm bonding and mending, attaching and blending

So many solos, there is no ending

People in my neighborhood, they know I'm good

From London to Hollywood, wherever I stood

Footprints remain on stage ever since

As I walk the street, I leave fossils and dents

When I had sex, I left my name on necks

My trademark was left throughout the projects

I used to get rich when I played celo

When I rolled 4, 5, 6, they go we know

So I collect my cash then slide

I got my back, my gun's on my side

It shouldn't have to be like that

I guess it ain't where you're from, it's where you're at

Even the (ghetto)

I'm from the (ghetto)

Word up, peace

[darknessillumina]

apocalypse.

[Verse: CHS7V7N] Blade attached to the chain, it will swing and cut you I trip like I just ingested a pound of mushrooms Yeah, no one’s fuckin’ with the best It’s impossible to kill someone who officially’s dead Now enjoy because I destroy when I’m rippin’ you Hit the asteroid and the whole planet Earth booms Pennin’ down facades ‘cuz that isn’t even true Punch you in the face, try to laugh with a missing tooth Ragin’ indeed, throwin’ hooks at ridiculous speeds You won’t survive this eternal sleep, I am an beast Practically smokin’ whole trees, I’ll make atheists Invade and slay all Christian emcees People are quiet as fuck when I approach They won’t even blink but talk negative the minute I leave I’m back break their backs ready to lift it and squeeze The Glock clip and turn him into Christopher Reeves I got that appetite for rappin’ nice I don’t like to act polite, bunch of parasites I'll kill your afterlife then blindly follow I feel I might be hollow The feeling I get is a pill you like to swallow Five personalities will manifest in this song It becomes reality when you start singin’ along And yes, I am the G.O.A.T. It’s obvious until I lead you off the edge like Jeronimo! (Can’t stop it though) Once you leap the heights it’s hard to come back Hard to even recognize the life that you once had You’re too gullible, fuck, that’s a fun fact Catch you in the streets and stomp your head to take your lunch bag We be the weed of the bong admittin’ you’re wrong Too sick and I’m done, this is the monster that I’ve become Nah, you ain’t the king of this pile of bullshit It might be foolish but tonight is ruthless Now only killas cock this You’ll get attacked by pitbulls and rotties Who bite your body until you die and rotten Go call the cops yeah I’ma drop’em too Luke Cage is bulletproof I’ll spew this hate To consume through you, the new apocalypse We rippin’ out yo vocal chords your Umbilical chords strangled and hangin’ in the killin’ floors The sinister walk in black with rap ministers diminish ya Rape you like Tanisha then crack Your necks with metal bats to finish ya Mimick ya pain grieving screaming enchained by a heathen Enraged like a demon, make you fight for your life The pain will never relieve, I don’t pray for my sheets You’ll fall prey for this, believe in it, they hate it But they won’t listen it, now the peace is in pieces, it’s real Move with the mind that of the Zodiac I’m the Kodiak and I promise that I’m not holding back In the cul-de-sac you stop dead in your tracks upon my crosshairs Even Stephen King he ain't seeing me when the fogs’ here Yo, paranoia, schizophrenia, distimia And AIDS mixed with HIV, now aid to hate this, yeah Sick thoughts, wits are disorders, mentally disturbed Psychologically conturbed and emotionally uncured Wake up in the middle of the night to kill everyone in my family I’m also bombing my house after it to leave no evidence, yeah Peep this song just before we bomb on the Pentagon Wack and fake ass songs gone now our work is forever done Or is it not? This a whole notebook of coke dope crooks I’m suddenly switchin’ my mood, there’s evil yeah But there’s no goods, just malice and no more innocence To resonate in the booth, shoo Lyrical supervillains here with no mercy to assassinate ya Naturally cold-blooded as if my birth was in a cryochamber Intertwine with a finish line, unshine the saviors Ghost Rider’s Hellfire we just spit on these fiery papers

[mywifeleftme]

296: Jay-Z // The Blueprint

The Blueprint Jay-Z 2001, Roc-A-Fella

At the time of his “retirement” in 2004, it was basically settled law that Jay-Z was the greatest rapper alive, if not of all time. Even in the moment, the case should’ve felt sketchier. In sales terms, he was very consistent, but he’d never moved the kind of units Eminem or even Nelly did. In terms of acclaim, he’d had perhaps four albums that could be considered classics, none of which had quite reached the level of namedrop ubiquity of an Illmatic, a Ready to Die, a 36 Chambers. He’d dropped a number of albums where the clunkers threatened to overwhelm the bangers, and his 2002 stab at a magisterial double-album landmark (The Blueprint²) had barely moved the needle. Most people didn’t even think he’d won the war of diss-tracks he’d started with Nas. (He did though.) And yet, if you were there at the time, something made it hard not to take him at his word when he said (with ever-increasing frequency) that he was the greatest to ever do it.

Despite his “Takeover” claim of having only been in the game five years, Jay’d been on the fringes of the rap biz since the late ‘80s, a time when every rapper worth his salt wanted to crown himself king. By the late ‘90s, most major label emcees were more concerned with shoring up their street bona fides and stacking up cash than claiming lyrical supremacy, and Hov was happy to play that tune too. He got the hits, money, and connections, but despite his hyper-capitalist hood mogul outlook, he still wanted the prize he’d grown up watching Kane, Rakim, and Kool Moe Dee fight over. Once Biggie died, a lane to that throne opened up, and Jigga bent all of his will toward snatching it.

The Blueprint isn’t Jay’s audition for the title of Best Rapper Alive. It’s his assumption of it. He posits that greatness and success are synonymous, and Success is Jay-Z’s whole brand. The album is his demonstration of what Success means in rap: having the hottest, most timeless beats; your own label, your own clothing line; spitting the slickest braggadocio; being the smartest, most ruthless guy in the room. When he takes down his rivals, he knocks their heights, bank accounts, and degree of apparent washedness, but most of all it’s their lack of savvy he zeroes in on, how he’s made himself an emperor while they’re still wannabe thugs squabbling over pop corners. Even when those shots prompt a contender as fearsome as Nas to fire back with his hottest record in years, the simple truths Jigga lays out remain uncontested: Who has more money? Who has more hits? Who sounds more like a boss?

Jay understood as no other rapper of his time did that being considered the G.O.A.T. is a matter of perception, not statistics. Arguing against his claim to greatness while The Blueprint’s rolling feels like arguing water isn’t wet or Warren Buffett isn’t wealthy. Track by track he makes his case, drawing together threads from golden age rap and the vintage soul that inspired it until the story of hip-hop itself starts to seem like it was always bound to culminate with Jay-Z. (A fiction he’d continue to promulgate over the years.) The portions of the record helmed by Kanye West, Just Blaze, and Bink! are as pure a distillation of what makes rap great as you’ll find, but even the less critically acclaimed tracks (“Jigga That Nigga”; “Hola Hovito”) find him flexing his command over a pop realm where neither Nas nor Mobb Deep ever seemed truly comfortable.

The only time Jay ever seems remotely out of his element, “Renegade,” comes down to battlefield exigencies: scoring an Eminem feature amounted to a huge coup, but by 2001 Marshall was already becoming a creature of habit. He wasn’t going to be coaxed onto Jay’s turf, where he might’ve had to adapt his whiz kid white boy flow to the soulful lushness of The Blueprint’s other productions. In order to get his man, Jay has to make do with one of Eminem’s own thin, battle rap-friendly beats. Hov acquits himself well, but it’s unquestionable that Shady steals the show. Though Eminem’s career-best verses add to the album’s embarrassment of riches, it's revealing of Jay’s mentality that even on an album intended to position himself as the Best, he was still willing to kiss the ring of rap’s real kingpin for the extra 200 or 300,000 in sales Shady’s name guaranteed.

I didn’t expect to write so much about business when it came to covering one of my three or four favourite rap albums of all-time, but both on record and as a public person Hov frequently compels you to: it’s the frame of reference he’s most confident with. You can’t really put the dollars and cents aside with him. Despite that, The Blueprint is a one-of-a-kind document of the man’s genius for rhyme, his ear for great music, and his ambition to make everyone in the world give a damn about Shawn Carter. Its very success is what makes it his masterpiece.

296/365

[cyarskaren52]

An icon. A legend. A superstar. And now, a Rock and Roll Hall Of Famer. The career of LL COOL J is filled with staggering firsts, improbable accomplishments and an ever-diversifying imprint across entertainment and business. But, first and foremost, the Farmers Blvd product is an emcee and an artist. And since 1985, LL COOL J has delivered so much musical greatness and so many hits. His body of work represents decades of Hip-Hop in sound and scope, it's unlike any other the genre has ever seen.

From his debut as a teenage b-boy on Radio, to his transformation into one of the rap game's most consistent chart-toppers with Mr. Smith a decade later, to his cemented status as a cultural icon with The DEFinition a decade after that, there has been no one in Hip-Hop like James Todd Smith. As he preps his latest work and as he is inducted alongside musical icons into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, what better time to revisit the classic career of one of rap's greatest. The G.O.A.T. who invented G.O.A.T. The man who built Def Jam.

In recognition of his stellar career, we picked the 25 Dopest LL COOL J Songs. 

#26

"ALL I HAVE" JENNIFER LOPEZ FEAT. LL COOL J [BONUS SONG]

Our BONUS SONG pick is a celebrated classic guest spot! Pop superstar J. Lo and the Hip-Hop icon always make magic together, and this is their most famous team-up and hit single. This is one of the most iconic duets of the 2000s. 

#25

"YOU AND ME" FEAT. KELLY PRICE

Kelly Price and LL team up for this heartfelt love song. Produced by LL himself alongside DJ Scratch, it's one of his most underrated ballads, and features a stellar performance from the Grammy-winning singer. 

#24

"IMAGINE THAT" FEAT. LESHAUN

This steamy Rockwilder-produced single could be considered an unofficial sequel to the classic "Doin' It." The track reunites LL with LeShaun, and their chemistry from that earlier duet is just as strong here. 

#23

"6 MINUTES OF PLEASURE"

Armed with a Slick Rick snippet, Marley Marl smoothed things out on this Isaac Hayes-sampling single from Mama Said Knock You Out. LL gets to play cartoonish in the video, over one of his more seductive tunes. 

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#22

"FATHER"

One of his most heartfelt and personal songs, this single from Phenomenon saw the rap superstar opening up about his troubled childhood, over a sample of George Michael's "Father Figure."

#21

"THE RIPPER STRIKES BACK"

After a feud was ignited via "4, 3, 2, 1" (more on that song later), Canibus dropped "Second Round K.O.," firing shots at Uncle L. James Todd responded with this thunderous diss track. Included on a Def Jam Bonus CD, it reminded everyone that LL will still rock any comers.

#20

"I NEED A BEAT" (REMIX)

One of his first tracks, and the song that garnered the attention of a then-unknown Ad Rock of the Beastie Boys, "...Beat" is one of early LL COOL J's most creative, a breakdown of the relationship between an emcee and a dopeass beat. 

#19

"PARADISE" FEAT. AMERIE

Produced by Poke & Tone, this lush hit single is one of LL's best of the 2000s. Amerie provides a sunny hook, as LL muses about the perfect getaway over shimmering production, which interpolates "Rising To the Top."

#18

"TO DA BREAK OF DAWN"

You never wanna come at COOL J. One of his most infamous diss tracks, this heater from Mama Said Knock You Out takes aim at longtime rival Kool Moe Dee, as well as West Coast stars MC Hammer and Ice-T. 

#17

"HEADSPRUNG"

The lead single from his eleventh album, The Definition, this kinetic track showed that Uncle L could get a lil crunk. And as anyone knows: Timbaland was on fire when he and LL paired up for this club anthem. 

#16

"THE BOOMIN' SYSTEM"

On Mama Said Knock You Out, LL delivered one of Hip-Hop's classic odes to car culture. There's nothing like booming down the block with a bangin' stereo system, and this track captures the feel and vibe completely.

#15

"LUV U BETTER"

Nobody does rap romance better than Ladies Love Cool James. This slinky groove comes courtesy of The Neptunes, and is one of the best summertime singles of the early 00s. 

#14

"JACK THE RIPPER"

A young gun coming at the vet. After Kool Moe Dee took shots at him with Moe Dee's hit "How You Like Me Now," LL COOL J responded with this banger of a bonus track. 

#13

"LOUNGIN'" (REMIX) FEAT. TOTAL

With Bernard Wright's early 80s R&B anthem as the jumping off point, this uber-popular remix became one of LL's most beloved 90s hits. Another ode to dirty macking at it's finest. 

#12

"I SHOT YA" FEAT. KEITH MURRAY, FAT JOE, PRODIGY, FOXY BROWN

East Coast boom bap at it's finest. The single dropped at a time when LL's glossier hits were dominating radio, but it served as yet another reminder that he's a rhyme animal. Teamed with four legends in the making. RIP Prodigy. 

#11

"JINGLING BABY (REMIXED BUT STILL JINGLIN')"

A house party anthem, and not just because of the classic Paris Barclay-directed music video. Marley Marl's remix of a track from Walking With the Panther, this was rereleased on Mama Said Knock You Out a year later. Forever one of LL's best dancefloor tracks. 

#10

"I NEED LOVE"

Perhaps his most iconic love song of the 1980s, LL set the template here for heartfelt rap balladry. Over an ever-memorable keyboard line, the teenage emcee bares his feelings and broke all kinds of ground.

#9

"I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT MY RADIO"

A b-boy anthem. A statement for a culture that was only just beginning to be embraced by the mainstream. This is a song for every Hip-Hop loving kid that was walking the NYC block in the mid-80s. 

#8

"DOIN' IT" FEAT. LESHAUN

This is how you make a Hip-Hop sex song, folks. Often imitated, but never duplicated. Over a perfect Grace Jones sample, LL COOL J and LeShaun engage in one of the freakiest "battle of the sexes" ever put on wax. 

#7

"GOING BACK TO CALI"

Rick Rubin delivered one of his most bass-heavy anthems, and this iconic track became one of the most indelible car songs in Hip-Hop. There was a time when you tested your car's bass system to THIS song. 

#6

"4, 3, 2, 1" FEAT. REDMAN, METHOD MAN, DMX, CANIBUS, MASTER P

The song that launched one of the most infamous beefs in rap history, it's almost taken for granted that it's also one of the dopest posse cuts of all time. Erick Sermon provides the beat, as a handful of rap icons do their thing.

#5

"HEY LOVER" FEAT. BOYZ II MEN

One of LL's biggest hits and a classic rap love song, the legendary emcee teams up with Grammy-winning Philly quartet Boyz II Men for one of the most romantic rap songs ever made. Gotta love that Michael Jackson sample. 

#4

"AROUND THE WAY GIRL"

This gorgeous slice of urban perfection is one of LL COOL J's quintessential "romance" cuts. A celebration of the girl next door, up the block and around the way, it's timeless in every sense of the word. 

#3

"ROCK THE BELLS"

It's an anthem that solidified the teenage newcomer's place in rap's then-"new school." It's a pure distillation of rap purpose, a manifesto and a creed. You know every word. Everybody does. 

#2

"MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT"

"Don't call it a comeback..." That iconic opening line has become embedded in popular culture. And over Marley Marl's gargantuan groove, LL COOL J reasserts his rap dominance at a time when critics dared suggest he was past his prime. 

#1

"I'M BAD"

It's brash. It's aggressive. It's about as Hip-Hop as Hip-hop can get. LL's iconic single from 1987 may not be his biggest commercial hit or a classic diss record; but it epitomizes and embodies the lyrical skill, performance stamina, and undeniable charisma of the legend from Farmers Blvd.

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[blckvnyl]

“Streams of Thought” Out Now Digital on All Digital Platforms!!!

Peace to all of my Hip Hop connected folk here on Tumblr! Do yourself a favor and support the release of one of the most dedicated and humble emcees to ever show up for Hip Hop culture. 

When you’ve also gotten around to it, check the interview we posted, which reveals a much more vulnerable side of one of my favorite rappers!

Stream on Spotify

[iamshamondae]

I love hip hop, I grew up on the G.O.A.T.'s (Rakim, Kane, LL, Queen Latifah, Scarface, Outkast, Jay-Z, ect. The entire vibe of my childhood was r&b and hip hop, so it was only right that I took the challenge to start writing my own music with my cousin Darrell showing me exactly how to write a song. In school at the lunch tables, poetry jams and led to recording my own tracks. Now, we are in the perfect era of being able to give back to a culture I fell in love with so long ago. I have designed my first collection called "I Live For Rhymes and Beats". This embodies my joy with the craft of emcees, DJ's, Spoken Word artists, and Hip-Hop dancers. I think it's a great representation of the art form, Bold lettering, various colorways to match your drip. These will be exclusively available on @redbubble for purchase which guarantees fulfillment for quick shipping while I finalize my main site correctly. 🎶 Music: @estyalz

[oldschoolhiphoplust]

Exactly How Did Eric B. And Rakim Let the Rhythm Hit Us?

Well, it is pretty simple. Rakim made the decision to to use his microphone machinery (those rhymes) which ended up syncing with the flips and switches of Eric B. Ultimately creating the blueprint of rapping that set the tone for the ‘90s, Rakim Allah has been recognized as the greatest lyricist of all time.

While contemporaries in the likes of KRS-One, LL Cool J, and Big Daddy Kane are also often heralded as G.O.A.T, the “Follow the Leader” emcee tends to own the title by several classic Hip-Hop enthusiasts. His infamously stern faced disc jockey, Eric B has managed to showcase and express his stance throughout the years, giving grand insight on the epic era. Overall, Eric B.’s presence is the lingering origin of “The DJ is the first Hip-Hop star.”

The legendary Hip-Hop duo will embrace their legacy through performance in New York City on Thursday, December 27 at Sony Hall with Hip-Hop pioneer DJ Kool Red Alert! If you call yourself a “Hip-Hop Head” and are NYC bound, I don’t think you wanna miss this. Head over here and cop your tickets! And for those of you who are abroad and can’t make it, don’t worry, The Lust got you covered.

[elitemindshiphop-com]

@joelid16 Reposted from @theofficialg.o.a.t.squad JoeliD is an American Hip Hop Musician, Singer, Song Writer, & Show Host. A wordsmith, a metaphor expert, located in PHX, AZ. JoeliD started out as a lyrically inclined individual at the age of 8, when he published his 1st poem, realizing he was a natural. At 15 he began competing in underground battle rapping. Falling deeply in love with the craft, in school they called him infinite(NfinN), as he could rhyme without stopping. At 13, JoeliD decided to produce his first mixed tape, “Thee Untamed”. He stated it was horrible, but it made him push hard to produce better music. Hustling CD’s, he made nearly $3k off that mixed tape. Since, he has produced albums that are true studio radio quality; “A Glimpse”, “The Rebrand”, and “Remix To Resurrect”. These albums have earned him a Spot in G.O.A.T. Squad. At 17, JoeliD, joined the Army & received the name I.D. from a battle buddy. The name being an origin from Infinite Deed also, referring to I.D. Tags. At 20, JoeliD was signed to Draw Cire for a one album deal, the album was “Deprivation”. Which in a recent music video for his song “Finally Famous”, JoeliD buried the album. At age 28, JoeliD began making an impactful name for himself when he began his own production company, JoeliD Productions. Now, pushing his own music he was able to produce big numbers & more awareness to himself. After his attention grabbing album, “Remix To Resurrect”, was released he began talks with the rapper TruWerdz. Truwerdz gave him the opportunity to be apart of G.O.A.T Squad. Since, he has been able to work with extraordinary emcees & producers. The artist Gonz! being the first to bless JoeliD’s track, “Day To Day” prod. By the talented King Vir2ue, as JoeliD,s introductory song under the umbrella of #GOATSQUAD. JoeliD is now set to release music with J.Vengeance, Shanny Allure, TruWerdz, YoursTrulyThePoet, & an EP collab. prod. by King Vir2ue with Mic Hoffa & Tony Dimes. JoeliD has recently been labeled as a hook Sinatra, as he is becoming more prevalent on choruses. You can listen to JoeliD on all major platforms. Twitter & IG: @JoeliD16 FB: @JoeliDProductions Website: JoeliD.o https://www.instagram.com/p/CWK9F7rjfH2/?utm_medium=tumblr

[youstillloveher]

Shabaam Sahdeeq & Nick Wiz "Thunderin"

Shabaam Sahdeeq & Nick Wiz “Thunderin”

Shabaam Sahdeeq, known in Hip-Hop as an indie G.O.A.T, teams up with mega-producer Nick Wiz for a collaborative EP titled ‘Cabin Fever.’ The first single and animated video “Thunderin” is available on all major platforms.

The animated video captures the perfect “thunderin” storm outside the lab, which only houses the necessities for this emcee/producer duo.  Sahdeeq wastes no time to attack…

[verdonmusic]

Happy Birthday To The G.O.A.T The Notorious B.I.G. The game hasn’t been the same. #HappyBirthday #FrankWhite #BigPoppa #BiggieSmalls #NewYork #Brooklyn #ReadyToDie #LifeAfterDeath #JuniorMafia #BadBoy #TheGOAT #Lyricist #StoryTeller #Emcee #RIPBIG https://www.instagram.com/p/CAen_ROhtRG/?igshid=1nrrnpp0jph8o

[moetraineats]

Have you tried this ridiculously delicious new line of snacks by The G.O.A.T., @herrs.snacks?! @mccormickspice Grill Mates and @stubbsbbqsauce have joined forces with Herr’s, (Moe Train’s favorite chips, pretzels, popcorn and cheese curls) to shock your senses, blow your mind and take you on a culinary journey of truly epic proportions! Try these flavors and more at @downtownoxfordpa PA’s @connectivefestival (presented by Herr’s) on Saturday, August 3rd and say hi to Moe Train, the Main Stage Emcee! Festival Headliner: @blindmelonband #herrs #herrschips #herrssnacks #herrssnackfactory #herrsfoods #nottingham #nottinghampa #connective #connectivefestival #connectivefestival2019 #moetrain #musicfestival #blindmelon #music #art #brandywinevalley #chestercountypa #chestercounty #oxfordpa #oxford #chips #goat (at Connective Festival) https://www.instagram.com/p/B0Yozy7AUxn/?igshid=18pxhh5xvo4rx

[trxmusic]

Watsky’s ‘Watsky (Self-Titled)’ [10 Word Reviews]

Headphones - Good rap with some electronic backing [2/5]

Amplified - Great featured artist on the chorus and rap verses [2/5]

Fuck An Emcee Name - Fast rap and a good chorus and beat [2/5]

Seizure Boy - A poem in rap form with a good beat [3/5]

G.O.A.T.(W.G.M.F.M.C.) - Parody rap song with a funny ending [2/5]

Waking Hour - Good featured singer and good fast rapping [2/5]

The Girl Next Door (To Everybody Else) - Good verses with a fun beat [2/5]

Run My Mouth - Verses and instruments seem unlinked and annoying featured artist [1/5]

Who’s Been Loving You? - Nice message on a funky beat and good lyrics [3/5]

I Got This Love - Good sung chorus by the feature and spoken word verses [2/5]

Fight! Fight! Fight! - xInfinity-esque verses and good instrumental, but bad chorus [2/5]

Color Lines - Great beat, lyrics and feature, but rough chorus [3/5]

Hercules - Unique song idea with a unique beat and strong rap [2/5]

Two Blue Moons - Calmer rap with Eminem-esque chorus [2/5]

Everything Turns Gold - Fantastic chorus, with good raps and breakdown [3/5]

THE ALBUM: Rough mixes but still some good lyrics and beats [2.2/5] MIXED 

[ishikagupta3796]

OffSet’s Ric Flair Pendant at Jewelry Unlimited – Styling Like a Rapper

If you are a fan of rap and haven’t being eyeing Offset’s Ric Flair Pendant, are you really a hip-hop fan?

Jewelry Unlimited has been designing all the cool stuff for top rappers, and recently, they designed the Ric Flair chain for offset, gifted to him by the CEO of his label, Pierre ‘Pee’ Thomas.

Ric Flair is all the rage in US and now this chain. Donned by Offset, this chain is made of 27 carats on the chain and 25 on the pendant and designed by Wafi Lalani of Jewelry Unlimited.

Rapper chains have been very popular. Other than the Ric Flair Pendant, several other rappers have wore chains that have been difficult to forget. “Neck frozen.” “Ice on my neck.” These are common declarations laced within rap lyrics. Whether it’s VVS stones, platinum or 18k gold pendants, or their record label’s logo, the chain announces a status to solidify your standing on how much dough you bankroll. It’s an extension of a personality.

Purchasing a custom piece gives the artist a platform to test their design skills while a jeweler translates their vision into reality. This experience may not always turn out as planned. Do you really need a cereal box covered in stones?

But there are those who execute their piece so perfectly that the chain becomes a standalone figure in hip-hop. There’s the Jesus Piece; NIGO’s artillery that was the equivalent of eight Rolls-Royce Phantoms on his neck; and the simple double Cuban link chain that was referenced like its owner’s famous moniker. Anyone can drop some insane cash for jewelry, but it’s these ten gems that are cemented in history through imagery and song lyrics. They are classics in their own right. Here is a list of the most interesting chains wore by rappers over the year.

SLICK RICK – SCALES OF JUSTICE

No one exuded cool like the British transplant from the Bronx. Slick Rick’s smooth bravado and witty delivery cemented his Art of Story Telling as a hip-hop classic. But like his album, it’s Rick’s class and flat out indulgence in obnoxiously large gold chains and pendants that hold their own in rhyming lore.

Never to be outdone, Rick always made sure the ‘80s were a time of catch up when he flossed his jewelry game. Before NIGO was NIGO, Rick wore every single accessory he owned. Not noted for just one chain, but for the way he wore it.

FLAVOR FLAV – CLOCK

While Chuck D prophesied the revolution to “Bring The Noise,” the eccentric, downright obnoxious yelling sidekick, Flavor Flav, would lace the track with ad-libs as his clock bounced to the beat. To match his quirky persona that balanced Chuck’s seriousness, Flav would rock a clock you would normally gaze at while in detention as his “chain.”

Flav’s clock chain rotation was plenty and was synonymous with the man’s identity. Whenever you came across a circular clock, you couldn’t help but say his name the way he would deliver it. Flavor Flaaaaaaaavv!

Nigo Dollar Sign

Strutting onto the scene as the silent Japanese counterpart to Pharrell in the mid-2000s, NIGO made sure his presence was felt with the glistening factor of a disco ball in the form of five chains. Many who were clueless about the BAPE storm that had taken over Japan’s fashion scene and the proponent who led the charge were in for a treat, as his threads would soon take over hip-hop with Skateboard P’s help.

During his reign, no one dared — or could even afford — to reach NIGO’s swagger. Diamond-studded BBC Ice Cream cone chain? Check. BBC moon man head? Yes. And for that dollar sign that was nearly the size of an average man’s face? NIGO reportedly shelled out $4 million for that piece — fast-forward seven years later and that chain would run a cool 4.6 million stacks today.

2 Chainz Cuban Links

After changing his alias, the Atlanta-bred rapper took on the ingenious use of the name 2 Chainz as a quirky alias that suits the typical number of chains he wears. Even creative house DONDA used his name as an inspiration to drape Cuban Link Chains atop a black base for his upcoming album cover. Now, when people wear two chains, you can’t help but echo his voice when he says, “2 Chainz.”

NOTORIOUS BIG - THE JESUS PIECE

Many rappers throughout the years have accessorized their style with the famed Jesus Piece. The homage to the higher power above is a staple in hip-hop, and most likely the G.O.A.T. for its classy appeal. For one Brooklyn-born-and-raised legend, the chain was the subject of numerous photos and even lyrics. “Cubans with the Jesus Piece,” proclaimed Biggie in “Going Back to Cali.”

LIL JON - CRUNK AIN’T DEAD

The innovator of the now-defunct Crunk tried to stretch the sub hip-hop genre as much as possible — even commissioning a lofty suburban home in the form of a chain stating that “Crunk Ain’t Dead.” Each letter was paved in diamonds that amounted to 3,756 in total as it hung from a pain-inducing gold “dookie” rope chain.

Carrying an estimated value of $500,000, the accessory was usually in Jon’s hand instead of dangling from his neck — a safety precaution to avoid strain. Unlike the scene he popularized, his chain holds its own among the greatest pieces to be donned.

TUPAC - DEATH ROW

Tupac was very adamant of the coast he backed and the crew he rolled. During Death Row Records’ reign as king of the charts and streets, their logo was startling and carried weight with those who wore it. The pendant was worn by its owner as well as his label mates and affiliates as a marker of who they represented. Like Tupac, the chain is remembered as a reminder of a time when the West Coast ruled all

ERIC B. AND RAKIM – DOOKIE ROPE CHAIN

In the ‘80s, everyone was rocking the shell toes, jump suits and Kangol bucket hats; however that outfit wasn’t complete without a thick “dookie” rope chain or a Mercedes-Benz logo. The most recognized figures rocking those chains? Eric B. and Rakim. Each had two just to make sure the presence on their necks was on par with their beat and rhyming skills.

The chains were a staple of the era when the rhyming art form was beginning to blossom from the streets to the mainstream. The pieces have since made their way onto the likes of Pusha T, Kanye West, and Nas, as homage to the era when platinum’s popularity quickly waned for something even the FED can’t back.

KANYE WEST – HORUS

Forever outspoken and on a destructive path that walked the line of his creative genius taking over the rap game, the Chicagoan “sophisticated ignorance” was fully embodied in his Horus chain. Ye’s fashion statement lifestyle was on display with every single accessory of clothing he wore.

At a time when West was trading in his lavish affinities for a minimalist aesthetic, the Egyptian-themed jewelry was the equivalent of wearing an outrageous ensemble on the red carpet. Horus was known as one of the most significant beings in ancient Egyptian times. It’s no secret that the Good Music boss chose this piece to state his ignorance and where he stands musically — ahead of everyone else and himself. 

RUN DMC – DOOKIE CHAINS

Responsible for nearly everything that is rooted in hip-hop culture, the two emcees and one DJ from Hollis, Queens created movements. For all the rappers who have worn the rope chains, they owe many thanks to the originators, Reverend Run, DMC and Jam Master Jay. Everything about them was New York: the Adidas track suits, the shell-toe sneakers, and the rose gold dookies.

How Can You Were Chains like Rappers?

By now you know that you can get all the cool rapper chain styles at Jewelry Unlimited, but you still may not be sure how to style yourself. Hip hop jewelry looks all cool and stuff, but it is not so easy to style. With tons of different neck wear, it is a must to gain a better look for yourself. We are not talking about just big gold chains here, We are talking about small chains, dog tags and other neck wear you can use to make yourself look like you actually know how to dress. When you look like you know how to dress yourself people will take you more seriously as a rapper.

How to dress like a rapper? For this, let’s first go over the types of neck wear.

No one cares if they are fake

We are at a time where the richest rappers have been called out for wearing fake jewelry. Plies (who was infamous for buying big ridiculous chains) said after his run in Hip Hop had slowed down that buying those chains were the dumbest decisions he ever made. The fact is, if you have the confidence to wear it, they think - Yo, what if that’s real though? Who the hell is that person and how do they have the confidence to wear that?

They can’t prove it’s fake unless they steal it and get it tested which you know isn’t going to happen. Unless they rob you and later feel stupid when they try to pawn it. If you are really into gold chains, you can get good quality Hip Hop Chains at Jewelry Unlimited with financing available up to 5 years.

How To Determine The length of a chain online

How to determine the length of a chain online chart is above. The most common chain sizes are 20″ 24″ 30″ 36″. The highly recommended one is 24″ as it is not too long and not too short.

How To Determine The Thickness of a chain online

In order to determine the THICKNESS of a chain on the internet here is a chart for you compared to an item you are very familiar with.

It is recommended to start with a smaller MM chain and move up in size and length. A good starting size would be 24 inches and 8MM in thickness.

Pro-tip: ALWAYS Check the clearance section of websites. You get the stuff for like 80% off. You can also always get great discounts at Jewelry Unlimited.

Dog Tags

Dog tags are a cool way to get started with Hip Hop jewelry. You can get custom ordered Dog Tags with custom text. A dig tag with a cool text makes a lot of difference in the appearance and the impact. It adds to the image of the person wearing it. Custom dog tags also make you look richer and do not give the feel that you are wearing something off the shelf.

Image and style is all about accessorizing. The clothing outfit is just the base of everything. After that it is all about the accessories (chains, bracelets and rings) to really make everything pop. You can draw inspiration from your favorite rapper but no need to copy them. You create your own style and can set the trend for others. You got this! you will find your look and grow more everyday over time. Just be conscious that you have an image.

To explore your own style or but jewelry worn by top rappers, visit Jewelry Unlimited. Here you will find the coolest stud worn by top-the-chart rappers.

[cyarsk52-20]

LIST

YOU WANT A HIT?: THE 25 DOPEST LL COOL J SONGS

By Stereo Williams

Published Sat, November 20, 2021 at 4:00 PM EST

An icon. A legend. A superstar. And now, a Rock and Roll Hall Of Famer. The career of LL COOL J is filled with staggering firsts, improbable accomplishments and an ever-diversifying imprint across entertainment and business. But, first and foremost, the Farmers Blvd product is an emcee and an artist. And since 1985, LL COOL J has delivered so much musical greatness and so many hits. His body of work represents decades of Hip-Hop in sound and scope, it's unlike any other the genre has ever seen.

From his debut as a teenage b-boy on Radio, to his transformation into one of the rap game's most consistent chart-toppers with Mr. Smith a decade later, to his cemented status as a cultural icon with The DEFinition a decade after that, there has been no one in Hip-Hop like James Todd Smith. As he preps his latest work and as he is inducted alongside musical icons into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, what better time to revisit the classic career of one of rap's greatest. The G.O.A.T. who invented G.O.A.T. The man who built Def Jam.

In recognition of his stellar career, we picked the 25 Dopest LL COOL J Songs. 

#26

"ALL I HAVE" JENNIFER LOPEZ FEAT. LL COOL J [BONUS SONG]

Our BONUS SONG pick is a celebrated classic guest spot! Pop superstar J. Lo and the Hip-Hop icon always make magic together, and this is their most famous team-up and hit single. This is one of the most iconic duets of the 2000s. 

#25

"YOU AND ME" FEAT. KELLY PRICE

Kelly Price and LL team up for this heartfelt love song. Produced by LL himself alongside DJ Scratch, it's one of his most underrated ballads, and features a stellar performance from the Grammy-winning singer. 

#24

"IMAGINE THAT" FEAT. LESHAUN

This steamy Rockwilder-produced single could be considered an unofficial sequel to the classic "Doin' It." The track reunites LL with LeShaun, and their chemistry from that earlier duet is just as strong here. 

#23

"6 MINUTES OF PLEASURE"

Armed with a Slick Rick snippet, Marley Marl smoothed things out on this Isaac Hayes-sampling single from Mama Said Knock You Out. LL gets to play cartoonish in the video, over one of his more seductive tunes. 

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#22

"FATHER"

One of his most heartfelt and personal songs, this single from Phenomenon saw the rap superstar opening up about his troubled childhood, over a sample of George Michael's "Father Figure."

#21

"THE RIPPER STRIKES BACK"

After a feud was ignited via "4, 3, 2, 1" (more on that song later), Canibus dropped "Second Round K.O.," firing shots at Uncle L. James Todd responded with this thunderous diss track. Included on a Def Jam Bonus CD, it reminded everyone that LL will still rock any comers.

#20

"I NEED A BEAT" (REMIX)

One of his first tracks, and the song that garnered the attention of a then-unknown Ad Rock of the Beastie Boys, "...Beat" is one of early LL COOL J's most creative, a breakdown of the relationship between an emcee and a dopeass beat. 

#19

"PARADISE" FEAT. AMERIE

Produced by Poke & Tone, this lush hit single is one of LL's best of the 2000s. Amerie provides a sunny hook, as LL muses about the perfect getaway over shimmering production, which interpolates "Rising To the Top."

#18

"TO DA BREAK OF DAWN"

You never wanna come at COOL J. One of his most infamous diss tracks, this heater from Mama Said Knock You Out takes aim at longtime rival Kool Moe Dee, as well as West Coast stars MC Hammer and Ice-T. 

#17

"HEADSPRUNG"

The lead single from his eleventh album, The Definition, this kinetic track showed that Uncle L could get a lil crunk. And as anyone knows: Timbaland was on fire when he and LL paired up for this club anthem. 

#16

"THE BOOMIN' SYSTEM"

On Mama Said Knock You Out, LL delivered one of Hip-Hop's classic odes to car culture. There's nothing like booming down the block with a bangin' stereo system, and this track captures the feel and vibe completely.

#15

"LUV U BETTER"

Nobody does rap romance better than Ladies Love Cool James. This slinky groove comes courtesy of The Neptunes, and is one of the best summertime singles of the early 00s. 

#14

"JACK THE RIPPER"

A young gun coming at the vet. After Kool Moe Dee took shots at him with Moe Dee's hit "How You Like Me Now," LL COOL J responded with this banger of a bonus track. 

#13

"LOUNGIN'" (REMIX) FEAT. TOTAL

With Bernard Wright's early 80s R&B anthem as the jumping off point, this uber-popular remix became one of LL's most beloved 90s hits. Another ode to dirty macking at it's finest. 

#12

"I SHOT YA" FEAT. KEITH MURRAY, FAT JOE, PRODIGY, FOXY BROWN

East Coast boom bap at it's finest. The single dropped at a time when LL's glossier hits were dominating radio, but it served as yet another reminder that he's a rhyme animal. Teamed with four legends in the making. RIP Prodigy. 

#11

"JINGLING BABY (REMIXED BUT STILL JINGLIN')"

A house party anthem, and not just because of the classic Paris Barclay-directed music video. Marley Marl's remix of a track from Walking With the Panther, this was rereleased on Mama Said Knock You Out a year later. Forever one of LL's best dancefloor tracks. 

#10

"I NEED LOVE"

Perhaps his most iconic love song of the 1980s, LL set the template here for heartfelt rap balladry. Over an ever-memorable keyboard line, the teenage emcee bares his feelings and broke all kinds of ground.

#9

"I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT MY RADIO"

A b-boy anthem. A statement for a culture that was only just beginning to be embraced by the mainstream. This is a song for every Hip-Hop loving kid that was walking the NYC block in the mid-80s. 

#8

"DOIN' IT" FEAT. LESHAUN

This is how you make a Hip-Hop sex song, folks. Often imitated, but never duplicated. Over a perfect Grace Jones sample, LL COOL J and LeShaun engage in one of the freakiest "battle of the sexes" ever put on wax. 

#7

"GOING BACK TO CALI"

Rick Rubin delivered one of his most bass-heavy anthems, and this iconic track became one of the most indelible car songs in Hip-Hop. There was a time when you tested your car's bass system to THIS song. 

#6

"4, 3, 2, 1" FEAT. REDMAN, METHOD MAN, DMX, CANIBUS, MASTER P

The song that launched one of the most infamous beefs in rap history, it's almost taken for granted that it's also one of the dopest posse cuts of all time. Erick Sermon provides the beat, as a handful of rap icons do their thing.

#5

"HEY LOVER" FEAT. BOYZ II MEN

One of LL's biggest hits and a classic rap love song, the legendary emcee teams up with Grammy-winning Philly quartet Boyz II Men for one of the most romantic rap songs ever made. Gotta love that Michael Jackson sample. 

#4

"AROUND THE WAY GIRL"

This gorgeous slice of urban perfection is one of LL COOL J's quintessential "romance" cuts. A celebration of the girl next door, up the block and around the way, it's timeless in every sense of the word. 

#3

"ROCK THE BELLS"

It's an anthem that solidified the teenage newcomer's place in rap's then-"new school." It's a pure distillation of rap purpose, a manifesto and a creed. You know every word. Everybody does. 

#2

"MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT"

"Don't call it a comeback..." That iconic opening line has become embedded in popular culture. And over Marley Marl's gargantuan groove, LL COOL J reasserts his rap dominance at a time when critics dared suggest he was past his prime. 

#1

"I'M BAD"

It's brash. It's aggressive. It's about as Hip-Hop as Hip-hop can get. LL's iconic single from 1987 may not be his biggest commercial hit or a classic diss record; but it epitomizes and embodies the lyrical skill, performance stamina, and undeniable charisma of the legend from Farmers Blvd.

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[homeworkdon]

💫IAM..#homeworkdon #g.o.a.t. #hiphop #artist #lyrical #beast #syllable #genius #true #emcee #truestory #itsaRap..🚀

[wiseintelligent]

The Anti-GOAT!

I AM A HUGE FAN of HIP HOP music & culture, and in that space I just can't nominate ANY emcee the G.O.A.T. There are just too many varied, original and diverse expressions, experiences, attitudes and lifestyles in the forum for me to raise one above ALL others. Too many emcees have had profound effects on my views, conscious, and my own development as an emcee. Too many emcees that came after my own era have raised the lyrical bar another notch or so, and offered new ways of approaching the craft. SOME EMCEES rank really high on a lot of "Best Ever Rapper" lists but have only been able to show us a single color their entire career, in a box of 64 crayons. Still others have been very diverse in subject matter but mediocre in other areas, i.e., delivery, style and flow. Then there are those we love because we connect with them on some personal level and visa-versa. We identify with there maladapted attitudes, lifestyles, and or struggles. ONE THINGS FOR SURE THOUGH, record sells, or mainstream coverage have no bearing on who and what I place value on. After all 80% of rap music purchases are made by white kids, and let's be all the way 100% real about this. When have they ever been the litmus for what's DOPE!?!? If anything, much record sells should be viewed in the opposite trajectory - that considered, how dope are you really? lol! #InSearchOfTheGOAT #TheAntiGOAT