#VotYShoutOut

[vinyloftheyear-blog]

Shoutouts: Joey Bada$$ - 1999 and J.I.D. - The Never Story

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I confess that I’m not as musically-diverse as I used to be--these days the majority of my taste is rap music. I can hardly help it; the genre is exploding with innovation and dominating the culture that surrounds me, on and off the internet. Summer 2018 has already been jam-packed with some amazing music thanks mostly to Kanye’s recent GOOD Music album bomb, but also some singles from Childish Gambino and Chance the Rapper--and even more is well on the way, courtesy of Brockhampton and Anderson .Paak. With all of that going on, it can be easy to miss some lesser-known developments in the rap game, so I figured it was time for a couple of shoutouts.

Recently, Joey Bada$$’s 2012 debut mixtape 1999 released on streaming services, and now that it was easier to access I decided to give it a listen. And as much as I loved ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$ last year, the rhyme schemes and pure rap talent is nothing compared to what Joey entered the game with. Every track is bars, nonstop, with Joey and his collective Pro Era delivering Brooklyn bravado and personal thoughts on war, pot, guns, et cetera. What’s more, the beats sampled for the tape come from legendary producers and artists like Knxwledge, MF Doom and J Dilla. So if you enjoy rap music at its core and at its best, you should really give this mixtape a listen now that it’s much easier to do so.

Also recently, the XXL Freshman Class of 2018 was announced and promoted, and member J.I.D. knocked his freestyle and cipher out of the park. Everyone was completely blown away except those who knew his pedigree already, including last year’s album The Never Story (which I unfortunately missed until now). Those familiar with him expected J.I.D. to shine, because The Never Story feels like his ignition point. It’s got all moods between buzzing synth bops and moody poetic R&B, tied together with distorted jazzy production and some top-notch lyricism. It really feels like this album is seasoned with something special when J.I.D. can put car-bopping bars like those in NEVER on the same record as the heartbroken melodies of Hereditary or All Bad and still have nothing feel out of place, and by the time LAUDER kicks in with J. Cole’s production and the chorus reminding you that J.I.D. is sick, you’ll know exactly why you have to agree.

Thanks for reading, and happy listening!

[vinyloftheyear-blog]

Shout Out: HDBeenDope - PHeace Be the Journey

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This album came out last year, so it is unfortunately not qualified for Vinyl of the Year, but I wanted to write about it anyway because more people need to listen to this awesome rapper. This album takes no breaks in impeccable flow, HD’s lyrics always fit so damn well over the production (that he puts together himself in his bedroom, making it even more impressive for what it is). His humor is fantastic also: a hilarious narrative ties the album together, and there are a lot of memorable lines that made me crack a smile across the record. I hope this guy gets the fame he deserves--if this year’s XXL Freshman List is any indication, there’s lots of room for more talent like him in the mainstream.

PHeace Be the Journey: An underrated rap album with excellent flows, fresh homemade production, and a great sense of humor.

Favorite Tracks: Yellow Goose, Post Conventional, Not Yet