Happy Valentine’s Ye!

February 14, 2017Leave a comment

So obviously it’s Valentine’s Day, but can we talk about the real celebratory moment that is today? The one year anniversary of Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo. This seventh studio album of the Chicago native is one of my favorite albums and has been in rotation monthly since it dropped a year ago.

And what’s even cooler is that he premiered it during his Yeezy Season 3 fashion show at Madison Square Garden. He SOLD OUT MSG all for a fashion show. How amazing! I remember watching it at work at my last job during my free month subscription to Tidal (only subscribed for that reason) and was just in awe the entire time. Seeing how happy Kanye was dropping new music for his fans, family, and friends… seeing the audience go wild… watching the models in his fashion show stand as still as a statue yet shed tears. Like what were they thinking?! So incredible. And I think it’s amazing Kanye gave those involved with his show that once in a lifetime opportunity.

But yeah, this was very far from your standard album release. It was an EXPERIENCE which more and more artists are doing when it comes to music drops. I think I need to write a post on that.

Okay, back to the album. Or do we call it an art piece? A work of art? Some people were (and still might be) annoyed by the fact that Ye continued to change the album once it officially dropped, but I’m not mad about it. Kanye is known to be quite the perfectionist so it’s not surprising that he wanted to alter the album once it released. Yes, he could have made sure it was all up to par before officially releasing it, but I think his approach to TLOP created a more personal connection to his fans. Almost like you were part of the process – watching it happen and anticipating what more could he do.

It gave the album life in a way. That it was still growing… transforming. This is a bit dramatic, I know, but think about it. Something is born and it grows and changes. This is what TLOP did. Any who.

From the opening sounds of the little girl in “Ultralight Beam” to Kanye straight up rapping bars and truth on the last track, “Saint Pablo,” so much greatness and emotion took place. The beginning of the album started with gospel vibes and uplifting tones and yet ended in an almost angry, sad, frustrated Kanye. We sort of heard that transition in “I Love Kanye.” He’s acknowledging the ups and downs that is Kanye West, and I think that’s refreshing.

Having Chance the Rapper start on his first track is a major key. No, really. Now look at Chance. He just won three Grammy Awards. Not saying Kanye had anything to do with it, Chance is extremely talented, but the motivation and inspiration from Kanye probably had a slight influence on him as an artist.

“I met Kanye West, I’m never going to fail
He said let’s do a good ass job with Chance three
I hear you gotta sell it to snatch the Grammy”
-Chance the Rapper, “Ultralight Beam”

This is the album that introduced us to Desiigner who we all thought was Future at first. And now look at Timmy Turner. He’s dropping mixtapes, going on his own tours, and being seen at exclusive events with a large fanbase. The “Famous” music video? So full of controversy, yet you remember the song and the video. Even cooler, he premiered the video in movie theaters at a few cities, one being Los Angeles. And for LA, Kanye was there! How epic is that? The truest of the true fans watching a music video in a movie theatre and the artist who released the video is behind you vibing out with you. Kanye does it for the kids, bro. And have you heard “Waves” featuring Chris Brown? That song is fy-er. I get the chills every time I hear it.

To top it all off, he tacked on a pretty epic tour to sum up The Life of Pablo. And what’s sort of crazy, now that I think about it is the kickoff to his tour began quite uplifting and full of energy. Towards the end, he was canceling shows and acting a little off. Sort of like the album. Maybe it was to mirror the life of Pablo. Regardless, TLOP was for sure one of the best albums of 2016 and continues to be one of my favorites.

I’m looking forward to Yeezy Season 5 tomorrow and am very curious to see what the following means. It’s been circulating on Twitter for a few hours now. There’s talks that Kanye and Drake have a joint project, so I would be pretty pumped to at least hear one track from that. Maybe a song from Drake’s More Life will drop? I do not know. All I need to do now is sign up for Tidal again for a hot minute to watch and see.

Alright, yinz. Valentine’s Ye is almost over so want to publish this post before the day’s end. Talk soon!

OH! And we can absolutely not forget that today, February 14, is also the 11 year anniversary of Drake’s very first mixtape, Room for Improvement. Definitely check that out if you haven’t. You can hear what all the Drake fuss is about and where it began 🙂

In short, Drake and Kanye both share the same project anniversary day for two monumental pieces of work they’ve created, so I would be very excited for them to drop a collab project tomorrow. And then next year on February 15, I can write a one year anni post on that.

Okay – night, fam!

Review: Big Sean – “I Decided”

February 3, 2017Leave a comment

Yassss! So excited for Big Sean’s 4th studio album. I had the opportunity to preview the album last night at his listening party in LA (thanks to Beats by Dre and DefJam). And dang was it good. We were encouraged to not post anything until the album officially came out, so thank goodness dropped the following day. Everyone needs to hear this!

Okay, the review –

Intro | Nice little one minute intro to get this thing started. It definitely sets the mood and gets the fans ready for what’s about to come. The speaking also makes you question what this album will be about.

Light ft. Jeremih | And a beautiful transition right into the second track featuring the talented Jeremih. Since we’re at the very beginning of the album, I’m a fan how this track focuses on Big Sean’s lyrics and voice. There’s no music overpowering the two. I like this approach for the album kickoff… you have to lead up to the bigger moments! This track is almost like the Intro, Pt. 2. I dig it.

Bounce Back | This song is fire! Love that it’s at the top of the tracklist. I woke up in beast mooooode. You and I already know this song is amazing. This is the Big Sean we all know and love. You can bounce to it and rap along to it. The ending of this song might be my favorite. “Is you a real one?” And the ending beat. Dope.

No Favors ft. Eminem | The music on this. Ultimate. You can tell it’s leading up to something epic or someone epic aka Eminem. The rap master himself. In 8th grade I wrote a poem that I wanted to see Eminem in concert – have yet to do that. Eminem’s voice has this boss sound to it. Empowerment. You can do anything. Strong. I’m typing this literally as I listen to the music. And the creepy piano sounds make it that much more EPIC. Yeah, we’ve all been waiting for this one.

Jump Out the Window | Wowwww. This beat!!! And the quick pause right before he goes into the lyrics. “Your time was the only thing I wished was mine.” What a lyric. Definitely one of my favorites on this album.

Moves | I LOVE THIS SONG. THE BEAT IS ULTIMATE. While it’s one of the shorter tracks on the album coming in at 2:22min, it’s two minutes and 22 seconds of pure vibes. Could I ask for anything more? And if you haven’t seen the music video, watch it here.

Same Time, Pt. 1 (ft. TWENTY88) | Another short track. But I feel this is so because it’s listed as Pt. 1. I don’t like assuming things, but I feel as if Pt. 2 may appear on either a Jhene Aiko project or on a second TWENTY88 project. Wherever it appears next, I’m ready for it. Their voices go together so well. Magic.

Owe Me | “The smile on your face the only thing I can’t read.” WOW. This song keeps the vibe of the album going. And Big Sean tells it like it is on this one. I’m here for it. And knowing that the next track is “Halfway Off the Balcony,” which we’ve already been blessed with, “Owe Me” is a great lead into it. It’s a good transition, sound wise.

Halfway Off the Balcony | Out of “Bounce Back,” “Moves,” and this track – all songs he dropped before the album – this one is always stuck in my head. So catchy. In a good way! “Chemistry means way more than anatomy.” Hello. Where are all these boys who think this way? DM me if you know.

Voices In My Head / Stick To the Plan | I remember this song from the listening party. Everyone was VIBING to it. I love the switch up – the fact Metro Boomin produced this makes it even better. And I like how “Metro Boomin want some more” doesn’t happen until the switch up. And you’ll notice the tempo of the song picks up in “Stick To the Plan.” Fire. This song for me is motivation. For what? I don’t really know, but it just sounds like it. And the ending… I hear you, Big Sean!

Sunday Morning Jetpack ft. The-Dream | Okay, this song is beautiful. I first heard this when he premiered it on SNL a few Saturdays ago. I’m glad he dropped this particular track by performing it live. While all the songs are meaningful to Big Sean, I feel like this track is one of the more special ones, and you could tell that by watching him perform. A rap song with real meaning – yes, please.

Inspire Me | This song was inspired by his mom. During his listening party, she was not only there, but she was front and center when this track played. She sat right next to her son with the biggest smile on her face. It was really heartwarming to witness. You definitely had a few “aww” moments in the crowd.

Sacrifices ft. Migos | Banger alert. It’s pretty safe to say that any track with Migos featured on it is probably going to get you pumped up. I’m sort of surprised this track is in between “Inspire Me” and “Bigger Than Me” – two songs that are more mellow and have a more serious meaning. Not mad about it, but I feel like after hearing “Sacrifices,” I want the album to keep going with the fire. On to the last track!

Bigger Than Me ft. The Flint Chozen Choir & Starrah | Okay, can we please acknowledge that Big Sean is always showing love and support for his home state that is Michigan? I love it. As an avid supporter of my hometown, I can relate to this and respect those who show constant love for and SUPPORT of where they came from. What a beautiful way to end an album. And a rap album of all things!

Overall Big Sean has grown so much as an artist over the past few years, and that is especially apparent on this album. While I was selfishly hoping for an 18-track album, the above 14 songs satisfy my hunger for new music from the Detroit native.

So big props to Sean and his team on this one. Go and support, yinz! You can download on iTunes or stream on Apple Music.

Want to watch my review? Check that here.

serge out!

REVIEW: Travi$ Scott – “Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight”

September 4, 2016Leave a comment

I know I haven’t reviewed Blonde yet or posted my recap of the VMAs, but this Travis Scott project is where it’s at right now. Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight (BITTSM) is Travis’ second album, and it’s packed with 14 tracks of flames. This is the album that if someone asked me what type of beats/sounds do I like, I would have them play this project… in its entirety.

If this is the first review from californyinz you’re reading, here’s what it entails: me listening to the album as I write, my initial thoughts come out as word vomit, I make it readable, and publish for your enjoyment. This one’s a little different though because I’ve already listened to BITTSM three or four times, whereas my other reviews are written during the first listen. You can read a few of my initial thoughts when it dropped on Friday here.

Okay, let’s jump right into this –

the ends | When Travis hits those first lyrics, it sounds like to me it’s the beginning of a Travis Scott concert – what he would open with. It’s dramatic, has the distinct Auto-Tune sound we all know Travis for… and with the lyric “if I make it out tonight, let’s make it a bad ass time” – that is definitely a line to kick off the night – whether it be at a concert, going out with your friends, the turn up, etc. Then at about a minute in we get the tone for the rest of the album. And when that 1:10 mark hits – Travis is back with the beats. Cue André 3000. Like what. Who was expecting that? So epic.

way back | That James Harden shout out. Another banger. “It’s summertime why they tryin’ to throw shade?” This is a summertime vibe song for sure. Hanging with your friends at a house party… getting the night or party started. Although it’s only the second song, I feel like on a lot of albums, artists switch up the vibe completely from the first song but ‘way back’ keeps it going from track one. Also important to note: During his .WAV radio episode on Friday he mentioned that a lot of his songs tend to have extra sounds at the end – like an extended two minutes and some people may not like that. But he doesn’t care because that’s him. He keeps a track going because it’s what he wants to hear. To him he feels like that completes the song. I feel this is the case on ‘way back.’ With about two minutes left, the song switches up where you could have probably ended it. I am not one of those people complaining – keep the beats coming. You can hear that same theme (extension of a track) on the second half of his song ‘Pornography’ from his first album, Rodeo.

coordinate | Okay, let’s talk about ‘coordinate’ and how when I heard it for the first time, I thought Future was about to jump on the track. Disclaimer: This is not a negative thing – just making a comparison, and I love how other artists inspire one another. It has that same creep-up beat followed by some smooth vibes. Future’s track obviously hits a little harder because duh it’s Future. But I’m feeling ‘coordinate’ a lot. I would listen to this one driving late night.

through the late night | This track though has some serious inspirational vibes to it. I’m not even talking about what it sounds like but more of who is on the track. Kid Cudi, Travis’ role model and artist he looks up to, is on the track. Fun fact: Travis chose his last name of Scott because that is Kid Cudi’s real name – Scott Mescudi. I learned that on the very first episode of .WAV radio. And you have to love how Travis raps a few lines from one of Cudi’s biggest hits ‘Day N’ Night’. Like you’re listening to this new song and those lyrics drop – I definitely did a double take/listen on that. Inspo on top of inspo.

beibs in the trap | Opening this track is Nav, a Canadian singer, songwriter, and producer from Toronto. This is the first time I’ve ever heard of him, but clearly I’m fond of rappers and singers from Toronto so looks like I’ll have to check his music out. This song dips into the chill vibes, not mad about that. It’s not one of my top tracks from the album but still good to vibe to.

sdp interlude | Want to talk about real chill vibes though? This interlude is it, and I’m about it. It’s like Travis is saying, “Okay, guys intermission. I’ll be back for the rest of the turn up in two to three minutes.”

sweet sweet | And we back with the beats. I would listen to this song while getting ready for the night. He raps a few lines about how he managed to become pretty freaking successful despite all the hardships and obstacles along the way and while growing up. And during Friday’s episode of .WAV radio, Trav stated this track was his favorite off the album.

outside | ft. 21 Savage. Thiiiiiiis track right here. Love how it begins. You hear this at a club… then the DJ drops the beat… wowwww. Then jumps in 21 Savage who adds a darker side to the track with his voice and lyrics. This track is like don’t mess with me and my team. Bye.

goosebumps | This song gives me goosebumps which is ironic because that’s what this song implies. It’s Kendrick Lamar and Travis rapping about how their lover gives them goosebumps. This song is unique to me because you don’t typically think of Travis Scott and a love song, if you will. It’s about how a girl makes him feel when she’s around, when she’s not around, when he’s around other girls… lots of different scenarios. But it’s really great, and the fact Kendrick is on this. Wow. Again, wasn’t expecting this feature, but it is much appreciated.

first take | Okay, again… with the surprise feature. Were these features known or was I just not paying attention? Bryson Tiller though? “You think too much, we all know.” I have been told that too many times *upside down smiley face emoji*. Travis is getting emotional, and I like seeing that side of an artist especially an artist like Travis where you tend to think of his music as just turn-up and rage all night music. Then about three minutes in, you hear the beautiful sounds that are of Bryson Tiller’s angelic voice. Bryson was the perfect feature for this track since most of his own songs (Trapsoul) are a tad bit emotional, singing/rapping about lost love, current girls, etc.

pick up the phone | Yasssss. I act like I haven’t played this song a million times before. So glad it’s on the album, and it almost serves as a pick-me-up from the previous track. And when I say pick-me-up, I’m not talking about the meaning of the song because it’s about a girl not picking up the phone, rather I’m talking about the beat. Clearly you can tell I’m into beats. We also have the other main man of trap, Mr. Young Thug, on the track so it’s a really great collab.

lose | This song opens with a semi-majestic sound. It also reminds me of the Rick Ross ft. Big Sean and Kanye track, ‘Sanctified’ at about the 1:30 mark – like the super back and down beat; it’s like the faster version of what it sounds like on ‘lose.’ I feel boss listening to this one. You’ll also pick up on some vocals from Cassie.

guidance | Okay, now this song reminds me of the Drake track featuring PartyNextDoor, ‘With You.’ It has that sort of island vibe Drake has been giving us. I also love that Roy Woods is on ‘guidance.’ Another one associated with Drake. I love it. I want to listen to this on the beach. This song portrays another unique sound Travis is able to create.

wonderful | I could not be happier that this song is closing out the album. One of my favorite songs of 2015; I think this track dropped Christmas Eve last year. It’s wonderful. Travis is wonderful. The Weeknd is wonderful. The album is wonderful. I don’t really have anything deep to say about this track – I just really like it. It’s one of those songs I forget to play but when I hear it, I’m like waiiiiit a second… life giving. Perfect ending to the album.

Overall, I have to say I’d put this album in my top five albums that dropped this year so far. It’s what I wanted from Travis. Why do I like Travis so much? This album explains that. You have to remember that Travis stepped into the music scene as a producer – he was known for creating dope beats. Then he turned into an artist. And again, you should all know by now the beat of a song makes it for me so if you have an album of 14-beat heavy tracks mixed with trap sounds, rapping, and a hint of Kanye… you know I’m going to love it.

I even love how he left all the track titles lowercased. It’s the little things.

That’s all, yinz – stay tuned for the next post, and have a ‘wonderful’ Labor Day!

Saras in the Trap Sing McKnight

September 2, 2016September 2, 20161 Comment

But really, Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight is finally here, and I couldn’t be more excited.

I’m currently tuned in to Beats1 Radio… more specifically .wav Radio, listening to the live stream of Travi$ Scott’s new album. He’s also going through each song with his boy the OG Chase B, and this is what really gets me excited for new music. Yes, I love the beats and lyrics and features, but when the actual artist explains what each song means to them, how it came together, etc, that makes me appreciate the project even more.

Like right now Travi$ is explaining how he got Kendrick on a track. That’s so dope. I’ll be updating this post throughout the day as I continue to listen and as more random thoughts come to mind so definitely keep checking back on this one.

UPDATE 10:12AM: Did yinz hear that Bryson Tiller track? I definitely wasn’t expecting that collaboration. Holy smokes. Glad it happened. Currently playing is ‘Guidance,’ and it has a different Travi$ vibe to it, almost like a little Drake-island vibe. I dig it.

UPDATE 10:14AM: Wowwww, ending with ‘Wonderful.’ That is truly wonderful. It’s not that I forget about this song, but I don’t always play it, but I love it… probably doesn’t make sense to you but to me it does. And with the addition of The Weeknd’s vocals… magic. Really glad the album ends on this note.

UPDATE 10:22AM: BITTSM is finally available on Apple Music. Praise the streaming gawds.

UPDATE 10:42AM:

Oh, and tonight… is about to be lit so stay chuned.

Happy Friday, yinz!

Review: Frank Ocean – “Endless”

August 19, 2016Leave a comment

Sup, yinz? Last night we FINALLY received new music from Frank Ocean who has been in hiding for the last four years. Well not really in hiding – he was seen drag racing with Tyler, The Creator the other night in LA but musically he has been hiding.

Although I wanted to go to bed early last night, I couldn’t resist and just had to watch, yes watch, his new music. I mean, I did stay up quite late for a whole week watching an ENDLESS (supposed) live stream of him building this staircase, so I felt I had to watch immediately.

Any who, Frank debuted a visual album titled Endless. Many thought, including myself, the project was going to be called Boys Don’t Cry, but nope. He changed it on us. However, there are rumors and speculations that he will drop another project this weekend that could be titled Boys Don’t Cry. Stay tuned for that one.

Anyway, check out my review of the project below! Did you watch Endless? If so, what did you think? Also, does anyone know why he changed the title to Endless or what the staircase is for? I don’t actually know, but maybe it’s a metaphor of some type? An endless staircase? We will be endlessly waiting for a true album from him? So many questions. No real answers.

Check it!

Happy Friday, yinz! And be sure to follow me on Snap to see more reactions, reviews, and ridiculous moments… ergense.

Review: Jaxon – ‘WILDWEST’

August 10, 2016Leave a comment

New artist + new series alert! I am pretty excited to have my first

watch out WEDNESDAY

post feature none other than the 21-year-old New Zealand artist, Jaxon. In particular, this post will highlight his debut EP, WILDWEST which dropped last Friday, August 5.

Jaxon is a rock-leaning, soul, R&B singer, who was raised in Texas, with influences ranging from artists like Drake, Lenny Kravitz, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Guns N’ Roses, Miguel, and Ben Harper. They have helped him personally grow as an artist and by listening to WILDWEST, you will definitely hear the above influences in his sound, specifically Drake, Lenny Kravitz, and Miguel. Very, very dope AND extremely unique. Major key.

Okay, time for the real deal. I recommend you listen to the EP below and read my review of each track as you listen and would love to know what you think in the comments section at the bottom of this post. Press play and hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

WILDWEST REVIEW

‘High Noon’ | This song just puts me in a good mood and when the chorus hits, all I want to do is rock out (Lenny Kravitz, check), and I’m typically not one to ‘rock out.’ This track will make you want to take a road trip up PCH to Malibu. And honestly, any song about California I’m probably going to like. I mean, I did move here from the East Coast, right? His vocals are powerful at the end too – I dig it!

‘Smith & Wesson’ | Love the opening sound of this track. I feel like now I should be in Malibu on the beach. Summer vibes all the way.

‘Wild West’ | Now we’re at the track which shares the name of the EP. Love the guitar on this one, and Jaxon’s vocals on this actually remind me of Miguel (check). I could see it being on Miguel’s last album Wildheart. Woah. WILDWEST… Wildheart. Amazing.

‘Red Velvet’ | Again, another track I want to rock out to. PROPS to Jaxon for getting me to rock out. Rare ting. Love the overall beat and cadence. His voice is as smooth as red velvet on this track. And now I sort of want a piece of red velvet cake. Moving on…

‘Hennessy ft. DYSN’ | The opening of this track is unexpected from the rest of the songs, and I love it. Okay, can we get a Bieber and Jaxon duet? Serious. I think that would be dope. This is definitely an end-of-the-night song, and if you know me, you know I love music for ALL types of the day and night, so thank you, Jaxon, for giving me a new song to add to my chill vibes playlist :).

‘Black Gold’ | I immediately was drawn to this track just from the name of it. Pittsburgh colors, ya dig! Love when the song picks up at about 1:15. This was a strong ending to the EP – well done.

Overall emotion… Drake feel (check).

Listening to the six tracks truly takes you on a journey from start to finish. I think people will gravitate toward this project because it’s relatable – moving to a new city, dealing with modern day problems, and just going with and handling the flow of life. And why will you gravitate toward Jaxon? As an artist, his voice is melodic AF, he has vocals AND can play the guitar, and from what I hear, he’s a complete gem :).

Really looking forward to getting more music from Jaxon and seeing him grow as an artist.

Thanks for reading my first watch out WEDNESDAY, yinz!

re(VIEWS) from Serge

May 1, 2016Leave a comment

Hey yinz! So yesterday, I finally listened to Drake’s new album, Views, and let’s just say I thoroughly enjoyed it. While reading my review, keep in mind that I was typing this as I listened, so it may not be proper grammar and may read a little choppy. My thoughts truly go in order of not only the album but even more specifically from the start of one song to its end.

And if you want more of a visual review, check out my YouTube video compiled from Snapchat yesterday! Follow meeeee (@ergense).

‘Keep the Family Close’
Starting off with singing, nice. Voice sounds refreshing. And a very interesting and somewhat different overall sound – I dig it. ‘Out here in la, i don’t know what’s going on.’ Half the time I don’t know either. JK, JK. It’s a slower start to the album – sort of like ‘Over My Dead Body’ in the start of Take Care. And I love the drum addition.
‘9’
There’s that Drake-40 sound we all know – that distinct drum sound and beat in the background. ‘And I turn the 6 upside down, that’s a 9 now.’ I can definitely vibe out to this track.
‘U With Me?’
Nice transition from ‘9’. DMX sample – yes. I for real used to listen to ‘X Gon’ Give It To Ya’ ALL the time when I was younger. This song has some Take Care-NWTS vibes for sure. The background drum reminds me of a slower version of ‘Wu-Tang Forever’ from NWTS.
‘Feel No Ways’
Sounds like a Majid Jordan track – that underwater-vibey sound. I like this A LOT. Love the ending with those beat skips and the fade out.
‘Hype’
Any song that is called ‘hype,’ I’m probably going to like it. ‘You cannot be here right next to me, don’t you see RiRi right next to me.’ Definitely has a ‘Worst Behavior’ vibe to it. Then slows down around 1:30… 1:37 then we’re back to being ‘hype.’ Seriously, all of Drake’s songs have such a distinct sound, and I love it.
‘Weston Road Flows’
Another smooth transition into this track. Vibe HARD on this one. ’40 the only who know how I deal with the pressure.’ ‘Your best day is my worst day.’ ‘I’m happiest when I can buy what I want. Me too, dude.
‘Redemption’
Some ‘Marvin’s Room’ ish right here. This is the emotional Drake for sure. I probably wouldn’t listen to this song on the reg, but definitely when I’m feeling somber or on a rainy day. Okay, here we go – the last two minutes have provided redemption for this song. ‘Since Take Care, I been care takin’.’
‘With You ft. PARTYNEXTDOOR’
Loving this opening beat. If I just heard this not from Views, I don’t think I’d pin it as a Drake song and even more so that PND opens it. Listening to this makes me want to listen to PND way more. So talented and great vibes. I also realize I say ‘vibes’ A LOT. This track is like a pre-game before the pre-game song.
‘Faithful ft. Pimp C & dvsn’
Got that Pimp C sample on this one and the very talented Canadian duo that is dvsn. Starts out hard, not like Drizzy. Dig the rhythm – much more Drake sounding. ‘Let’s do the things that we say on text.’ I see you, Drizzy. I feel like this track sounds a bit like another one I previously heard on Views. I can’t think of which one since it’s my first listen but it sounds familiar. dvsn though – if you don’t listen to them, you should. Very good addition to this song and album in general. Okay, I hear YOU, dvsn. Yassss.
‘Still Here’
Okay, this is the song I needed. ‘I don’t need no pill to speak my mind.’ Me either. ‘You not from the city I can tell.’ ‘Did it, did it by myself.’ This song 100% speaks to me. And again with that 40 sound.
‘Controlla’
We’ve all heard this song before, and I think it fits the overall sound of the album pretty well. I actually forgot about ‘Controlla,’ and it is more of a crowd pleaser so I’m glad it’s on here. The last minute is probably my favorite, besides the main chorus. From his lyrics to the ending sound – good work.
‘One Dance ft. Wizkid & Kyla’
Now we allllllllll know this track. For some reason I didn’t think this would be on the album. But it fits nicely right after ‘Controlla.’ We can put this song with ‘Hotline Bling’ in terms of many people liking it – not just Drake or hip-hop fans. ‘Strength and guidance, all that I’m wishing for my friends.’ Favorite line of the song because I wish all the best for my friends as well! Duh.
‘Grammys ft. Future’
Yes, yes, and yes. This has to be performed at the Summer Sixteen Tour. It’s not the most complex song, but Future and Drake on a track together is bound to be a banger of some sort. And the beat is a bit futuristic sounding – play on words.
‘Childs Play’
Dancing to this one for sure. For anyone who knows me, I love dancing and watching myself dance in the mirror. I mean I’ve danced my entire life… in a studio… surrounded by mirrors. Can you blame me? So this song will be used for that purpose. Again, the end of this song is on point. That real deep Drake voice is my jam.
‘Pop Style’
Another track that we have all heard and in my case, loved. This version though doesn’t include Jay or Ye like the first one we heard. I like both versions! Super glad this is on the album.
‘Too Good ft. Rihanna’
Not sure how I feel about the very beginning, but it does have that RiRi-Drake collab vibe to it. Almost reminds me of their song ‘Take Care,’ which is one of my favorites. Yep, definitely sounds a little like ‘Take Care’ with that fast paced drum/symbol sound. I think I can hear this song on the radio. If so, I won’t be listening because you know that ish will be overplayed. No thanks. While it does remind me of ‘Take Care,’ it’s definitely not as good.
‘Summers Over Interlude’
Okay that real slow, sexy sound. But not sure if this is something I’m digging. Is this dvsn? Majid? #confused I know it’s the end of the album, but I think it completely slowed down the album and not sure if in the best way.
‘Fire & Desire’
Yesssss, loving this sped up voice. It’s quite Drake of him to add it. While this is definitely slower, I’m feeling it. I don’t know what it is, but I’m here for this. Definitely like this song. 100%. I needed this. It has that end-of-the-album-Pound Cake/Paris Morton Music 2 sound (the beginning of that track).
‘Views’
Okay, thank you for ending with this vibe. In typical Drake fashion he ends with a non-stop flow song that’s on the lengthier side. Approved. This reminds me of ‘The Ride ft. The Weekend’ from Take Care, which happens to be the last track of that album and this song the last track of Views. Well, ‘Hotline Bling’ is the last track, but I feel like that was an added bonus for the fans. Anyways.
‘Hotline Bling’
It’s like a concert… he ends on a slower more album-based song then ends the show but comes back on for an encore doing the song ‘Hotline Bling,’ which you know will get the crowd hype af. I’m indifferent about this track being on here. While I like the concert vibe it gives, I think the album could have ended with ‘Views.’ I mean, it is the name of the album.

All in all, I’m a fan of Views. It’s nothing like his last album, IYRTITL. And if you absolutely love that album, you may not like this one. Views relates more to Take Care and Nothing Was the Same – opinions my friend Parker actually told me, and he couldn’t be more correct. It’s also not an album you’d listen to at the gym to get hype to but rather on a road trip.

With Drake’s hometown being the inspiration for this album and the passion he has behind the music, it makes me like the album even more. I see the album as something bigger than just a compilation of rap songs. So props to Drake for putting together a solid project that portrays his passion, talents, and that Drake sound we all know. Happy listening!

2016 GRAMMY Awards

February 20, 2016February 20, 2016Leave a comment

To sum up the 58th Annual Grammy Awards in one word…. #boring. Seriously. I know this is supposed to be a family show and they need to cover all genres, but can the performances please be more upbeat? I don’t know who decides what is performed, but we know you artists can all sing (hence why you’re at the GRAMMYs), so I think you should all pick a dope, upbeat song and get that party started as opposed to serenading us and putting us to sleep. And no I didn’t attend this year. We were told they weren’t going to have a mosh pit, which they didn’t. Maybe next year!

Parts of the show also felt rushed, especially during the acceptance speeches. Prime example was when Bruno Mars won for ‘Uptown Funk.’ Mark Ronson began speaking, honestly not for long, gave the mic to Bruno and the dang ‘cue to hurry up’ music came on. Let the man speak – he just won record of the year! Even the in memorium section seemed to be super fast, which for that I’d prefer it to move a little faster but not like that fast.

Most memorable moments for me:

Kendrick’s performance. The heart, soul, passion, and most importantly the message behind his performance was explosive. Literally. The stage was on fire. He revived the GRAMMYs – brought them back to life. It was so powerful. Mad props to King Kendrick. Also, congrats to him on winning five awards, one being Best Rap Album. Very well-deserved.

Lady Gaga-David Bowie tribute. While I do know who David Bowie is and how influential his music was, I obviously don’t know that much about him. That being said, I thought Gaga did a wonderful job. You can really throw her into any scenario, and I feel like she’ll execute it just right. For those of you who watched this last season of American Horror Story… she did SO good and played her role as the Countess perfectly.

Meh moments:

While I did enjoy the Lionel Richie tribute, I’m still scratching my head as to why Meghan Trainor was part of that. She can sing, but to me I think they could have replaced her with someone more aligned with Richie’s voice and genre. I feel like she didn’t even sing that long any ways.

The Weeknd’s performance. Do not get me wrong, I repeat, do not get me wrong, I absolutely love The Weeknd, but that was not my favorite performance of his. Honest even. Yinz need to watch videos of him performing before he turned into this superstar. THOSE were performances, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have seen him at least five times. So so good.

The finale. Pitbull, Robin Thicke, and Sofia Vergara, really? That was way too random for me. While they are each talented, yes even Pitbull, I wouldn’t say those three are the most relevant right now.

And Taylor Swift. I don’t even feel like wasting energy to type about her. But two things: 1) She was way too dramatic when Ed Sheeran won. 2) Her acceptance speech should not have focused primarily on Kanye West. Tay Tay, you just won ALBUM OF THE YEAR – TALK ABOUT THAT. You know I love me some Kanye, but most people don’t so by bringing his name into the conversation creates more haters and fuels his fire. If Kendrick would have won, I can guarantee his speech would have been strictly about his album, TDE team, and the fans. Alright, I’m done.

So yes, overall I thought the show was pretty boring, but congrats to all of the winners, which you can find here. To make up for the boredom, I hope to attend the BET Awards again, assuming they’ll be in LA this summer. I’ll keep yinz posted!

As promised…

February 12, 2016February 12, 2016Leave a comment

Here are the overdue updates I’ve been meaning to write about. We’re going to try to keep this short and sweet since there’s SO much happening in the hip-hop world.

First and most importantly, on Saturday, January 30, Drake hosted OVO Sound Radio and finally gave us a drop date for Views From the 6. Well, it’s not an actual date, but the album will drop in April. And it makes complete sense. Toronto’s area code is 416 (close to that Pittsburgh 412 ya heard). April being the 4th month and the year being 20(16). It makes ALL the sense, and I’m actually a little disappointed in myself that I didn’t figure it out. Maybe it will drop on April 16th? I’m still thinking some new music will come out this weekend during All-Star Weekend. Don’t even get me startd on how upset I am I’m not there. Moving on to the next piece of news.

YEEZY-WIZ TWITTER DRAMA | This celeb beef was some real Twitter fingers action. Kanye went on quite the rant about Wiz Khalifa. It all stemmed from Kanye changing his album title from SWISH to Waves, which prompted Wiz to Tweet out a photo of Max B, the original ‘Wavy Daddy.’ Cue the Tweets. Drama is all I can say. I was actually laughing reading them, but it was all a bit much. I also managed to screen shot all of Ye’s Tweets, and thank goodness I did because he deleted them. I’ll have to dedicate a post to just those sometime in the near future. Cut to present. Kanye and Wiz had a phone call, made up, and all is good.

EVOL | Future blessed us with ANOTHA ONE. Not much longer after Purple Reign, which dropped in January, the Atlanta rapper released another project titled EVOL, which is ‘love’ spelled backwards. I haven’t listened to either of the projects as much as I should have, but if you listen to one song, you absolutely must listen to ‘Run Up’ on Purple Reign. Seriously fire.

‘DOWN IN THE DM’ REMIX | Listen to this raunchy yet lit remix to Yo Gotti’s club banger featuring Nicki Minaj here. Let’s just say I listened to this on my way to work, and it definitely woke me up. Nicki goes hard in this. Love it.

RIHANNA – ANTI | Okay, this should actually get its own post. What a dang good album. The overall sound and lyrics of ANTI are incredible. The flow from beginning to end. Brilliant. Comparing this album to others by Rihanna, this is by far her most mature piece of work. If you’re an avid RiRi fan, I’m sure you’ll agree. I encourage you to listen! I promise it’s not a peppy pop album you’ll get sick of. And listen to ‘Love on the Brain.’ That straight up doesn’t even sound like Rihanna, but has more of a Beyonce and Macy Gray feel. So good. Listen, yinz!

FLINT CRISIS | Detroit native Big Sean donated $50,000 to support the Flint water crisis. While some of you think he should have given more, it’s obviously way more than I’m sure you’ve given. I don’t want to get into that discussion now, but let’s just give a round of applause to the Sean Don for donating to this town in time of need. Props!

Happy Friday! Lots of exciting things week, so check back early next for a post! And until then, I’ll be waiting for Ye to drop his album.

Seven Years Ago Today…

November 24, 2015Leave a comment

Thank you @HipHopMindset, @TeamKanyeDaily, & @AirMikey 🎉 #808sandheartbreak pic.twitter.com/iCIhtszeqM

— Sara Ergen (@ergense) September 29, 2015

Kanye West graced us with one of his most influential hip-hop and rap albums to date. It’s also one of my most listened to albums on Spotify and speaks to me more than most albums out there. Different from previous Yeezy albums, 808s & Heartbreak brought on a new wave of music – Auto-Tune, and yes he did ask king of the Auto-Tune, T-Pain, for some advice. It was actually when Kanye and T-Pain worked on their hit song ‘Good Life’ that Kanye began to experiment with Auto-Tune and ultimately recruited Mr. Teddy Pain to help him with the sound of 808s & Heartbreak.

While some may say the use of Auto-Tune isn’t genuine or isn’t ‘real music,’ I believe it adds a completely different dynamic to any song and even to the overall tone. People get their panties in a bundle when they hear a song with Auto-Tune or anything out of the ordinary and scoff at it saying ‘that’s not talent’ or ‘that’s not real music.’

I have a few issues with this:

1. Kanye isn’t meant to sing – he’s not Adele. If the use of Auto-Tune makes his songs top hits, he can use it.
2. While I’m obviously not a musical artist and all of this is in my own opinion, I don’t see you up there making music or being his producer, so again, he can use it.
3. He tried something new, something different. That’s Kanye, so accept it.
4. I think talent is being able to experiment with something new (at the time), like Auto-Tune, produce a full album using that sound and have that album debut at No.1 on the Billboard 200.

The album features, as its title implies, 808s, a drum machine that creates a distorted sound, and the many heartbreaks of Kanye, ranging from the loss of his mother to numerous heartaches in his life. The album has influenced many of the sounds you hear today, bringing on a new wave of rappers, singers, and producers.

While the album is essentially quite negative and listeners are hearing Kanye at his most vulnerable, it inspired other rappers and hip-hop artists to take creative risks with their own work. One artist being Drake. Listen to So Far Gone, and you will hear a similar sound to 808s – Drake’s rapping over Kanye’s ‘Say You Will.’ Other influenced artists include Jay Z, The Weeknd, Kid Cudi, Frank Ocean, and Childish Gambino.

808s also features an overarching theme that can be appreciated universally even if you aren’t a hip-hop or Kanye fan. There are messages of heartbreak, losing a loved one, devastation, death, and frustration. We have all experienced such things and to have music to listen to when you’re in those types of gloomy moods can help the grieving process immensely.

I had the honor of seeing the album performed in full this fall at the Hollywood Bowl with three friends of mine who equally, if not moreso, appreciate this album. Not only is the Hollywood Bowl an epic venue to begin with, but it was something about seeing Ye perform 808s that was truly magical. The sound. The stage. The lights. The energy of the people. Holy smokes. Even with the negative connotations hip-hop music can receive and especially the negative perception surrounding Kanye, I have never seen a more uplifting, positive crowd of people than I had seen at this concert. Every single person was singing along, mesmerized by the performance and artistry of Mr. West.

I think the beauty of this album really lies in Kanye being his most vulnerable, him revealing so much of his personal life to us, and taking creative risks, resulting in a new sound of hip-hop and R&B, creating an electro-pop sound, if you will. What’s cool is not only did it influence other artists and their work, but each of those artists attemped such creative risks in their own, unique ways. Kanye has always been one to want to break the mold and be the best he can be (without caring what anyone thinks – mad respect), and with 808s & Heartbreak, where he was just doing his own thing and being the realest, it seemed to have sparked more creativity, influence, and risk-taking than even he could have ever been planned or imagined.

And thank you to @TeamKanyeDaily and @HipHopMindset for the framed 808s & Heartbreak album in the video above! Follow both of those accounts – dopeness.

808s & HEARTBREAK TRACKLIST

1. Say You Will
2. Welcome To Heartbreak
3. Heartless
4. Amazing
5. Love Lockdown
6. Paranoid
7. RoboCop
8. Street Lights
9. Bad News
10. See You In My Nightmares
11. Coldest Winter
12. Pinocchio Story

[tracklist & lyrics via Genius.com]

Californyinz

Category: Review