If Alchemist continues to make beats this good, at some point in the near future he will pass Kelly Taylor for 4th place on the list of All-Time Greatest Things from Beverly Hills, with only The Beverly Hillbillies, Jim Palmer and Axel Foley in front of him.
Evidence continues to be consistent solo, kicking, a simple, slow flow that sinks into the pocket of the hypnotic, psych-guitar sample and soft drums. Blu sounds like he’s been studying 07-08, Andre 3000 but makes the verse his own, delivering one of his finest performances yet. Don’t be surprised if a major scoops him in the very near future.
The only non-local, Kid Cudi, is on hook duty–and I’ve got to say, I’m impressed with the guy’s versatility. I caught him in New York a few weeks back with Skinny Slim of the Philadelpyinz and Doc Zeus, who lived up to his name and threw temper tantrums and disguised himself as a swan (pause). His stage show is surprisingly tight for a rookie and he’s clearly much more than a Kanye weed carrier. And though it’s kind of annoying, I can’t get “Day and Nite” out of my head. Amounted together, “Therapy,” is another reason why LA hip-hop is better than its been in a long while.
Download:
MP3: Alchemist ft. Blu, Evidence & Kid Cudi-”Therapy”
MP3: Kid Cudi-”Day N’ Nite”
9 comments
Deen says:
November 19, 2008 at 9:17 pm (UTC -7)
Great song, but I have a question. Is it just me or have the drums on recent ALC productions been rather weak? As always, the sample is chopped excellently, but I can’t shake the thought that shit would be better with harder hitting drums, like it used to be.
Passion of the Weiss says:
November 19, 2008 at 9:31 pm (UTC -7)
I’d be inclined to agree, the drums on the whole EP aren’t doing it for me. This song gets away with it, but grimy drums rarely hurt.
Deen says:
November 19, 2008 at 11:14 pm (UTC -7)
Gracias. I’ve listened to it on a loop and something just didn’t feel right. That said, it shits all over 95%* of everything else out there this year.
* – Scientifically accurate stat 80% of the time.
DocZeus says:
November 20, 2008 at 8:30 am (UTC -7)
Wait, the Alchemist is from Beverly Hills? Really?!
“I caught him in New York a few weeks back with Skinny Slim of the Philadelpyinz and Doc Zeus, who lived up to his name and threw temper tantrums and disguised himself as a swan (pause)”
Is this because I made fun of your plastic dream hair? I’m sorry, man. I can’t help it. I’m a hater. I’m in desperate need of therapy.
Passion of the Weiss says:
November 20, 2008 at 9:59 am (UTC -7)
Yup, Beverly Hills. He and Scott Caan were in a Soul Assassins-affiliated rap group called the Whooliganz in the mid-90s. They were good too (for a pair of white, Jewish, rich teens).
Yes, this is because you made fun of my “plastic dream hair.” I spend hours each week deciding which alchemy of hair gels, sprays, shampoos and conditioner will get my coif lustrous and bouffant-like. You had to mock me and now you will pay.
DocZeus says:
November 20, 2008 at 10:08 am (UTC -7)
Scott Caan was a rapper?! Scott “Motherfucking Tweeder Lil’ Sonny Corleone” Caan”? Really?!
Passion of the Weiss says:
November 20, 2008 at 10:23 am (UTC -7)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwZfoCwn20c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9ENOv7ZnfI
Tray says:
November 20, 2008 at 1:47 pm (UTC -7)
Sometimes I wonder if somewhere out there there’s this quasi-Marxist rap blogger who’s really mad at Alchemist for appropriating the underclass’s muzak. There’s got to be something written somewhere along these lines.
DocZeus says:
November 20, 2008 at 2:36 pm (UTC -7)
“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwZfoCwn20c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9ENOv7ZnfI”
So your saying Brian Austin Greene’s dream of being a rapper isn’t quite as ridiculous as it sounds…
Worlds are being rocked, Jeff! Foundations are being destroyed…
First, I find out Tom Green was a successful rapper in Canada and now, Lil’ Scotty Caan was a rapper, too…