Jimmy McGriff knew how to get down.
Download:
MP3: Jimmy McGriff & Junior Parker-”No One Knows (What Goes On When the Door is Closed)”
Maybe it’s because I’m convalescing on a Saturday night , as weary as Weezy’s hook, or maybe it’s my time-tested affinity for gangster melancholia, but right now, I’m ready to go with “My Life” as my pick for the best rap single to see radio play in ‘08. I’ve always found the auto-tune craze largely an unoriginal device generally used by Roger Troutman-aping artists eager to mask an inherent lack of charisma (salutations, T-Pain). But of late, both Kanye (”Put It On,”) and Wayne (”My Life,”) have successfully transcended its cheap schtick, making it less about “Hey, Now I Can Sound Like A Robot,” and more about how to utilize it for extreme emotional resonance.
Right now, I prefer the LP version to the original leak for the slightly more universalist message Game tacks on, sneering, “Fuck Jesse Jackson. It’s not about race now.” What I love about this song is that you don’t have to grow up in the hood to appreciate Game’s story. It’s about more than just simply geography or simply poverty, it’s about a sense of struggle and how to approach distant dreams with a tireless and triumphalist attitude. Though, god knows we didn’t need another “I was listening to The Chronic” name-drop from Jayceon Taylor.
Download:
MP3: The Game ft. Lil Wayne-”My Life”
Heard at Nate Jones’ very awesome BBQ yesterday, “Poison” is this week’s Weekend Song. Why? Because if you don’t like “Poison,” you probably have no soul and will be sentenced to a hellish eternity where Justin Timberlake is the highest manifestation of R&B music.
Question for the day. Is any revelation more damning than Ronnie Devoe’s admission that “me and the crew used to do her.” Somewhere, a heart was torn asunder. The moral of the story of course: never trust a big butt and a smile.
Download:
MP3: Bell Biv Devoe: “Poison”
While New York has gotten rocked by thunderstorms all day long, our weather in Los Angeles is picture-perfect. 80 degrees, spectacular sunshine, fulfilling every cliche you could ever conjure about the SoCal summer. Unfortunately, while my friends are headed to the beach, I’m on deadline furiously attempting to finish a Rock the Bells preview for the Weekly.
Naturally, consolations are scarce, but Prafit’s “Nice Weather” has been one of the finest I’ve found this afternoon. It’s produced by my good friend and sometime PoTW contributer, Barry “Disco Vietnam” Schwartz, so take the praise with a dose of skepticism. But nepotism aside, this track is ideal listening for these sun-soaked , late July, bread basket summer days. Highly recommended with the three B’s: blunts, BBQ and beer.
Download:
MP3: Prafit (prod. by Disco Vietnam)-”Nice Weather”
Hadn’t heard this burner off of EPMD’s first comeback record, Back in Business, in a hot minute. Randomly, it came on a friend’s car last night, and subsequently started an impromptu rap-a-long, as indeed, this is “da joint.”
Question to ponder: have any two worse rappers made as much great rap music as EPMD?
Download:
MP3: EPMD: ”Da Joint”
Required listening on this lovely Los Angeles Saturday night is “The Groove,” an absolutely infectious new cut from Danny Swain, the South Carolinian MC/Def Jux signee who still can’t get El-P to release his damn album. No disrespect intended, El Producto, but this kid is a lot better than Hangar 18. Since I’ll be reviewing Danny’s forthcoming And I Love H.E.R. LP in the coming weeks, I’ll employ some brevity. Just trust me and download the song. Your money back if it doesn’t make you groove at least 22 percent more. Act now.
Download:
MP3: Danny!-”The Groove”
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