Unlike the Cult of The Lizard King, we at Passionweiss aren’t always of one unified mind. Behind the scenes we often debate serious subjects like Jay-Z’s favourite yoga positions and if Young Thug should get a third lip piercing. Luckily one thing we can agree on is that most of our picks for 2014 will be audio dope. Read on for part one of our favorite albums to look out for this year. – Jimmy Ness
Most excited about: Schoolboy Q – Oxymoron
An affinity for psychedelics, bucket hats, and gangbanging make Schoolboy Q the delinquent alternative to his abstinent label mate Kendrick. Quincy Hanley’s opiate-soaked rhymes combine honesty and aggression to captivating effect. Combine these factors with a schizophrenic delivery and oscillating vocals, and you’ve got one of the most interesting LA gangstas since DJ Quik had a perm.
TDE staged their rap Coup d’état last year with K.DOT’s potentially classic album. Oxymoron is supposed to be the second step in their takeover strategy. There’s little doubt about Q’s ability, but the bar has been set extremely high. Action Bronson’s Vine said what everyone was thinking, can Schoolboy keep up with Lamar or will he always remain Topp Dawg’s second mate?
Oxymoron was pushed back several times last year; partly due to sampling issues and because the singles didn’t have the impact everyone had hoped for. “Collard Greens” is the third of three singles released in 2013 and the only one to reach the Billboard charts at number 92. Despite being a quality song, it’s not the undeniable hit needed to boost Schoolboy’s career. But do the charts even matter any more? Hits have little to do with quality, plus the single has over 10 million YouTube views and no one should care about the spending habits of 12 year olds anyway.
Everyone wants to see if Oxymoron will be a success and whether Q can match Kendrick. If it’s a matter of faith- I think his album will be good. What’s interesting is whether it will be great.
Runner up: Future – Honest
I’m all out of sad robot and Gucci Spaceman jokes, but Pluto was the shit. Future dropped several gems last year despite suffering the “no real single”
problem that Schoolboy has. As long as Mike Will Made It doesn’t force too many of his popstar cashcows onto the album, it’ll be dope #noMiley. — Jimmy Ness
Most Anticipated: AZ – Doe or Die II
When I interviewed AZ last summer for Passion of the Weiss, his plan was to maintain visibility by releasing stray songs and freestyles well into the Fall, at which time he would finally unveil the sequel to his cult-classic debut. Unfortunately, Doe or Die II has still yet to materialize, but if his 2012 output is any indication of what to expect from the LP, loyalists of The Firm are in for one hell of a treat. “We Movin,” “I Excel,” and the official remix to Raekwon’s “86” featured some of his strongest performances of the millennium. He managed to turn back the hands of time and recapture the smooth criminal aura that quietly helped forge New York City’s mafioso rap subgenre.
AZ’s return to form obviously bodes well for his forthcoming reboot, but the supporting cast is perhaps even more intriguing. “[R]ight now I have Statik Selektah on there,” he explained during our discussion. “Buckwild, he was on the original. L.E.S., he’s the one that did the “Sugar Hill” cut. Me and Pete Rock are getting ready to record in a few. I’m waiting for DJ Premeir to hop on it. He’s someone I wanted on my first album.” And let us not forget about the flick that surfaced in the wake of Nas’ promo run for Life Is Good. If photographic evidence of Nas, AZ, and Jungle crouched over a studio workstation isn’t enough to rouse your rooster, I sincerely empathize with your joyless existence.
Runner Up: Cormega – Mega Philosophy
When I spoke to Cormega last year, he claimed to be pounding out the rough edges of Mega Philosophy, his long-awaited collaborative effort with Large Professor. “[I]’m really on my Pan-African shit right now,” he said. Expect to hear an uplifting message voiced in dunn language.
Pick: Wen – ???? [Keysound]
After dominating the first half of 2013 with a series of releases, Wen went quiet. Sure new dubs emerged on Dusk & Blackdown’s Rinse show, but after a whirlwind of tunes including Commotion (original and V.I.P), Lo-fidelity and the vinyl-only Swingin, the second half of 2013 saw the momentum halt while peers like Visionist and Mumdance pulled ahead. Little did we know that Wen was stockpiling riddims for a full length release and as they leak little by little, it’s becoming apparent that this will be the most interesting full-length Grime album since er…Logos’ on Keysound.
Check the sound – his refix of Dizzee Rascal’s “String Hoe” won’t make the album, but a vinyl-only pressing is already making the rounds and hyping things up. Then there’s Play Your Corner with Riko Dan, a sub-low vocal perfectly balancing Grime’s urban energy with OG Dubstep’s middle-eastern tinged darkness. It’s a lot might be his bleakest track yet, a zero-compromise slab of bass pressure that doesn’t so much bang as float while the drums skitter on top. Signal goes off on a dark Funky flex and as for the Nightcrawlers devil mix, it’s somewhere between an acid trip and the exorcist.
Who knows which of these tracks will make the album, but considering I haven’t heard a dud from Wen yet, I’m sure the final release will be fantastic.
Runner up – Madlib and Freddie Gibbs – Piñata
Madlib fans listen to more Jazz than Gangsta rap and the blunted one’s Achilles heel has always been his choice of emcee (or lack thereof). Freddie Gibbs has built a career out of being harder than nails but his one weakness is his sometimes generic taste in production. Ergo, this has the potential to be the most obvious win-win combination since Run the Jewels.
