Abe Beame is a lover and a fighter. DOWNLOAD: A Love Bizarre (Disc 1) What did “Let’s Get It On” sound like in 1973? Today, it’s a golden oldie, something a cotton-stuffed Jack Black can croon with adorable affectation to close out romantic comedies. But when it first came out, how did it feel and […]

Primo conducting an orchestra=automatic repost. Taken in consideration with “Nasty“, I think, I think, I THINK this time around, Nas gives the nerds the album they’ve been waiting 20 years for. It wouldn’t take a lot of effort on his part, everyone would love him for it, and he’s gotta be close to out of […]

Abe Beame beat Cease-A-Leo at Tecmo Bowl Biggie followed Ready to Die with Junior Mafia’s Conspiracy—a spotty album with two great singles, but one notable for being one of the first times a crew got a deal exclusively due to their friendship with a talented, successful rapper. Ultimately, Junior Mafia birthed one decent personality in […]

Abe Beame likes black Tim’s and black hoodies. Ready to Die ends with a bang. After an album of unbridled aggression and desperation, the climax is delivered through a quiet, inverted moment of reflection. Throughout his masterpiece, there are demons chasing the protagonists of Biggie’s songs. Though we never hear their deaths explicitly, we can […]

Abe Beame does the blunts and brews thing, knocking that Wu-Tang. My favorite moment on Ready to Die comes at the end of the “Fuck Me” interlude. Biggie and Lil Kim simulate sex on a chair in the studio. As the skit reaches its climax, Kim intentionally or unintentionally falls off. Biggie immediately apologizes, and […]

Abe Beame hollers respect to all the con men. There’s a hypnotic quality to the bounce that anchors Poke and Puffy’s brilliant flip of George Mccrae’s “I Get Lifted.” Understandably, the beat and Biggie’s effortless wordplay have always mesmerized me on more casual listens. As a fan, it can drain the fun from a song […]

You don’t want to hear Abe Beame’s demos. Biggie was unpredictable. A demo called “Love No Ho” could have tenderness, compassion, romantic tragedy and darkness. While we remember “Me & My Bitch” for its rawness, intensity, and palpable loss in every bar. But it also gives us perspective on an ugly, destructive element of young […]

Abe Beame hails from Section 84. Summer ended suddenly on a Wednesday night in Tribecca when Kendrick Lamar, a self-appointed Dylan for 80s babies, took the stage at SOBs, one of the last venues Manhattan has left to a dedicated Hip Hop stage. And hip hop, in its strange 2011 iteration was in the building. […]

Don’t call Abe Beame killer because he’s killing. Putting your finger on precisely why you come away from Tha Carter 4 dissatisfied is a difficult proposition. It’s brimming with bangers, large hooks, big guest appearances, and experimental song concepts. Wayne is totally and completely invested. His rapping is as energetic and crisp. You can hear […]

Abe Beame is Draking on a million. Jeff Weiss doesn’t enjoy the Weeknd’s or Drake’s music, but the fact that they’re doing it, he doesn’t respect that. The Drake verse at the end of “The Zone” is one of the best “rapped” verses I’ve ever heard from him, it’s just “strippin for tuition” flavored shit  […]