Gambino.Wetsuit

No its Roscoe's Wetsuit...

Why'd you say that? 

I don't know.

Lets jump right in.

Some Logistics

Because The Internet dropped December 6, 2013. (Staggered release) U.S official release was December 10th. Promotions for the album started with his short-film, titled Clapping For The Wrong Reasons, which featured several people who actually appear in the album.

Gambino and Chance collabs are always nice..

The single given to the public was 3005- a good choice. Seeing as the rest of the songs have obscure names, I'm not sure if we as a public would've been ready. The album was recorded throughout 2012 and 2013 in a rented mansion. (Chris Bosh's??)

Content:

Because The Internet has some deep meaning. There is not a single wasted line or throw-away verse. If Gambino needed a break in a bar, the track would literally stop. There are several songs in which these pauses increase the dramatics of the song. When Childish Gambino said this would be his most "honest release to date" he was not kidding. Songs such as Life: The Biggest Troll are lyrically important to the game, and while not necessarily innovative, they are necessary to push other artist to step up their writing skills. This album was content heavy; Zealots of Stockhom (Free Information) is rich with truths and cries of help from Gambino. The listener cannot help but help but reach out.. to relate to him.

Flow:

The flow of this album is unmatched. Having an album compared to the

likeness of a mix tape is usually a bad sign, however, in this comparison

Childish Gambino turns the tables. His flow is relaxed and his story is told

in full. He does not trip over any words. While he does speed up how much

he says per beat, per bar- he does not rush the flow at all. Not many artist

can relate their verses that quickly and still sound lazy. Gambino literally

talks to his fans, just shoots the breeze with them. As mentioned earlier

there are noticeable pauses in some tracks like he even takes a breath

while rapping. Two thumbs up for that, man.

Beats: 

Because The Internet is mostly self-produced, with help with Community sound producer Goransson. If you didn't know how I felt about self-production... I hate it. Childish Gambino, you can take a pass. Yeah, self production was necessary here. This man kept it one hundred from start to finish. This album actually showcases Gambino's musicality- songs such as 3005 and Pink Toes have these lighthearted and catchy beats. This album will stand out against the trap-heavy-and-hard or big-showy-club production seen this year. The sound of each song bleeds into the next and Gambino's verses on top of his own beats: hand and Glover fit...

I see what you did there...

Did you read the screenplay?

I did. Did you? I recommend the screenplay. I heard it was 75 pages- untrue. It is actually 72. More like 65 because most pages are blank with only a sentence. Dope is all I can say. Childish Gambino is a talented artist all around and this is a weird screenplay, as far as screenplays and scripts go, but this is to be read alongside the album. I listened to the album, could bang that alone, sure; It was hot. While reading the dark but authentic screenplay, the album became an intersting backdrop. Does young Gambino have a future as a composer in Hollywood? I'm not sure but his fans in the music realm would sure miss him.

The screenplay has themes:

 Life and Death

Meaning Of Life

Sanctity of Relationships 

Drug Abuse In America

 Deterioration Of Relationships

Violence and Violence Desensitization

Yeah it's very comprehensive. Most importantly Gambino writes about how we are all ... slaves to the internet. We don't exist in our own right anymore, our worth is based off of how many hits we can get on social networking sites- or how much we can keep up with what the media and the internet says is important. 

SPOILER

Within the script the main character, played by him, captures a death in a video intended for the internet, most likely.  How ironic he also captures his own death within this script, posted to the internet.

The Verdict?

This album gets a 6/5. This is arguably one of Gambino's best releases and one of my favorite albums. This album, while coming so late in the year, is one of the best albums released in 2013. Childish Gambino is not that big an artist, taking into account his sales and everything else he dabbles in, but he is hanging with the greats after this album. The amount of people he shouted out and sampled in his screenplay and album is beautiful too. He definitely respects the rap community and music community as a whole. This album is intelligent as well as an easy listen. Versatile and varied- you can play this whenever. Break Up? Riding to work? Babysitting? Angry at Mom? Doing Homework? Because The Internet is that album.

It was hard for me really sit and write on this album without sounding too biased. I mean Gambino was so raw and very honest over some eclectic and chill beats. But.. this music is somewhat obscure to be considered pure "rap". I mean dude can rap, but its sentiment is not hard. Someone debate with me LOL, anyway... A1 album with an A1 message; I mean how're you even reading this post?

Because The Internet

WIKI Tracklisting                             The Script                           Childish Gambino

Shout Out to The Adventure Time Line in the Screenplay: UNACCEPTABLE

Flag.On.The.Play

Complex Magazine

First and foremost- I applaud Complex magazine. I am an avid reader and writer. I like music and writing. I would be a fool to trash another for doing what I do all the time. The whole point of my excuse of a blog is to throw two cents on all things media, urban, rap, blah, blah. I also do not write to discredit the artists I write on. These people are entertainers and offer their art to the world as a living. I applaud artists as well, I am not in your shoes. I'm a kid behind a Mac.

Are you done being politically correct?

Yeah.

Complex Magazine And That 50 best Album List

That sh!t was wack, brah.

I went on a Twitter rant. I went into a ceaseless, sarcastic, and maniacal rant on how I couldn't grasp the ranking system at Complex. To their credit, they try to explain the album why it's ranked where it is. These explanations are like the ones you give your teachers when they ask why you didn't complete an assignment... Useless.

What's good with the list, Tico? Why so hurt?

Daft Punk released an album, Random Access Memories. This album in my raw opinion is beautiful and a necessary break from the usual for Daft Punk. Complex Mag ranked this album 45.

Okay.

They ranked YRN (Young Rich N*ggas) x Migos (Quavo, Takeoff, Offset), as album 44.

Okay then, YRN bangs harder than...

NOPE. And this is my AP English constructed argument peeps...

Count This As A Dual Review

Random Access Memories, in a nutshell, was not only a commercially successful deviation from what Daft Punk usually puts out- it was also a nuevo classic. This album has some longevity in that the songs (while sampling others) will be sampled. The features on the album were diverse and the single used to promote the album was smart. Pharell, being the entertainer he is, is more attuned to a more urban or grittier audience. Daft Punk teamed up with him for Get Lucky- which is pretty catchy and remixable, and put their name on Urban America. Couple these things with the fact that Daft Punk also helped produce what Complex Mag named "Number One Album of the year", Yeezus. So how did Random Access Memories rank below Migos' Young Rich N*ggas?

Yes, tell me how..

Well it's simple. Just as simple as the production on YRN. Apparently club-spins may have to do with rankings. The songs on YRN are, at best, club bangers. In reality they are one-dimensional and very loud. Complex claims the album evokes some sort of energy from the listener... Yeah okay because, hearing about who to call- FEMA- in times of hurricanes- KATRINA- gets me going. 

Commercially this makes no sense: R.A.M sold 19,000 vinyl copies priced at 39.98 first week. I still haven't found how any copies YRN sold. Whenever I search, interestingly enough all search engines will tell me YRN is a mixtape. I knew that though, you can hear it...

Gee, Migos sucks.

No, it isn't that Migos sucks. Their music has a place in 2013, definitely. Listening to their mixtape-wanna-be-album did cause me to raise my arms and "crank". However the place of the album is not above Daft Punk's classic.

Music Does Evoke Emotion, Complex

The feel you get from Migos' music is like the feel you get after going to an awesome party. I mean a really good trap-tastic eager, okay? This feeling is nice to capture while riding to school, cleaning your room, or actually trapping. Daft Punk's album is that mature well-produced stuff though. That music theory, hand me a cigar type flow. If you as a listener haven't progressed to discern the difference, then I feel bad. *Hands you a cookie*

                Complex Magazine's List                                         Random Access Memories 

            

Young Rich N!ggas

 Follow Me On Twitter @iGetSalty

Hard Hitter Pt. 3

HaRd HiTtInG mUsIc?

Hopsin's new and third studio album, Knock Madness, dropped into this beautiful world on 

Noember 24, 2013. I haven't had the chance to listen to a single track from the album

 but his latest "ill-mind" single was dope and a little more vulnerable than usual. I happened 

across a review of the album on xxlmag.com and it seemed that the reviewer was spot on.

ThE tRaCkLiSt LoOkS dOpe

There are 18 tracks on the album, (18 is my lucky number), and these 18 tracks have climbed to

76 on the Billboard 200, 1 on Billboard Heatseekers, and 6 on US Billboard Independent Albums.

Hopsin usually does not disappoint; there is talk of retirement from him on this album. 

Hope that is all balderdash.

XXL MAG!                                                    Wiki HipHop                                                      H0PS!N

Hard Hitter Pt. 2

So... More Hard Hitters?

Of course I'm still writing about Hard Hitters man! We all listen to them weather running in the gym, driving to Starbucks, or dropping the kids off at school- Hard Hitters are omnipresent so listen up.

Ali Bomaye (Meaning Ali, kill him..) is that song that gets you hype about everything. This song actually swam under the radar for me. If your like me here is some background on the song:

Ali Bombaye x The Game ft. 2 Chainz & Rick Ross

Track 2 on Jesus Piece

Also Featured on Radio Los Santos (For My GTA Fans)

How Hard Does It Hit?

Within the scope of three categories: Beats, Content, and Flow. This song

goes and goes and... goes. 

First off CONTENT: the song starts with The Game commenting on social-injustices or outdated thinking. He simultaneously comments on how many of (assumed he's talking about Black America) our Black counterparts are in "chains" or handcuffs. He then blows the sad stereotype of poor and incarcerated colored man with verses filled with things people can only dream of.

Second off BEATS: The Track was produced by Black Metaphor who we've all probably heard but he tends to fly under the radar. He's produced Get Right, In God We Trust, The End, and Sanctuary for Jeezy, Meek Mill, and French Montana, respectively. The beat is a head-bopper. Just enough bass to roll up to a red-light like a thug and enough intricacy to revel in with the team. Rapping over a beat this nice shouldn't be that hard and hopefully we'll see more from @BlackMetaphor, who quote, "Yall will never hear a wack track from me. Ever". Okay man. We better not.

Third off FLOW: Okay so The Game has that OG-Kush-Cali-Gangster flow. There isn't much to be said, what you usually get is present here on the song. 2Chainz has his voice ever present within his verse and Rick Ross as well. The way each artists presents their verse isn't in deviation form how it's done. This isn't a bad thing- all three are consistent. However, because Ross and 2Chainz didn't jazz it up on The Game's song, their verses don't eclipse The Game's at all which is almost a trend lately: features going ham on someone else's song... (Or maybe thats just K.Dot...)

Hard Hitting Conclusion

Ali Bomaye is a dope song and the cool thing is that you can ride dirty to the song in real life or ride dirty virtually in Los Santos! This track encapsulates the feeling you'll get from Jesus Piece. The album and song itself is dope but audience oriented. This song obviously bangs a little harder with peeps from the west coast because they are used to The Game's "listless but angry" gangster flow. In my being an east-coast fan, I can appreciate Jesus Piece to the max but I'll never fully get behind it like a native of LA would I'm sure. 3.5/5

Ali Bomaye Info Jesus Piece Tracklist The Game

P.S.- Shout Out To The Kevin Hart Skit At The End Of The Song... Classic.

Hard Hitter Pt. 1

Big Beats, Big Bars

What's a Hard-Hitter? YO! A song that can help you hammer out a paper

a song that can get you from point A to point B, and that song that straight

up turns you into a rap-star. (You have to sing every lyric). This series here

is dedicated to Hard Hitting songs that "get the people going".

"You Wanna See a Dead-Body?"

Pusha T and Kendrick on a track together is a godsend man. The song Nostalgia is a Hard Hitter and let me dissect why:

Big Beat: 

The beat is different. The bass comes through on the off-beat and the trill trumpet keep s your head bopping. The turned-off snare brings that boom-bap, throw-back cypher feel to the song as well. The throwback ad-libs and samples are perfect, if you've ever seen the video the whole song and experience feels as if you are just walking along side Pusha T and K.dot while they are free-styling.

Big Bars:

Lately it's been tough for people on a track with Kendrick to get their own shine but Pusha T holds his own in the first couple of verses and really digs into his hometown, his grit, and his street personality to drop some science: "20 plus years of selling Johnson and Johnson,  started out a baby faced monster... my teething ring numbed by that nonsense..." He said he was "crack in a school-zone"!! And of course Kendrick doesn't disappoint, spitting another twitter-worthy phrase: "Ya wanna see a dead body?" to start his verse off.

The Conclusion

Nostalgia is that Hard Hitter to get you from Point A to Point B. You're driving, 

walking, or biking, or on the bus.. This song will get you through the commute.

The song is easy going and the music video is authentic and straight forward.

Much respect to them both. 5/5 stars

Birthday.Post

All I Want For My Birthday... Is a Big Cupcake

Yoooo, today marks my birthday. I won't tell you how old I'm turning but it's a milestone birthday- trust me. I've never really shared what the girl behind the reviews is like; and I still won't.

Just Kidding.

Things I Like/Respect/Wonder About: Jesus, Jordans, Pizza, Miley Cyrus, Hip-Hop, EDM, Avicii, Islam, Baby GAP, Polo Ralph Lauren, Skate 3, GTA, Cupcakes, The NFL, The Cowboys, Pro-Era, Lady Gaga, The Sims, My Hatred Of Pants, Justin Bieber, Krabby Paties, Trees

Tico Chanellington, at your service. I write about things big and small, relevant and unknown. I like to write and I like to share. Blogging is a two-birds-one-stone sort of activity for me so I partake as often as I can. Music, movies, video games, places, and even food have been called out so far. I'd like to think that my reviews are my 2-cents, something I would converse over with friends.

I'll push the boundaries of my writing/blogging capabilities and talk about tv, snacks, clothing, and even sports. Why not? I like all of these things, so just as I would talk with my ninjas over something- I'll post for you ninjas.

Happy Birthday to me, (and Zac Efron <3)and thanks for reading!

@iGetSalty                                           @ticonichole           

Gotta.Catch.Em.All

Gameplay: 10-16-13

I Want To Be The Very Best...

Yooooooo, Pokemon X & Y are TOO clutch. If you've been playing Pokemon as long as I have you know how far we've come in the poke-world. There are 718 Pokemon as of this post what with the 69 new Pokemon introduced into this 6th generation. The graphics are all new, the running system, the gameplay, the 2 decade-old-plot even has some twists on it! The game is brand new with a timeless story and it leaves nothing to the imagination.

That no one ever was...

Pokemon X/Y are exclusive to the new 3DS (and now 2DS) systems. The game is not backward compatible as said back in April (thats when I found out), however the game does make use of its operating system. The poke-graphics look good on the Nintendo 3DS screen and 3D mode really does bring the pocket monsters to life! There are some Pokemon that you've got to see hop off your screen.

The game engine is completely different too; the whole game is reminiscent of Pokemon Colosseum  (Albeit a portable, better written, and sleeker look version). The game starts with you choosing your character and a professor giving you a story on Pokemon, the usual stuff right? 

To Catch Them Is My Real Test....

*****SPOILER ALERT*****: Twists on the old story- you get more than one other friend, more than two for those who played gen-4 games, you get to pick a skin tone??!!, the professor is hawt... and your name automatically puts the letters in your name in lower-case!

Other amazing things: The Mega-Evolutions... These are rather hit-miss for me, as I don't see how some of these evolutions are "mega". The artists hired to make Gen-5 pokemon are back on the mega-evolutions and.... sheesh are some stupid. Doesn't make the premise any less exciting though- Pokemon powering up in battle? HECK YEAH.

To Train Them Is My Cause...

I'll leave you all with this:

The game itself is a solid 4/5.

The new game engine, better graphics, new story elements, new pokemon, and mega-evolutions really make a veteran poke-trainer cry. I literally shed a Drake-esqe tear upon playing...

However, if you introduce a skin tone option for characters, actually give us colors to pick from. I was excited to be a black poke trainer until I realized at best I was a tan-filipino poke-trainer... Minor things with the new elements aforementioned not being as wow as I thought are the negatives in game. As a vet though, I pick up on these- a newcomer will fall in love.

GO COP THE GAME AND BATTLE ME SOMETIME, POKEMON OF CHOICE? 

I'm trying to figure out how to get my Gen-3 Swampert into my game...

Pokemon US                                    Info On Pocket Monsters                            Mega Evolutions!

EDIT: (10-18-13) Pictures posted previously were misleading, as they were fan box and poke-art.

Meet.The.Cypher

Where Have I Been....

If you read my blog, you're a real ninja. The lack of posting recently can be attributed to school. WOMP. Education first, man. However, expect more posts coming

 at you soon. I have been on top of my music during my little break; I have much to bring to attention.

Anyways, The BET Awards...

The BET (Black Entertainment Television) Awards Show was this past night, right? This garbage-show was up to its usual mediocre-shadow showing, compared to its counterparts. However, the cyphers were really something. REALLY.

Before I continue, I'll let you in on what a cypher is: Anything cyclical. If your freestyling, you rap in a cypher (one after the other). Interrupting another man will break that cypher, unless he's next in line and the dude behind him is falling off (Urban Dictionary 2013)

The cyphers in general get a 5/5. I was thoroughly impressed and I fell in love with rap all over again. The delivery, the flow, the content, and the group dynamic in each group was refreshing and straight up dope. The bar continually was set higher, and each time, each group would murder the DJ's beat. 

#KendricksVerse

To be honest. I don't know if Kendrick had the best verse or if he was paraded and exalted for a good verse. Bear with me K.Dot fans, I love him as well.

Kendrick's verse had leaked on forums, Youtube, and blogs days before the award show; couple that with the buzz that he has made on Big Sean's song Control.... Kendrick is nice as anything, however, he is on a huge publicity wave right now. I honestly can't call it- whether Kendrick is overrated or just that good. I'm jaded beyond repair after his verse in the cypher.

He came for several people (Drake LOL) and murdered the beat. I can't ask.... nay....we cannot ask, for anymore.

I'll chalk up #KendricksVerse as worth the hype. He's still hungry and I hear it. 

To close and what not,

The BET Awards were terrible as usual.

The BET Cyphers were cray and we should all find them online. 

Lyricism and Passion aren't lost on rap yet.

P.S.- A$AP Twelvyy was dope, as well as Joe Budden. I mean..... SLAYED THE CYPHER. 

Woman Power Pt.2

Wrecking.Ball.Wrecked.My.Mood

Seriously? You seriously don't see the value in clothes do you, Miley Cyrus? What's not cool anymore? Wearing clothing to cover your body is not cool? I understand being more liberal and open and appreciative of our bodies as women but you are simply subjecting your body as a trophy of sorts. You parade around as if everyone was begging you to do so. Your body isn't even popular right now; for someone who likes "twerking" I would've thought you knew bug butts are interesting. Your 12 year old boy body is not catching in case you didn't know. I'm all for being yourself and loving the skin you're in... But YOU love the skin you're in... Don't force that on others.

Watch The Craziness

P.S.- I love the song and am in an anticipatory mode when it comes to Bangerz, I am also a fan of Miley and have been for awhile. But as a fan I feel disgruntled at her string of questionable videos and performances. :/

Woman Power Pt.1

Yours Truly...

Ariana Grande is a force to be reckoned with right now. Her television show Sam and Kat has a strong Nickelodeon fan base and her debut album was recently released. Her appearances on radio shows, late-night shows, and concerts have propelled her to the limelight in a tasteful way. She is the correct amount of sassiness and innocence. Her marketability is through the roof but more notably her talent is undeniable; this shows in her album Yours Truly.

Debut Album-Not A Rookie

Ariana is by no definition a rookie when it comes to singing. Her role

on the television show Victorious is when most of us fell in love with

her personality and voice. Quite honestly, I always thought she was

the strongest vocalist on the show with "Andre" as her only rival. On 

her debut album she has 12 songs with some cool collabs with Big Sean,

Mac Miller, and Nathan Skyes. Her samples are on point as well. She 

has plenty of Biggie and SWV. Her album overall has a throwback feel;

the 90s vibe plays off of her Mariah sounding melodies very well.

Her single The Way brought her into the pop-sphere as a strong force

however that song does her range no justice how Right There or

Almost Is Never Enough. All her songs have soul and heart and the 

album is diverse in production.

New Pop Princess?

Sorry Miley. Sorry Demi. Biggest Apologies Selena, Bridgit,

 Zendaya, and Victoria. Ariana is at the top of her game

right now and in most respects has a better team, face,

and voice than her counterparts. While her competition

may not see her as such because she is so "down-to-Earth"

and sweet- she is a threat. Her range is ridiculous and she 

could out-sing veterans to me. In a "The Voice" battle... she 

would destroy Ke$ha, she would murder Katy Perry, and she

would keep up with JHud. This album is a solid 6/5.

All in All...

Ariana can only get better and grow from here. Her acting and

singing skills are superb. Since she is still young her career

has room to ebb and flow to accommodate her growth though.

Interestingly enough, her career is in that transition stage where

she has to gracefully leave being a child star and become a serious

adult performer. This is usually where child-stars fall off, go nuts,

or leave the limelight. Ariana has not run into such a problem.

Cop the album and watch her show on Nickelodeon. She's amazing :) 

Album Info                             Ariana Grande                   Catch Her On TV

P.S- My favorite song is Piano <3<3<3

Big.Bigger.Biggest

Hall Of Fame; Makes The Hall Of Fame?

Hall Of Fame

Again, can I stress that 2013 has been a great year for music! The end of the 

Summer does not signal the end of this awesome vibe in the industry. 

Aug 27th (or 26th) Big Sean's sophomore album was released and man 

it was a good one. The work he has put into this album has spanned a

couple of years. I do believe he mentioned that production for this album began

in 2011. Through the date for release being pushed back, questionable photos

leaking (Remember Naked Big Sean?), and album leaks- we finally get to

see his new creative vision. Sure we got a taste through his mix-tape Detroit, 

but it's about time we saw the D-Town native drop his own major project.

Well What's New

This year we know that production has played a major role in music. The days

of people screaming "No-Music" is over. Its arguably all about beats. A good

beat is a banger and thats law. Hall Of Fame is no exception with industry

heavy-hitters like NO ID, Travi$ Scott, and my personal favorite Xaphoon Jones <3.

The album has some long awaited collabs as well like Sean/Nas. Together,

with Kid Cudi, they give us a throwback feel on First Chain. Big Sean definitely

did his hip-hop homework and thought out his album. The entire project is 

very cohesive and tells his story of his growing prominence in the game.

Best Album Of The Year?

Absolutely not. I liked the album, don't get me wrong, however there are some

bones I have to pick with Big Sean considering this isn't his first rodeo...

FIRST...

While the album is cohesive and strung together well, its not diverse enough

in sound for me. You know how artist will say "I have something for the fellas

and the ladies on this one," Well Big Sean can't say that here. His work is mostly

comprised of some deeper bars and more melancholy beats. Club Bangers?

Well there is Guap and possibly MILF (if you're intoxicated) but this album isn't

the party CD of the year, or even the street album of the year. His flow won't

inspire any drive-bys or get any athletes hype. This album will make you miss

your ex (Sorry Drake).

SECOND...

Xaphoon should've had more work on this album. I'm biased (extremely) but

it's my blog and I'm a little pissed that NO ID was like on almost every track

but the only underdog producer here was Xaph and he was on ONE track.

Big Sean knows the come-up struggle. Would've expected more new faces.

LAST...

Big Sean relied heavily on Instagram to promote his album. I don't believe that

was the best tool because only his fans would follow him. A sophomore album

is a chance to nab people that maybe didn't hear you the first time.

It appears that Sean was utilizing the project to tell his story and bring his

initial fans closer which isn't a bad idea at all. (More creative license and power

to you). However I feel like it's almost cult-like. Many of my friends weren't privy

to his album releasing unless they were die-hard fans. *shrugs*

All In All...

Big Sean released a solid sophomore album and that is to be commended. I hope to see him tour with this album. I'll buy a ticket :). 3.5/5 for this album. Big Sean is a real ninja and if you love him then you'll love the whole thing. If you didn't listen too much before then check out Beware, the single Guap, and All Figured Out. Anything else will most likely not hold your interest during a car ride... (My best friend fell asleep, sorry Sean)

Hall Of Fame                                              Big Sean<3                                                  Instagram

Found.Something.New

Found Something New Ninjas

What's good everyone?! Some interesting things have transpired behind the scenes. Haven't written that consistently because: THE KID HAS ARRIVED IN COLLEGE. Yeah I'm class of 2017 and all of that. All of the comments/suggestions on twitter are cool as anything (@iGetSalty), keep reading- its all appreciated.

Aer?

Are you at all familiar with this group? I was not- this grassroots group isn't even "Wikipedia Official" but they are worth a listen. This reggae/rap group hails from Massachusetts. Dave and Carter, two cool dudes who pump out music for the sheer satisfaction it gives others. 

             The Vibes?

This music is party music, no doubt about it. The bass is heavy and they sample songs that make you go "OHHH THAT WAS MY SH*T". Aer isn't keen on content but I feel as though their vibes and mantra of "Live For Today" have a bigger theme than most realize. They love music and having a good time: with everything that's going on in today's world, a little happy music is alllllll gooooood.

                                  The Brightside

This album they dropped in 2012 is slept on, most def. Its not for everyone, but while the weather is still warm and the days still long this album can bring you back to the middle of July. Roll your windows down, turn your music up, and have a good time people.

No WIKI!!                           Fresh Aer Movement                   More Info Brah

P.S.- Fav Song is Shot Clock (Avivii-Levels Remix)

"Did.You.Catch.That.Last.Night?"

The Video Music Awards

The VMAs For Short

For those of you who don't own a television or live under a rock... MTV host this annual award show around this time of year. This year was crazy. Very chaotic indeed. What follows is simply how one ninja viewed the entire ordeal.

The Opening

Lady Gaga opened the show right- the outfits, the wigs, the choreo- all on point.

There is no one that could have done it better. She has been MIA for awhile

but thats okay, because we weren't ready for what she had to throw out.

The 80s punk/pop rock vibe we get from Gaga, has our inner nostalgia go nuts.

The Awards

The awards given were the debatable. Best Summer Song definitely

shouldn't have been Best Song by One Direction. Not only was the

song later dropped in the summer than its counterparts, it was

redundant of the rest of the music dropped by the group. 

I am also a firm believer in Started From The Bottom winning an award.

I couldn't believe that didn't pick up any hype at the video music awards.

I also don't see how The Weeknd still constitutes as an artist "to-watch".

Miley Cyrus

While watching Miley's performance, I thought to myself , "There are

no words," but you know what? I found some. Miley Cyrus is a young woman

who, despite many pleas to calm down I'm sure, does her own thing.

There isn't much praise for her lack-luster performance. She appeared out of

breath and extremely raunchy for no real reason. Her new outlook,

while an interesting deviant from her previous squeaky clean look,

is severely damaged and her PR team needs to hire new heads.

Mike Will Madeit is not the producer for her and Paula Patton is going

to go ham and murk Miley before her life even begins.

The Justin Timberlake Concert

Justin Timberlake is attractive in all aspects. You either think he

is hot or want to get on his level. There isn;t much to hate on, 

the dude was even humble in letting it know that half of his

award was not him but his NSYNC bros. He is an amazing performer

and artist and his strong but authentic work ethic shows through his

established discography. 

The Camera Men Tonight

So it is safe to say that MTV thrives off of hype. The camera angles tonight were

so crusty. The Taylor Swift "call-out" cam was dumb ridiculous. All of 

One Direction were looking in different directions. It was nuts. The camera

that showed the distaste of some artists (including Rihanna) during Miley's

performance... PRICELESS. The camera man that was trained to Will Smith's

odd family caught them on the constant slip. The camera that caught Drake

when he lost t Macklemore... These camera shots were staged or simply grody.

Even when Drake was performing... the camera trained its eye on a disinterested

Rihanna. The camera work tonight was hilarious at best, but tough at worst.

To Conclude

The Video Music Awards were cool. The performers were amazing: Kendrick, Robin Thicke, Bruno Mars, Katy Pery, and so on. Some things were awkward: for example when A$AP Rocky referred to his announcing buddy as a homosexual and pointed But it's the VMAs right?

TICO OUT

Summer.Time.Still.HOT (Part Two)

It's Still Hot Outchea... Music Is Still Hot Folks

So here we are about three quarters through the summer and music is still heating up. The rap game, the production world, singing : R&B pop or otherwise is heating up.

It's My Party by Jessie J

Jessie J has an album coming out in September and quite frankly... I'm salivating for it. I didn't necessarily pay her any mind when she first rose to prominence and that is due in part to the over-saturation of the game! With Katy Perry here and Adele there... Lady Gaga screaming down your throat... 2012 wasn't Jessie's year. She certainly put her foot in the door however with her fun outfits and sultry yet powerful voice.

Now that the chick has an Amber Rose styled-cut, even LESS fun clothing and more stories to tell, her sophomore album (which is being produced in part by Dr.Luke and Claude Kelly) will probably be a fall smash. Young people are returning to school, award shows are gearing up for the "end-of-the-year" accolades, and parties are still going on; Jessie J's soul like voice will be heard everywhere and you heard that here FIRST.

To ClOsE...

The song is a pop-ballad. Her voice is loud, spunky, and fun. If you're a girl or gay it can be your "Self-Made Bad B*tch" anthem. If you appreciate pop-like dance tracks: the production on this one is pretty cool to. Doesn't really stand out from other songs, and is the hook is reminiscent of Miley Cyrus' We Can't Stop. To get a feel for the album listen to other single Wild which features Big Sean and Dizzie Rascal :).

Peep The Article                               Get Hip To Jessie                                       Mo' Info

Summertime.Still.HOT (Part One)

It's Still Hot Outchea... Music Is Still Hot Folks

So here we are about three quarters through the summer and music is still heating up. The rap game, the production world, singing : R&B pop or otherwise is heating up.

Something Else

Kansas City, MO native Tech N9ne has been making music for years. He prides himself on his self-made image and being the dark-horse of the rap game... however in recent years, what with the hipster/underground wave crashing exponentially in America, Tech has not been so much of a slept on artist.

His 13th studio album Something Else dropped July 30th and man did it drop. Again (as previously mentioned in this blog) this summer has been good to hip-hop and rap alike. The album tells a story of destruction and healing; the story couldn't have come at a better time. The satire, punchlines, and pure FIRE lyricism we get from Tech is arguably at its prime (STILL?!). While some will argue that the features from mainstream hitters like Wiz, T-Pain, and B.o.B take away from his grit... it can also be said that lyrical brothers like Kendrick, Danny Brown, and Wrekonize help explain where Tech N9ne is coming from.

There almost isn't much to be said to a seasoned vet like Tech; with 20+ years in the industry he has it where what he wants to be said is said. Basically: You listen to some Tech N9ne, you'll feel/learn something.

Tracklist

(FIRE)

“Straight Out The Gate” (featuring Serj Tankian, Krizz Kaliko)

“B.I.T.C.H.” (featuring T-Pain)

“With The BS” (featuring Red Café, Trae Tha Truth & Big Scoob)

“Love 2 Dislike Me” (featuring Tyler Lyon of Evalyn Awake & Liz Suwandi)

“Fortune Force Field”

“I’m Not A Saint”

“Fragile” (featuring Kendrick Lamar, ¡Mayday!, & Kendall Morgan)

“Priorities” (featuring The Game & Angel Davanport)

“News With Mark Alford 2″ (skit)

(WATER)

“Dwamn”

“So Dope” (They Wanna) (featuring Wrekonize, Snow Tha Product & Twisted Insane)

“See Me” (featuring Wiz Khalifa & B.o.B)

(EARTH)

“My Haiku-Burn the World” (featuring Krizz Kaliko)

“That’s My Kid” (featuring Cee Lo Green, Big K.R.I.T., Kutt Calhoun)

“Meant to Happen” (featuring Scoop Deville)

“News With Mark Alford 3″ (skit)

“Believe”

“R.I.P. Ray” (skit)

“Strange 2013″ (featuring The Doors)

“SMB”

(BOUNS)

“Colorado” (featuring B.o.B, Krizz Kaliko, Rittz, ¡Mayday!, Stevie Stone, Ces Cru)

“Drowning” (featuring Liz Suwandi)

“Thizzles” (featuring Danny Brown)

To close..

Tech N9ne is a solid artist who puts out songs that everyone can relate/vibe to. However there are some criticisms to his latest work

1) Long Album.. I like longer albums (more bang for your buck I think) but some think 15 is that magic number

2) Repetitive Flow... Again, not to my dislike. I like continuity. Some parties believe Tech's work here though is... all the same.

3) Lousy Feautures... Wow, me and people are not on the same page! I liked the features, sites like billboard and XXL Mag feel that the features stripped Tech of his rawness.. *SHRUG*

My favorite songs would have to be Straight Out The Gate and Thizzles. Happy Listening.

Tico.Out

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