Legacy Track of the Week: Jay Z - Legacy
“My stake in Roc Nation should go to you, leave a piece for your siblings to give to their children too, TIDAL, the champagne, D'USSÉ, I'd like to see, a nice peace-fund ideas from people who look like we… Legacy, Legacy, Legacy, Legacy, black excellence baby, you gon let em see” Jay thinks of the big picture and what he’ll leave behind when he’s gone, and due to the weight of the concept and the descriptiveness of the lyrics, this is perhaps the most significant record on the 4:44 album no matter how overlooked it may be. Also worth mentioning is that on this record NO I.D. (whom by now we all know recorded 4:44 in it’s entirety - making that the first time Jay has ever solely worked with a producer for an album) sampled Donny Hathaway’s Someday We’ll All Be Free, which is lowkey some of the best production on the album as well. Similar to the miscellaneous record History that was criminally ignored by the masses many years ago, this is clear evidence that with wisdom a great artist can even get better over time.
Jay Z - Kill Jay Z
"Kill Jay Z, they'll never love you, you'll never be enough, let's just keep it real, Jay Z, Fuck Jay Z, I mean, you shot your own brother, how can we know if we can trust Jay Z?” 💎💎💎 "I know people backstab you, I felt bad too, but this 'fuck everybody' attitude ain't natural, but you ain't a saint, this ain't kumbaye, but you got hurt because you did cool by 'Ye, you gave him 20 million without blinkin, he gave you 20 minutes on stage, fuck was he thinkin?” 💎💎💎 "You almost went Eric Benét, let the baddest girl in the world get away, I don't even know what else to say, ***** never go Eric Benét!” 💎💎💎 All jewels in this record, Jay always spit the verses ‘that could fuck up the game’
Jay Z - The Story of OJ
“Y'all on the Gram holdin money to your ear, there's a disconnect, we don't call that money over here” Big Baller talk on this one, yet as tough as this record is you need to spare me on all the ‘million dollars worth of game’ he’s ‘giving us for free,’ as some of the insightfulness is a lil overblown but even still I respect the motivation. The best layer to this record however is the theme that revolves around the title, one that suggests that that racism and discrimination is still a reality for all Black men and women no matter your circumstances, including the apparent fact that Jay Z and his wife Beyonce are soon on their way to becoming billionaires. Also worth noting is that on this record NO I.D. samples Nina Simone’s Four Women, a record of a similar theme revolving around women of different complexions.
Jay Z ft Frank Ocean - Caught Your Eyes
“I sat down with Prince, eye to eye, he told me his wishes before he died, now, Londell McMillan, he must be color blind, they only see green from them purple eyes” 🔥🔥🔥 On this one Jay flames whoever’s been in control of the late Prince’s estate, who’s recently sued Jay’s streaming service Tidal for allowing access to Prince’s catalogue to stream. On top of the deadly jabs and hooks Jay absolutely coasts on this NO I.D. production (which again samples Nina Simone) and the feature from Frank Ocean is noteworthy as well, as it one’s of many of their collaborations that has been nothing but fire
Jay Z ft Beyonce- Family Feud
“A man that don't take care his family can't be rich, I'll watch Godfather, I miss that whole shit, my consciousness was Michael's common sense, I missed the karma that came as a consequence” On this one Hov addresses his infidelities referenced in the Lemonade album as well as ‘Becky with the good hair,’ yet even still the best moment has to be the "Al Sharpton in the mirror takin' selfies, how is him or Pill Cosby s'posed to help me?” which nevermind is eerily relevant considering Sharpton only took that photo a week ago, but considering their personalities it will still be relevant many years from now which makes that line particularly clever.
Jay Z ft Damian Marley- Bam
“Emory passed you ****** and he did a bid, Ty Ty jumped over ****** and he's like 5'6", got the heart of a giant, don't you ever forget, don't you never forget, Jigga got this shit poppin, I pulled out the pot when we was outta options” This one’s reminiscent of Vol. II or Blueprint Jay, where at the height of his come up he was rapping with that particular hunger you had to respect, as Hov put that certain emphasis on his words you could never forget. Marley’s contributions are great and there’s memorable moments in both verses on the record, the second potentially his best with lyrics like “***** is skippin leg day just to run they mouth, I be skippin leg day I still run the world, I pressed ahead of your team with one finger curled, I'll line you all up with one finger wave, make ****** weave, ****** is out here fake” smh Jay truly is the GOAT until further notice.
Jay Z ft The Dream - Marcy Me
“Back when ratchet was a ratchet and a vixen was a vixen, and Jam Master Jay was alive I was mixin, cookin coke in the kitchen back when Rodman was a Piston, Mike was losin to Isiah but he soon would get his sixth one” A trip down memory lane and this is Sean Carter at his finest.
Calvin Harris ft Snoop Dogg, John Legend & Takeoff - Holiday
“A holiday, what you wanna do? want to do with you, let's make everyday a holiday” After much anticipation Scottish producer Calvin Harris finally released Funk Wav Bounces Vol 1, and truth be told the release is now somewhat underwhelming considering all it’s best records premiered weeks if not months ago. Yet separate from Slide, Heatstroke, Feels, & Rollin, this Holiday cut has to be the standout of the 6 new records, which otherwise left a lot to be desired.
Calvin Harris ft Nicki Minaj - Skrt On Me
“Ayo, bring in the blunt, Emily Blunt, Platinum back, ice bling in the front, I'ma land the jump, Yao Mingin the dunk, and I'm playing the field, Brad Wingin the punt” Terrible bars but believe me this one relatively decent in comparison to the Yachty record…
TLC - Joy Ride
(stream coming soon)
“Thank you for stayin by my side, hope you all enjoy the ride...” Likely the only enjoyable listen off TLC's new self titled album, which was smart to make the second half of the project a compilation of their older classics remastered.
Fabolous & PnB Rock - Stacks Up
“Listen, have you ever, ever seen a focus switch, like you went to sleep broke but you woke up rich, like you pulled up in a foreign to some local shit, and made them ***** go crazy on some Joker shit, I said shout my Harley Quinns lookin like Kylie Jenns, we gon hit the club and light it up, halogens” Loso laces this record with PnB Rock, a young MC from Philadelphia whose profile continues to rise.
The Burn Unit - How Many?
“I need that potency, that flow with me, that omg, that where the fuck you get that shit from” The Burn Unit is a new group composed of Statik Selektah, Smoke DZA, Trademark Da Skydiver & Young Roddy, and while I’m unfamiliar with the latter two the former two are collectively the most underrated producer and artist in the game.
Cyhi The Prynce ft Schoolboy Q - Movin Around
“Goin back movin around, goin back movin around, I need 17 for the split, I need 32 for the pound” Tell me why Cyhi sounds like a better version of Future on this record, both in the hook and the verses… Idk but even though it’s clearly deliberate it’s also quality so I’ll take it…
Rick Ross ft Anthony Hamilton - Glory of War
“Sway wallabies, I follow policies, always give her game every time she swallow me” Ross’s patented flow over smoooooth production that’s gone uncredited at the moment. Either way Anthony Hamilton adds his background vocals to the track and this one’s definitely worth a spin.
Stalley - Madden 96
“Shit I’m getting rich with ****** I’ve been sinnin with, same ****** I was with playing Genesis, Madden 96, 96 Impalas, street scholars sold dope through college” Stalley’s new album comes out this month and good Hip Hop is alive and well