Legacy Track of the Week: Rapsody ft Anderson Paak, Black Thought, & Moonchild - Nobody
“Lost soldier with the bars on the shoulders of my uniform, that makes em ask what I do and who I do it for, musically, I been on my Chiwetel Ejiofor, that’s 12 years a slave, but I’m on year 23 or 4, been a lyrical grand wizard like Theodore, I'm on the same wave length the sister Rapsody is on, I love it when she get on her Bahamadia joint, if she wasn’t true she would’ve never gotten me involved” 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Black Thought is truly the God MC and this is one of the best verses of the year, and otherwise this blended production between Khrysis & 9th Wonder is nothing short of immaculate - altogether they’re work on this album makes Laila’s Wisdom nothing short of a masterpiece.
Rapsody ft Lance Skiiiwalker & Kendrick Lamar - Power
“Debates about who's the prominent emcee of the millennium, and it's all for the Benjamins, and I'm all of y'all nemesis, and I'm all in all happy none of y'all can fathom who Kendrick is, the only One that ever did wrote the Book of Genesis, motherfucker, that's power” Another one produced by 9th Wonder and although it’s not one of my favorite records off the album, it was the obvious record to promote considering Kendrick’s firepower alone.
Jhene Aiko ft TWENTY88 - OLLA (Only Lovers Left Alive)
“We're the only lovers left alive, left alive, clearly we've been running all our lives to survive, we're the only lovers left alive, look alive” Another one produced by Amaire Johnson and this one is reminiscent of the retro 80’s and I’m here for it… not mad at this at all 💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻 especially with Sean’s contribution which lowkey might be some of the best rapping of his career - don’t sleep on that TWENTY88 verse at all 🔥🔥🔥
Jhene Aiko ft Swae Lee - Sativa
“It's me and you and we makin' arrangements… it's you and me and we makin arrangements” Produced by The Fisticuffs and featuring one of the hitmakers from Rae Sremmurd this one is definitely something to vibe to… in fact it’s safe to say that Swae Lee has done it once again 💯💯💯 🔥🔥🔥
Rapsody - Ridin ft GQ
“Mr officer is there a problem? this was a just a small get together, I understand we can help you solve it, no problem, we’ll turn down the volume, no, problem, we’ll turn down the volume, no problem, we’ll turn down the volume” Another heater off Laila’s Wisdom that this time is produced by 9th along with Eric G, and it also features another Carolina alum in GQ who for many years now has been known as one of 9th’s secret weapons.
Rapsody - Sassy
“Oh, you mad that I survived and I ain’t comin down, Squad! Squad! Squad! Squad baby, Look around” Another one produced by Eric G and this is where the album really starts to heat up, with Rapsody really getting into her groove and the production only gets even better from here.
Rapsody ft BJ The Chicago Kid - Black & Ugly
“Yeah they call me black and ugly, but I go so hard, make the whole world love me” Anderson Paak on one record BJ The Chicago Kid on the next, Rapsody recruited some of the best talent in the world for her album and it truly paid off - meanwhile Rapsody herself certainly laces these instrumentals up and down, and this one is reminiscent of Wale’s Shades record in both content and delivery.
Rapsody ft Busta Rhymes - You Should Know
“The type to make me comfortable puttin my seed inside her, you're such a rider, love how you're such a fighter, and I wish that I could find a way to multiply her” Another classic produced by 9th and on this record Busta Rhymes gets in his “Barry White” mode and absolutely laces this instrumental in a way that’s nothing short of legendary - Busta also recently stated that Laila’s Wisdom is the “best Hip Hop album he’s heard in the last ten years,’ - and thanks to the production alone I’m not mad at that statement at all.
Lecrae ft Aha Gazelle - Whatchu Mean
“Guess it's safe to say I stay in my lane, always on time, never hesitate, watch the execution, I'ma demonstrate, tryna hit me with your regulations” Lecrae on his Drake flow in this and he pulls this off with relative ease, where meanwhile Go Grizzly produces a ride and makes this a radio friendly jam that doesn’t disappoint.
Lecrae vs Verse Simmonds - Wish You The Best
“I wish you luck, I wish you love, I wish you everything, everything that you ever dreamed of, I wish you life, I wish you joy, I wish you everything, everything a girl would want, I wish you the best, I know I'm the worst, you deserve the best, that's what you deserve” A heartfelt tribute to his college girlfriend that features LA based singer Verse Simmonds (originally from Puerto Rico/Virgin Islands), who undeniably laces the hook and makes this one of the more memorable records off the album.
Jhene Aiko ft Big Sean - Moments
“Hey, the past, that's history, the future, that's a mystery, the present, that's a gift, that's why they call it the present, I can't watch the news lately, it's been too depressing, I'd rather be with you, bodies pressing and decompressing” A rather typical Big Sean verse but honestly one that’s better than most… and overall the song is decent yet doesn’t play like an upgrade to anything off the TWENTY88 album, instead truth be told it plays like more of the same…
Jhene Aiko - Frequency
“Free my city, free my seed, bless my situation, give me freedom, bless the generation, give them mercy, bless the situation…” Produced and written by Mali Music this one is a phenomenal record hidden amongst of maze of mediocrity, which at 22 records is too long of a trip that anyone would sign up for. Nonetheless this one hidden at track 20 is definitely a timeless jewel and deserves more recognition than it will ultimately get.
Rapsody ft Gwen Bunn & Musiq Soulchild - A Rollercoaster Jam Called Love
“Cuz that’s my rollercoaster love, my rollercoaster love, and we go, up and down, up and down…” Smh what 9th does to this record isn’t even fair… this is likely his best singular performance in his career, which if you’re familiar with his decorated catalogue is truly saying a lot. Also that’s Anderson Paak, BJ The Chicago Kid, & Musiq Soulchild on the same album??? Yea it doesn’t get any better than that.
Rapsody ft Terrace Martin - U Used 2 Love Me
“The hardest thing to do is to break your heart, yeah you broke mine and I forgave that part, it's like I woke up one day and I ain't love you no more, now everything you do gets on my nerves a little bit more, I gave you everything I had, I can't give you no more, it's like there's levels to this thang and we ain't on the same floor” 9th again behind the boards and this time with Terrace Martin in the booth??? Laila’s Wisdom keeps getting better and better
Lecrae - Always Knew
“When you speak out for your race, just watch, they gon twist and say you hate these cops, I'ma take these shots, how can he love Jesus, Kanye, and K-Dot? Martin, Malcolm, and Schaeffer, Mitsubishi, and Maybach? Contradictory, nah, it's complimentary, understanding me ain't for the simple and elementary” Produced by Ramon “REO” Owen the introduction to All Things Work Together is nothing but the truth, and honestly speaking I’ve been sleeping on the general skillset of Lecrae overall.
Lecrae ft Ty Dolla $ign - Blessings
“If I ever took a loss, I learned a lesson, I won't ever think I'm better than the next man, I've been down before the come up, I ain't stressin, baby I'm too busy countin all these blessings, blessings” Lecrae is counting his blessings with help from Ty $ for the lead single off his new LP, which from top to bottom is much better than I had anticipated. The fact is Lecrae is not a niche MC, he’s a nice MC, and moving forward I’m respecting him as such.
Rapsody - Laila’s Wisdom
“Coppers known to hang out on these kinda blocks, don’t get shot! They say we 3/5ths human, well the rest of me’s an autobot, I’m really hot” The intro and title record off the album also doesn’t disappoint off the strength of the Aretha Franklin sample alone, which was produced by Nottz and makes me think of Higher Learning which is always a plus
Rapsody ft BJ The Chicago Kid - Knock On My Door
“Welcome, glad you came over, come in you can have a seat on the sofa, you thirsty I got tea and soda, and water out the facet, I was just watching Ali I paused it, damn it really hurt we lost him” The hook is immaculate and the sounds of Laila’s Wisdom is altogether nothing short of a masterpiece, where this particular record has Rapsody in her Alicia Key’s You Don’t Know My Name vibe and the creativity is Hip Hop in it’s purest form.
Rapsody ft Amber Navran - Jesus Coming
“(It's time to go), thinking when I saw them arguing I knew that won't it good and so I told her come on baby (It’s time to go) now we lying right here dying and it hurts I couldn't save her why they'd have to shoot my baby, God (Damn near all of youuuuuu) over colors she would color wit tomorrow I know they'll all forget about me and her once it's time to (Time to go hooooome)” On the outro record 9th samples Otis G Johnson’s “Time To Go” which is looped between Rapsody’s heartfelt storytelling that puts the exclamation point on an otherwise perfect album.
Lecrae - 8:28
“Let it all work out, that pain gon' make you stronger, that hurt gon' make you a leader, don't let that make you a monster, in the middle of the darkest heart is heartless tarnished carnage, the Master Artist makes your mess a masterpiece regardless” 🔥🔥🔥 bars from Lecrae who spits nothing but flames on this - press play on it if you need some inspiration.
DJ Kay Slay ft The Outlawz - The Intro
“What happened to my people, gang full of lost souls, for a car or a chain would you sell your soul? Outlawz we the voice of the underdog, and if you listen close you can hear the word of God” Salute to Kay Slaw for opening up his new album Big Brother with The Outlawz, a strong statement by itself along with strong words he has for anyone not respecting their legacy.
DJ Kay Slay ft Sheek Louch, Styles P & Scarface - Lights Glowing
“Every other block, all I see is fucking cops, and they want a ***** locked, I'm just tryna light this pot, what you jealous of these knots? But I work hard for it, strive to be a rapper even prayed to God for it” Bars from the Ghost and complete with a Scarface verse this is a solid track altogether
DJ Kay Slay ft Jadakiss, Lloyd Banks, Joell Ortiz & Meet Sims - Regulate
“I got bars I got hooks, be with stars be with crooks, I buy watches and cars and I read a lot of books, I could sell damn near anything I never did a jux, and it's born alone die alone I was never shook” Jada, Banks, & Joell means that’s bars on top of bars on top of bars
DJ Kay Slay ft Papoose, Mysonne & AZ - Story of My Life
“The hood taught us wrong, ain't want us to be supreme, my daughter is the princess, my wife is the queen” Another strong album cut highlighted by a very descriptive verse in which Papoose details the experience of visiting his wife (Remy Ma) in prison.
DJ Kay Slay ft Bun B, Fat Joe & MC Gruff - No Regrets
"How many bitches I'm talking exotic ones, bank accounts in the Caymans yeah that's some tropic funds, no pun intended but your bitches unattended, as soon as you bought that wine I just crept up from behind” Joey has been on his supernova flow as of late and honestly that’s been one of the best looks from the Don throughout his career.
Macklemore ft Skylar Grey - Glorious
“You know I'm back like I never left, another sprint, another step, another day, another breath, been chasing dreams, but I never slept” This is as Macklemore as it gets right here, perhaps for better or for worse, yet regardless what can’t be questioned is that he’s a proven talent that managed breakthrough success after many years of obscurity, and the fact of the matter is that regardless of fame he’s always been pretty good at what he does. Thus is the case with the first single off his latest album of the same name (Glorious), which also happens to be his first album away from his longtime collaborator Ryan Lewis.
Macklemore ft Otieno Terry - Levitate
“Now take your shoes off in here, we don't need to talk (we don't need to talk), I said ‘I'm shooting for the moon, baby’, now watch me walk (watch me walk), I don't believe in gravity, honey, I'm an astronaut (I'm an astronaut), just wanna see you levitate, and I'ma watch (I'ma watch)” A fun uptempo dance record and I’m not mad at this at all
Macklemore ft King Draino - How To Play The Flute
“She may be vanilla cream, baby her butt big, they treat me like McGregor when I'm out in Dublin (They do? Yes they do), my momma don't like it when I be cussin' (She don't), but fuck these motherfuckers, momma, I don't trust them (fuck 'em)” Produced by Tyler Dopps this one has clever synthesized flute production that brings out the best of Macklemore’s lyrical skill and delivery.