Legacy Track of the Week: Talib Kweli ft J A Y E L E C T R O N I C A & Yummy Bingham - All of Us
“I tarried through the turbulent month of Ramadan, sweating all through the night just like the Holy Prophet, then reappeared on the stage in BK with the Ummah, shoulder to shoulder with J Cole and Kweli, just before Jehovah the God crowned me the king with his goldie locket” SMH 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Jay Elec smokes this instrumental making this another one of his many notable feature verses… in spite of still never having dropped his highly anticipated debut album. As a Jay Elec critic throughout the years (who has always loved his verses yet still felt the hype was misguided and overblown) I must admit as far as lyrics are concerned his bars are as potent as ever, and as long as he relaxes on trying to make headlines through IG Live and Breakfast Club rumors then I’m cool with waiting for as long as it takes to one day hear his Magnum Opus.
Talib Kweli - The Magic Hour
“Last one to fall asleep, first one to wake up, all nighters 6:20 in AM, it's magic hour, doing it til the sunrise, I live my life in the sunshine, it was as beautiful as Hawaiian beaches, usually it's the students to be the truest teachers, so gorgeous, this the magic hour” Kweli smokes the instrumental off his latest album entitled Radio Silence, his 8th solo album not including the Mos Def and Hi Tek Collaborations, and through only a few spins it remains clear that lyrically, Talib Kweli *Hov voice* is still in the upper echelon of all the real spitters and true lyricists.
CyHi The Prynce - Amen (Intro)
“With my lil' Spanish chick, used her as my interpreter, for some years I haven't heard from her, that was my lil' sweetie pie, can't believe I deserted her, she used to let me hide my weed in the furniture, but I had to leave cause only good deed she was worthy of, the story of a journeyer, who made it out the wilderness, no feelings cause I met a lot of villains on my pilgrimage, God told me, 'Son, never settle like the pilgrims did,’ so I bought a convertible, I don't know where the ceiling is” As expected CyHi comes out the gate swinging on the intro to his new album No Dope on Sundays, and from start to finish this record is bars on top of bars on top of bars.
CyHi The Prynce - Get Yo Money
“I'm from the home of the Georgia peach, we had to call Meech if you wanted to order keys, our blow was from Miami (whew!) enjoy the Florida breeze” Perhaps the singular best moment on No Dope On Sundays is this particular record that has CyHi in introspective, storytelling mode, yet what’s really brings the record to life is the incredible production provided by Brandon Black, Novel, & Mark Byrd, which sounds great in the whip and altogether makes this track a very enjoyable listen.
Talib Kweli ft Rick Ross & Yummy Bingham - Head’s Up Eye’s Open
“An honest man knows only liars are scared of the truth, his word is his bond, but his actions always the proof, a faithful man never need evidence to believe, but still he gotta work for the blessings that he receives” Produced by J Rhodes and featuring Ross the first single off the album is a breath of fresh air and one that can bring Kweli back to a lil mainstream relevance... which actually in retrospect isn’t likely at all considering how inept and out of tune the radio has been since the year 2000.
Talib Kweli - Let It Roll
“All my language is romantic, so Latin I don't even know spanish, all I know is I'm scorched to the Puritans, most tyranis rapper on the whole planet” Perhaps the singular best record off Radio Silence is produced by LordQuest and has Kweli coasting through verses like he was back on Reflection Eternal, reminding the Hip Hop universe that on the right track Kweli has a God flow that could never be ignored or dismissed.
Talib Kweli ft Datcha, Bilal, & Robert Glasper - Write At Home
“Peace, Peace, everything we do is a creation, in complete harmony our creation becomes art, everything we've ever invented stems from the human imagination, everything we've ever invented or created that moved an era is recognized as work of genius” Truth be told I’m unfamiliar with Datcha and any of previous works on record or otherwise, yet it should be noted that he is nothing short of miraculous on this record over Robert Glasper production and the smooth harmonies of Bilal - listen to this right here and you’ll feel as refreshed as your first born day - this track right here could spark a revolution.
Omarion - Open Up
“Open up with just one touch, open up with just one touch…” The opening record off his latest 4 track EP is definitely a heater and one that has Omarion’s name written all over it. Almost has that Touch vibe to it...
Omarion ft C’zar - Soul
“Another long night, no need for playing games, let it take over your soul, let it take over your soul” This one has another nice vibe to it and an infectious hook to match, not a bad record at all and hopefully a nice precursor for what’s to come in 2018 - in which hopefully R&B gets back to real singing and doing what it does best.
CyHi The Prynce ft Kanye West - Dat Side
“All the haters hating, wait a minute, stand on dat side, I don't need no allies, I don't feel the need to fraternize, Yeezys in the field, Yeezys, Yeezys in the field now, made it to the NBA, we in the NFL now” This one had to grow on me for a minute but ultimately in all it’s simplicity it really works, and although Ye doesn’t snap he does do his numbers on this as well. Ultimately it’s a relatively typical radio single (that actually won’t even be a radio single) yet considering it’s not another mumble rap I’m not mad at this at all.
CyHi The Prynce ft Ernestine Johnson - Nu Africa (Album Version)
“Imagine if all the rappers were, to get with all the athletes or activists and actors for, a conference in Zaire to meet with all the ambassadors, in the motherland tell em we comin back for her” One of the most powerful moments of CyHi’s new album is this tribute to the motherland of all mankind, highlighted by an outro provided by actress Ernestine Johnson seen below in all its glory.
CyHi The Prynce - Closer
“Cyhi, huh, my partner robber Peter cause he owe Paul, .38 snub, the revolver got a nose job, I used to talk to the plug long distance, heard echoes cause they was listening, damn that was a close call” This is a 🔥🔥🔥 instrumental provided by Brandon Black & Mark Byrd (whose fingerprints are all over this album) which lends itself to another one of the standouts on No Dope On Sundays, due not only to it’s stellar production but also CyHi’s effortless delivery.
CyHi The Prynce ft Travis Scott - I’m Fine
“When I was outside in the summer, back when we was sellin' 3-5 for the hunnid', boy you gotta get it, can't rely on your momma, used to wash some cars on the side for some money” For the record I’m one of the biggest Travis Scott critics you’ll find (as I think he may be single handedly responsible for the latest wave of mumble rappers) yet this one has a feel good vibe that’s hard not to enjoy - even though it’s placed as a questionable outro to an album that otherwise supposedly had a cohesive theme and a purpose.
Stalley ft Migos - My Line
“My Saint Laurent slim fit, my jewels as wet as water, my car look like a spaceship, getting this money ain't a problem, the problem is all these lying kids, wanna talk like they got it, don't call, text, or email, or hit my line private” This very unusual collaboration is actually one of the only highlights off Stalley’s latest release titled Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil… and honestly I have no idea what direction Stalley is going in his career.