Legacy Track of the Week: Justin Timberlake - Flannel
“Right behind my left pocket, that is where you'll feel my soul, it's been with me many winters, it will keep you warm…” The hipster anthem of all hipster anthems, and I mean that with all due respect, as this record right here is nothing but flames 🔥🔥🔥 - even in spite of it’s simplicity that relies upon a soulful lullaby dedicated to a flannel shirt - if this came out in a colder winter the marketing behind this record could’ve been groundbreaking. Even still I know that while they drink their hot chocolate around campfires they’re playing this record, and if the stars align then this could be its own type of anthem for many years to come.
Justin Timberlake - Midnight Summer Jam
“It's just a midnight summer's jam, the air's so thin, but we don't give a damn, the starry sky across the land, where we pretend it's our last chance to dance” The Neptunes are all over this Man of the Woods project, and although this album is hardly as soulful or memorable as his previous albums, this particular uptempo record is one of the few highlights worth mentioning.
Justin Timberlake - Higher Higher Higher
“Success is cool, money is fine, but you're special… another level…” For Justin Timberlake this is cool but this is light…
X Ambassadors - Don’t Stay
“Lately I've been thinking, you've seen the worst and you've seen it in me, I gave you every reason, every reason to get up and leave” I’m just getting familiar like the rest of us, but over the last year the signs have been there that this band from Ithaca, NY is about to make some major noise in the pop/rock scene, and from what I could tell they already took Maroon 5’s spot indefinitely.
Diplo ft DRAM - Look Back
“And I haven’t looked back, uh, since I made up my mind, to never look behind, no” DRAM coasts over the Diplo & Gabe Niles production with a sound reminiscent of both Cee Lo Green & Jimmy Hendrix… high praise for DRAM and I look forward to the upcoming California EP.
Rae Sremmurd - T’d Up
“I'm T'd up (damn), I didn't see no speedbump (stop playin', yo, ayy), I T'd off (hit it, yeah), dropped the top and screeched off (skrrt, hey)” I fux with the Sremmurd boys and on this particular record it’s the other brother Slim Jxmmi that flexes the most. This is either a promo record or the first single off the upcoming and highly anticipated SremmLife 3, keeping in mind the first two SremmLife’s didn’t disappoint!
Rick Ross ft T-Pain & Kodak Black - Florida Boy
“Yo, gold rims, good dope, make a wonderful summer, heard I was a genius, when it come to the numbers, do it for the young fathers, still signing the lease, and all the hustlers who got something in common with me” As would be expected Ross laces the Johnny Gill ‘There U Go” with relative ease, but even with the Miami visuals you can keep the rest… especially that T-Pain hook that is downright awful...
Fabolous, Jadakiss ft Swizz Beatz - Theme Music
“This that theme music, some back on your deen music (talk to 'em, Fab), told Swizz gotta put the top down (hey) drive by my old school just to make my Dean lose it, hah, always said I'd be a dropout (damn), yeah, only right I bring the drop out (woo!) look, and everyday is first class, not bad for the kid who never made his first class” Freddy & Jason cook over this Marvin Gaye sampled Swizz Beatz production, and even though they both hold it down and do their numbers accordingly, Freddy took this one.
Remy Ma ft Chris Brown - Melanin Magic (Pretty Brown Eyes)
“You're my pretty brown eyes, they all on ya and they want you, I know they need you in they life, but you my vibe tonight and I love you” Produced by legendary producer Dallas Austin this is quintessential Remy Ma and once again she comes correct with the good visuals. This is her lane and reminiscent of a sound that’s worked well for her in the past, where meanwhile it’s really all about C Breezy doin his numbers all over the Mint Condition classic… this is everything it’s supposed to be.
Wu-Tang - Lesson Learned ft Redman & Inspectah Deck
“Painting the truth, here's proof, ain't it the truth, so ill a nigga spit with a containment suit, slayin' the booth, aim, shoot, bang! cave in the roof, hater, wouldn't last a day in my shoes” Visual treatment for one of the best records off The Saga Continues, produced by Mathematics who created the classic Wu-Tang symbol back in 1991 and whose quality production helped inspire the album. This is the perfect recipe for Redman and Inspectah Deck to cook with, the latter who absolutely annihilates his verse and the former who’s been an honorary Wu member from the very beginning - long live the Rap Gods who are still droppin jewels 25 years into the game.