Legacy Track of the Week: Snoh Aalegra - I Want You Around
“We can get away/ palm trees, beach views/ ordinary day/ all I wanna hear is Innervisions on replay/ and sit right next to you, you…” Snoh Aalegra had one of the best projects of 2017 with her debut FEELS, and she followed that up with a sophomore effort that although doesn’t reach the same heights collectively, it does continue her trademark sound of ‘cinematic soul’. As far singles go, however, this record produced by Rob Holladay and Cam O’bi is one of her greatest records to date.
Snoh Aalegra - Situationship
“And so many times you and I made love in my mind/ don't wanna regret you‚ I can't seem to forget you now” Produced by PJ2 this is some good energy off Ugh, those feels again, yet I’m just finding out the Swedish songstress was mentored by Prince until his death in 2016.
Snoh Aalegra - Find Someone Like You
“I've been waitin' my whole life to find someone like you/ find someone like you” Produced by Jonah L. Christian, this should be on Snoh Aalegra’s Greatest Hits one day.
Snoh Aalegra - You
“You, you/ I just can't live without you” Another heater off Snoh Aalegra’s sophomore album, one of the great news voices in the music industry, whom I never realized got her start with Common back in 2014 (following a career in Sweden under the mononym Sheri.)
Snoop Dogg - Let Bygones Be Bygones
“I hopped out and C-walked on my star on the fuckin' Walk of Fame/ in that motherfucking Death Row chain, *****” Uncle Snoop released his 17th studio album in 2019 ceremoniously titled I Wanna Thank Me, and all hyperbole aside it’s better than every mumble rap released this same year. Snoop is a living legend and still one of the best representations of the West to this day.
Snoop Dogg ft Tdot Illdude - First Place
“We lost Nip too soon, that's tragic/ but he gave LA more wins than Magic/ more wins than Kobe and Shaq did/ champions never die, they everlasting” Produced by DJ Green Lantern this is one of many good album cuts off the I Wanna Thank Me album.
Snoop Dogg ft Nate Dogg - Wintertime in June
“Seems like wintertime in June/ after all we've been through” Snoop comes through with unreleased Nate Dogg vocals and this is a blessing in 2019.
Snoop Dogg ft Lil Duval - Do You Like I Do
“Do you like I do” Snoop Dogg, DJ Battlecat, and Lil Duval throw it back to the 90’s with a lil New Jack Swing and it’s a monumental success. This record is a vibe 🔥🔥🔥
Snoop Dogg ft Eric Jaye - I’ve Been Looking For You
“I've been looking for you/ you've been looking for me/ I've been laying low in the shade/ the sun is just what I need” More heat from DJ Green Lantern and Snoop D O double G.
Cousin Stizz ft Freddie Gibbs - Toast 2 That
“Yeah, I just made a hit, so let's toast to that/ made it home tonight, so let's smoke to that/ God keep blessin' us, so let's toast to that/ came up out the corner, how I'm 'posed to act?” Cousin Stizz released his sophomore album, Trying to Find My Next Thrill, and this track with Gibbs is one of the highlights.
Cousin Stizz - The Message
“In 1992, right out of the blue/ God made a plan, a dream that he renewed/ but shit, who woulda knew, out the mud, you'd bloom? The dimmest little light turned the brightest in the room” The outro is the best record I’ve heard from the Boston, Massachusetts emcee.
Blu, Damu The Fudgemunk - Feet On The Ground
“Uh, and it was wrong how the song went/ and just hits, I needed help/ reaching out into heaven/ with my feet in hell” Blu released his 15th credited studio album, Ground & Water, and this production by Damu The Fudgemunk is straight from the heavens of hip-hop itself.
Blu, Damu The Fudgemunk - Rhymes & Gemstones
“(But how can I get a home, if I can't get a loan?)/ If I can't get a job (If I can't get a job)/ and I live all alone (and I live all alone)” More 🔥🔥🔥 and I’d guess the pain in his voice is how Blu gained a cult following around the globe.
Stack Bundles ft Chinx & Magno - Yeah That’s Me
“I give it to him how I feel they deserve/ my regime put your whole team on the injured reserve” RIP Stack Bundles and Chinx Drugz.
Curren$y - Must Admit
“I must admit, I am that ***** (I am that *****)/ get in my car, I rev my engine (I rev my engine)” Honestly the ‘Hot Spitta’ has too many mixtapes and EP’s to count, and has probably oversaturated himself over the years as well, yet this intro produced by Nard & B is one of the best tracks off Hot August Nights.
Curren$y - Right Now
“Uh/ thirty cars 'front the house/ I’m bout to cop a new one right now (Right now)” Some more flame off Hot August Nights, which I’ve experienced for myself in Reno, a car capital in the U.S.A. and “The Biggest Little City in the World. ”
Layzie Bone - The Slumz
“Riddle me this/ why ***** always trying to get up in the middle of shit/ you can have my flow, you can take my cake/ what you ain’t gonna do is belittle my clique” Long live all the members of Bone Thugs and Harmony, and seven solo albums in Layzie Bone still got that flame.
Layzie Bone ft Johnny P. - Lost & Found
“Go find your rhythm, reach deep inside/ break out that prism, let your conscience be your guide” Some Jiminy Cricket wisdom from a hip-hop legend still spitting jewels to this day.
Young Thug ft Machine Gun Kelly - Ecstacy
“I can take the stick and I can lift it up (Yeah)/ I can take this bitch and I can lift her up (Ayy)/ I just took a bankroll and I lift it up (Okay)/ I just drunk a PT, it was double sealed up” Thug released his debut album, So Much Fun, and he smokes this DY Krazy & 12 Hunna instrumental that needed G-Eazy over MGK.
Young Thug ft Gunna - Hot
“Everything litty, I love when it's hot/ turned up the city, I broke off the notch/ got some more millis, I keep me a knot/ I created history and made me a lot” Produced by Wheezy, this is one of the only redeemable records off Thug’s highly anticipated debut, that aside from a major assist from J. Cole is a mumble rap coalition of all the clone emcees.
Young Thug - Lil Baby
“Fuck it, buy a pink Mercedes (Skrrt)/ I made Forbes every year, lil' baby (Top the Forbes)/ I don't like no long nails on my lady (Of course)/ Is it you that can't reveal that I'm shady?” As referenced above, So Much Fun includes guest appearances by J. Cole, Future, Machine Gun Kelly, Gunna, Lil Baby, Lil Uzi Vert, 21 Savage, Quavo, Juice Wrld, Nav, and Travis Scott, and as a body of work I still could never ever recommend it.
Quality Control ft Lil Baby & DaBaby - Baby
“Baby puttin' on for the city/ baby, he the realest, baby prolly got a couple million/ baby hang with four or five killers/ baby got children, baby prolly still drug dealin/ baby ain't a trapper, he a rapper/ baby makin' classics, baby in the hood gettin' active/ baby keep it real with his people/ baby like a preacher, baby prolly still sell reefer” Quality Control Music released their second compilation album, Quality Control: Control the Streets Vol. 2, and this collaboration between DaBaby and Lil Baby is one of the best surprises of the year. Produced by Wheezy this one is flames 🔥🔥
Quality Control ft Offset, DaBaby & Gunna - Pink Toes
“Vibes on my line (Vibes), Chanel mob ties (Chanel)/ Drippin' homicide (Drip)/ Pull up in the coupe and let the wings touch the sky (Wings)/ Shooters on the left, we ain't lookin' at your spies (Wings)” Another highlight off the QC tape produced by CuBeatz, Metro Boomin, & Southside.
Quality Control ft Offset & Young Thug - Big Rocks
“Check my stain, I had roaches but I never complain” The best of the mid on the 36-track compilation tape.
Quality Control ft French Montana & City Girls - Wiggle It
“I'll wiggle it, wiggle it, wiggle it/ you gotta spend that shit, spend that shit, spend that shit” Produced by Ben Billions this one was right on time for the Hot Girl Summer.
Bridget Kelly - It’s True
“Probably shouldn't tell you this but it's true” Bridget Kelly released her fourth ep, The Great Escape, and this track is decent enough for the R&B playlist.
Bridget Kelly - Just Playin
“I get impatient/ every time I feel a way/ baby, I complain/ tired of waiting'/I thought you knew me better than that/ why you gettin' so mad? Thought you could take it/ you know how I say shit/ I was just playin'” Undoubtedly the best track off The Great Escape and the best Bridget Kelly song I’ve heard since “Special Delivery.”
Normani - Motivation
“I'ma break you off, let me be your motivation/ to stay and give it tonight/ and‚ baby‚ turn around‚ let me give you innovation, hey/ ‘cause I do it so right” I’m just getting familiar with Normani, who has roots in Atlanta, New Orleans, and Houston, Texas, during which time she was a member of Fifth Harmony and was a competitor on Dancing with the Stars. Nonetheless, my introduction came from working at the American Dream Mall in the Meadowlands, where this song was played ad nauseam inside the Nickelodeon Theme Park.
