Narkworthy 8/21: Nark-N-Rolla

The name certainly doesn't work as well as the last one, but it will do. Plenty of heavy hitters made the cut (Nas, Kanye, The Game, T-Pain) this go round, but look out for the newcomers (especially LMFAO) and legends (Large Professor). Of course, "Jockin' Jay-Z" had to be included. Kid Cudi continues his run of appearances and Young Jeezy put together 2 bangers (with a little help from Nas). I've been the biggest Jeezy hater around, but his new work on The Recession might persuade me otherwise. He always had solid production, but his word play never matched the beats. Finally, I can't believe it took so long for someone to jump on Coldplay's "Lost". It is the most hip-hop/Timbo-esque beat on one of the biggest rock albums of the year.

Nark-N-Rolla
1. Page - Still Fly ft Drake
2. Now On - Write Back ft Shawn Jackson
3. Young Jeezy - Crazy World
4. Jay-Z - Jockin' Jay-Z (prod by Kanye West)
5. MURS - Can It Be
6. The Game - Angel ft Common (prod by Kanye West)
7. The Clipse - Celebrate ft Joss Stone
8. Attitude - Man Right Here (prod by Danja)
9. Large Professor - Hardcore
10. LMFAO - Yes
11. Novel - Lost (Coldplay Remix)
12. Trey-C - Showboatin' ft Ya Boy, Glasses Malone & Matt Blaque
13. Slim Thug - Bitch I'm Back ft Devin the Dude (prod by Dr. Dre)
14. Nas - What It Is (Esco Let's Go)
15. Lil' Scrappy - Stand Up ft Lil' Wayne
16. The Game - My Life ft Lil' Wayne
17. Young Jeezy - My President Is Black ft Nas
18. DJ Khaled - Go Hard ft Kanye West & T-Pain
19. Asher Roth - I Love College
20. Kid CuDi - Man On The Moon (The Anthem)

Narkworthy 7/22: The Nark Knight

It didn't take long for this edition to shape up with Nas' Untitled dropping and T.I.'s Paper Trail leaking like a college house keg tap. There are still a few Midwest artists represented (Buff 1, Kanye, Black Milk, and Kid Sister), but not as biased as Nark Inc. Similar to TQ's appearance last round, the comeback trend continues with Murphy Lee's best bet at a catchy summer jam and Game's foray into rap/rock (its much better than it sounds). Look out for Dr. Dre's latest protege' Bishop Lamont, Young Chris' solo efforts (formerly of Young Gunz), and Kid Cudi's otherworldly musical offering.

Discuss. Hate. Let me know what you think.

The Nark Knight
1. Jay-Z - A Billi
2. John Legend - Green Light ft Andre 3000
3. Styles P - Ghost ft Pharrell
4. Bishop Lamont - Grow Up
5. Young Chris - Party
6. KiD CuDi - Embrace the Martian
7. Nas - Hero ft Keri Hilson
8. T.I. - Whatever You Like
9. Buff1 - Classic Rap
10. Little Brother - Life of the Party ft Skillz
11. The Game - Dope Boys ft Travis Barker
12. Murphy Lee ft T-Pain - My Shoes
13. Wale - Whole Time ft Young Chris
14. Young Jeezy - Put On ft Kanye West
15. T.I. - Swing Your Rag ft Swizz Beatz
16. Buff1 - Never Fall ft Black Milk
17. Nas - Make the World Go Round ft Chris Brown & Game
18. Lil' Wayne - Got Money ft T-Pain
19. Kid Sister - Pro Nails ft Kanye West
20. KiD CuDi - Down and Out
21. Big Boi - Somethings Got To Give ft Mary J. Blige

Narkworthy 6/3: Nark Inc.

This mixtape was actually sitting on the burner for a week or so. After the onslaught of summer hip-hop, it took a little while to decide what would make the cut. After seeing the track list, 2 things jump out at me:

1. Neptunes, Neptunes Neptunes. Pharrell and Chad are all over this edition. N.E.R.D. is making me consider avoiding the inevitable leak and buy Seeing Sounds. Star Trak cohorts Kenna, Chester French and Mickey Factz make necessary appearances. Lastly, 2007 may have been the year of Timbaland, but 2008 might be all Neptunes. Between the Common track, N.E.R.D., and Pharell's work on Madonna's album, they certainly have a head start on Timbo.

2. Midwest Revival. Nark Inc. is filled with artists representing Chicago, Detroit and even Cleveland. It was hard to dissect a few cuts from Kidz In The Hall's The In Crowd, with so many to choose from. Common purists are going to be mad, but you can't argue with the Pharrell beat on "Universal Mind Control". Ann Arbor transplant Buff 1 makes the 1st of many future Nark features, Royce 5'9" makes two appearances, as does Cleveland newcomer and self proclaimed "stoner", Kid Cudi.

..and yes, Curtis and his silly vocoder made the list....whoops.

Nark Inc.
1. TQ - Paradise ft Krayzie Bone
2. X.O. - Grind Baby ft Cee Cee
3. Brisco - On The Run ft Akon & Flo Rida
4. Kid Cudi - Day n Nite
5. Common - Universal Mind Control ft Pharrell
6. Mickey Factz - The Water ft Lauryn Hill
7. N.E.R.D. - Spaz
8. Buff 1 - Beat The Speakers Up
9. Idle Warship - Fall Back ft Chester French
10. Elzhi - Motown 25 ft Royce 5'9"
11. Kenna - Say Goodbye to Love ft Lupe Fiasco
12. B.O.B. - Lonely People
13. Saigon - Believe It
14. NYGz - Ya Dayz R #'D remix ft Lady of Rage, Freddie Foxx & Royce 5'9"
15. Bun B - Swang On 'Em ft Lupe Fiasco
16. Wale - The Crazy
17. Kidz In the Hall - Middle of the Map Pt. 1 ft Fooch
18. Kidz In the Hall - Middle of the Map Pt. 2 ft Black Milk & Guilty Simpson
19. N.E.R.D. - Everybody Nose remix ft Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco & Pusha T
20. Kid Cudi - Dat New "New"
21. G-Unit - Rider Pt. 2
22. Rick Ross - Get Down ft Pharrell

Download Nark Inc.

Narkworthy 5/20: B.O.B., N.E.R.D., Bun B ft Lupe

There was drought for a week or so, but when new, good hip-hop comes out, it is usually in bunches. Last week was no different with a plethora of summer-ready goodness from a variety of sources.

B.O.B. - Lonely People
This track from the next great thing from A-Town isn't exactly new, but I finally found a copy of it. B.O.B. drops some social commentary over a Beatles sample of "Eleanor Rigby" that would never get cleared, thank god for mixtapes. Some people are partial to Talib's take on this Beatles' gem, but this beat hits harder.

B.O.B. - Lonely People

Talib Kweli - Lonely People

N.E.R.D. - Spaz
Pharell & company sound amazing over another schizophrenic beat. The song is currently getting plugged by Microsoft and feels much more like a track from In Search Of... rather than Fly or Die.

N.E.R.D. - Spaz

Bun B - Swang On'Em ft Lupe Fiasco
After getting props on "Hip-Hop Saved My Life", Houston's best grabbed Lupe for this cut from "II Trill". Lupe's chameleon-like flow sounds more than at home over the thumping track, while Bun B does what he does best.

Bun B - Swang On-Em ft Lupe Fiasco

Narkworthy 4/22: Paranoid Nark

Well it took me 2 months to compile a worthwhile mixtape, but here it is. There are some club/radio tracks (Stat Quo, Ying Yang Twins), storytelling (Atmosphere, Wale), throwbacks (The Cool Kids, Pacific Division) and comebacks (AZ, The Game). Hopefully, there is something for everyone. Comments and criticism are greatly appreciated.

Paranoid Nark
1. Jay-Z - I Know (Irn Mnky remix)
2. The Game - Big Dreams (produced by Cool & Dre)
3. The Cool Kids - Oscar
4. Wale - Back In the Go Go ft Bun B & Pusha T
5. Wyclef Jean - Fast Car remix ft Lupe Fiasco
6. Stat Quo - Double Bubble
7. AZ - Dead End
8. Pacific Division - F.A.T. Boys '08
9. Big Boi - Royal Flush ft Raekwon & Andre 3000
10. DJ Green Lantern - I'm So Fly ft Akon, Fabolous & Fat Joe
11. FloRida - My Money Right ft Rick Ross & Brisco
12. The Procussions - Little People
13. The Roots - Rising Down ft Wale & Chrisette Michelle
14. PRGz - 'Bama Gettin' Money (Diplo Remix)
15. Jay-Z - Ain't I (produced by Timbaland)
16. Atmosphere - Yesterday
17. Danny Swain - Guess Who's Back ft Naledge
18. Ying Yang Twins - Drop
19. JNan - Rapperman
20. Snoop Dogg - My Medicine ft Everlast
21. Wale - Conclusion
22. Rich Boy - Haters Wish

Paranoid Nark

If you need WinRar, download it here.

Narkworthy: April 8th edition

I have mostly complained about the rap/hip-hop game (or the lack there of) for the past year. Some of my peers have even claimed I have given up on what I used to be known for: Pushing new bass-thumping rap onto anyone who will listen in the form of "Nark" mixtapes.

To give a brief history, the "Nark" mixtape was originated by my friend Gutter and he aptly titled it, "The Nark Out Remix: Vol. 1". This blockbuster disc featured the latest and greatest in the Spring of 2006 (Drama, Big Tymers to name a few). As for the name "Nark" (not to be confused with the DEA-affiliated "Narc"), I'm pretty sure it simply sounded funny at the time and made no sense, so why not? I inherited the franchise with the next installment on my newly purchased Roxio, external CD drive and tried to drop hits every 4-6 weeks. I pretty much scoured any file sharing avenue possible (Napster, Limewire, mIRC, etc.), in search of the newest and most exclusive songs rap had to offer.

As of April 2008, there have been over 40 "Narks", many "classics" ("Narked Out Reloaded", at least in my eyes), and plenty of ridiculous titles ("Raiders of the Lost Nark", "Jurassic Nark"). Since I don't make those mixtapes that often, I'm going to try to post a few songs per week that I would deem "Narkworthy". Eventually, when I have enough tracks, I'll then turn these into traditional "Narks", but this should satisfy those that need a rap "fix" instantly. I'll also post "Narked Up", my most recent collection.

1. Paper Route Gangstaz "'Bama Gettin' Money" (Diplo Remix)
Their name is pretty laughable, but I'm not sure I have heard anything like them in awhile. Hailing from Hunstville, Alabama, this crew has a hungry sound that is reminiscent of Three Six Mafia's early days. With the help of producer Diplo, they manage to make a George Michael sample drenched in swampy bass and southern drawl, sound very eerie.

Paper Route Gangstaz - 'Bama Gettin' Money (Diplo Remix)

2. Jay-Z "Ain't I"
After Young Hov got his artistic angst out of his system (last year's amazing, American Gangster), he decided to show youngn's how to flow on any beat. DJ Clue released it and originally claimed it was from S. Carter's next opus. Later, Jay-Z said "Ain't I" was supposed to be on Timbaland's Shock Value, but just missed deadline.

Jay-Z - Ain't I

3. Wyclef Jean ft Lupe Fiasco "Fast Car" remix
Though I haven't checked out Clef's new album, Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant, I probably should if his 1st two singles ("Sweetest Girl", "Slow Down") are any indication. The former leader of The Fugees seems to paint pictures with troubled characters over catchy beats with ease consistently and the remix to "Fast Car" is no exception. Substituting Paul Simon for Lupe Fiasco brings another great storyteller to the table on a solid remix.

Wyclef Jean ft Lupe Fiasco - Fast Car remix

Narked Up - featuring Jay Rock, Lil' Wayne, Lupe Fiasco, 9th Wonder, Kanye West, and more.