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 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 15th - The Game, Jay-Z

The Game "Big Dreams"
Fresh off an 8 day bid from a weapons charge, Jayceon Taylor aka The Game dropped this menacing street single off of his last album (yeah right), L.A.X. in mid-March. Hoping to rekindle the fire that Cool & Dre laced on "Hate It Or Love It", "Big Dreams" features another classic soul sample, amid big bass and epic horns. The Game mostly spits bravado-filled lyrics peppered with subliminal disses and name-dropping galore, but he at least sounds hungry. I was a big fan of The Documentary and The Doctor's Advocate, but his sophomore set sounded a little deflated at times (see "Scream On'Em" and "Da Sh**"). Glad to hear one of the best in the West is back at it.

The Game - Big Dreams

Jay-Z "I Know" Irn Mnky remix
When Shawn Carter released the accapella version of American Gangster, it didn't generate the fanfare that came with the The Black Album (see The Brown Album and The Grey Album). However, some creative individuals were able to rework Jay-Z's lyrical wizardry into their own concept albums. Newcomer Irn Mnky was crafted A Very British American Gangster filled with the Jay's tracks built from British rock samples. Not all of it works, but "Hello Brooklyn" (Oasis), "Pray" (The Verve) and "I Know" are definite standouts. Somehow, Irn Mnky makes Jay-Z's lyrics sound even more poignant than on Pharell's addictive beat.

Jay-Z - I Know (Irn Mnky remix)

Common: Top Of "The Game"

I have pretty much abandoned rap on this blog. Frankly, there isn't much to get excited about anymore. There are an abundance of great producers, old (Timbaland, DJ Premier, Neptunes, Just Blaze, Kanye, etc.) and new (9th Wonder, Danja, RJD2, Hi-Tek, Cool & Dre), who craft eclectic and head-nodding beats, but there is a lull in the MC department.

The past favorites that I grew up with are still around, but their output has waned tremendously. Kingdom Come was better than most of 2006's offerings, but was nowhere near Jay-Z's best. 50 Cent has been basically phoning in his bars since his debut and his G-Unit cronies are just as bad (Lloyd Banks' The Rotten Apple was self-explanatory). Eminem has fell off the map (but due for a comeback), trading in lyrical lessons ("Stan" and "Renegade" to name a few) for club songs ("Smack That" and "Shake That"). Little Brother broke up after knocking out two classic hip-hop records (The Listening and The Minstrel Show). OutKast decided to make movies, instead of groundbreaking albums. Andre 3000's verse on "Walk It Out" is the best guest appearance in years, but just makes me want more. Lil' Wayne, TI and Kanye are leading the charge by gaining credibility and stellar album catalogues. The Carter III, TI vs. TIP and Graduation should only bolster their resumes in 2007.

The new crop of commercial rappers doesn't seem to bring much hope. Young Jeezy is a poor man's TI, with amazing production, but a horrible lyricist. Rich Boy was blessed with hit single (although overshadowed by Kanye's hilarious remix), but the album failed to yield the same results. The only bright spot is Lupe Fiasco, who had one of the best albums of 2006 with Food and Liquor. He is currently crafting the follow-up, with hopes of collaborating with Kanye and Pink Floyd (what?).

But is that it? Was Nas right when he titled his gem of 2006, "Hip Hop Is Dead"?

Fortunately, there is one rapper who has consistently defied that statement, and continues to impress with age. Common, one of Chi-Town's finest, has been on fire since hooking up with fellow Windy City alumnus, Kanye West. Their work on 2005's Be, resulted in one of the best hip-hop albums in years and best of any genre that year. Favorably, they decided not to mess with a good thing and continued their relationship on Finding Forever. Guest includes British songstress Lily Allen, D'Angelo, Will.I.Am, Dwele, posthumus production by JDilla. If the first single, "The Game", is any clue as to what is to come this summer, Common's 7th album could be his best.

Here is the first single and one of my all time favorite songs from Be:

Common ft DJ Premier - The Game


Common - Be