First up is Kendrick Lamar, who revisits Cole’s banger “A Tale of 2 Citiez”, from his 2014 Forest Hills Drive album. Then, returning the favor is J. Cole as he hops on K. Dot’s “Alright”, which is one of the most infectious anthem of the year.

If you wanted bars this holiday season, you got ’em. Press play.

Kendrick Lamar – “A Tale of 2 Citiez” (Freestyle)

J. Cole – “Alright” (Freestyle)

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With smooth ivory and percussion backing him Brooklyn rapper KOTA delivers “Black Friday,” a track that explores what happens to life and its complexities when people live blindly. He intricately weaves societal trends, vivid imagery, and more into his compelling wordplay. At one point dropping the line, “F**k Black Friday empower the black people, f**k a TV I’m trying to combat evil.” Listen to KOTA’s compelling “Black Friday” below, it may prompt you to change some of your plans for tomorrow.

“Possessions hold power but only to small minds” – KOTA.

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ASAP Ferg is known for getting the party started with his music, but this time he is taking a different approach. Produced by Clams Casino, the powerful, conscious record touches issues from race, to the controversial Mike Brown case (we posted Tink’s latest track earlier today, which also touches on this sensitive subject). The track is featured on Ferrg’s upcoming Gangsta Grillz mixtape Ferg Forever that will drop on Black Friday. This is a dope track that speaks to how a lot of people feel right now. Get into it below.

The post New Music: ASAP Ferg – “Talk It” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The wait is finally over—Lil’ Kim’s latest mixtape, Hardcore 2k14: Back 2 Da Streets is here after multiple delays. This follow up to 2011’s  Black Friday is a huge improvement to that flop of a mix. With features from Jadakiss, French Montana, Yo Gotti, Cassidy, TLZ, Young Bonds, and B. Ford. While there are some weaker tracks here and there, there are definitely some bangers on this mix that you will want to blast in your car with the crew.

Hardcore is somewhat of a return for the Brooklyn-based rapper to her roots on her first full studio album, Hard Core. On it, her verses are raw, uninhibited, though at times over produced. The albums intro’s with a group of male voices discussing the effects of Lil’ Kim’s original promotional poster for her debut back in 1996: “people got murdered over that picture,” they say.

The first hit that really throws it back is number two on the album, “Stadium Music” feat. Yo Gotti. His deep, laid back verse is the perfect intro for Kim and the vibe that she puts out on the album. The track coolly reinstates Lil’ Kim as the Queen Bee of the female rap scene, an assertion that she follows up with “Identity Theft,” a Nicki Minaj diss track that was originally released before the whole mix came out. “I’ll let you live for a while but I’m done with the crown
The queen’s back, bitches, come get it,” Kim taunts Minaj and her ‘Barbz.’

The most popular early release on the mix came from a collaboration that Kim did with Jadakiss on “Real Sick.” This is the biggest banger on the mix. Kim’s verses are thick, slow  and the rhythm feels effortless.  As the Queen Bee told REVOLT, “I don’t feel the need to change up my style or change the things that I used to rap about. This tape I tried to give a mixture of everything because that’s just who I am.” The track even samples Notorious B.I.G. and Puff Daddy‘s “Victory.”

Diddy is not the only sample on the mix. Track 7 on Hardcore “Whenever You See” feat. Cassidy samples Fugees “Ready or Not,” in a really interesting way. “Trendsetter” is a departure from Kim’s traditional flow, in which she speeds up her verse spitting words like modern day mob rappers. “Work The Pole” feels out of place—it’s a degrading track that is almost uncomfortable to listen to. Normally, Kim is able to use her sexuality as a power play, taking advantage of her raw eroticism. Not only is the track way over produced, but she utterly fails to use her sex in a positive way (this is really the only track that doesn’t measure up at all).

The last track of serious note on the mix is, in fact, the last track on the album, “Haterz,” feat. B. Ford. “I got some haterz
Give me a bitch that hates, cause man, She won’t walk without being hit,” Kim threatens. It’s safe to say that the Queen Bee is back and here to stay. She’s stepped up her game with this mix, with modern production blended with both her classic styles and small tastes of different verse-spitting modes, Kim hits it home. The female rap game could use some spicing up right now and we are glad Kimmy’s back.

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Top Dawg Entertainment had a banner year in 2013. They capped off 2012 with Kendrick Lamar’s prodigious release and rode the tidal wave of success all the way to a platinum album and even into this year’s Grammy’s. While good kid, m.A.A.d city didn’t earn anything that night other than a sanctimonious text message, the cultural impact of the album helped catapult the whole Black Hippy and TDE squad into the limelight. However, there were plenty of quality releases to come out of Top Dawg’s house prior to October 2012 that deserve to be talked about, as well. With Schoolboy Q’s Oxymoron finally arriving on iTunes (and those big brick and mortar things in the real world), we thought it would be appropriate to take a retrospective on the past releases of the label. Kendrick may be running ahead of the pack, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the label is lagging behind. TDE has been eatin’ for years. [Ed. Note: This list is meant to examine official albums over projects initially given away for free, thus omitting such releases as Kendrick Lamar’s Overly Dedicated and Jay Rock’s Black Friday.]

 9) Setbacks

Schoolboy Q will be the first to tell you he didn’t always dream of becoming a rapper. In fact, he noted that the concept behind Setbacks was to talk about all the reasons why he can’t rap. From drugs to women, Schoolboy had plenty of distractions and rap was only a means to an end. Given this, one would assume the album would more or less suck, but it’s quite impressive, especially considering all the aforementioned circumstances. Q had a long way to go to improve his mic skills, but the material was already in place for a promising career.

8) Longterm Mentality

Ab-Soul said he wanted Longterm Mentality to capture his life and his aspirations in the music business. While his debut was not meant to be a continuation of his Longterm mixtapes, it was still an all-encompassing idea of the themes presented in the previous two works. Songs like “Almost There” demonstrate Ab’s sacrifices and ambition to make it big in the game. While the album was understandably a little raw and underdeveloped, it was clear that Ab-Soul had plenty of potential and a lot more to say.

7) Cilvia Demo

Isaiah Rashad initially planned for Cilvia Demo to be exclusively verses, with each song averaging around 90 seconds. After continued studio time, the project morphed into an official EP (although even that can be debated given its LP length). Rashad seamlessly blends harmonizing, rapping and melodies into a dreamy 14-track sequence. Vices, demons, insecurities and hopes are all explored here, and are mostly handled exclusively by Rashad with minimal features, making for an even more impressive debut.

6) Control System

Ab-Soul may be the “weirdo” of the Black Hippy crew, but he comes alive through his music. His independent sophomore effort demonstrated plenty of growth for one year’s time. While Longterm Mentality focused inward, Ab turned his pen outward on Control System and broadened his subject matter to society and politics. He continued to self-analyze as well, except this time it was with far more polished beats and flows.

5) Habits & Contradictions

A year following Setbacks, Schoolboy Q had grown into a far more confident rapper. He showcased a better understanding of song structure, with a hit record in “Hands on the Wheel,” while demonstrating rarely-seen vulnerability on ‘Blessed.” Furthermore, he became infinitely more menacing and haunting on “Oxy Music” and “Nightmare on Figg Street.” The makings of Oxymoron were already in place here.

4) Oxymoron

After a few false starts, Q’s major label debut arrived to critical praise. The missteps of Setbacks and Habits & Contradictions were mostly absent on Oxymoron and we instead received a focused body of work. Furthering the introspection from his previous album, Q delved deeper into his drugs problems on “Prescription,” easily his most personal record to date. Records like “Gangsta” and “Fuck LA” showcased the aggressive side of Schoolboy that made him a TDE favorite and he even tacked on some crossover potentials such as ‘Studio” for good measure. The South Central spitter also proved he could mostly stand on his own two feet, limiting the Black Hippy features and going for self. While Oxymoron may not have been the crowned jewel of the Top Dawg catalog, it was by far Schoolboy Q’s best body of work.

3) Section.80

Kendrick had been around for a while by the time Section.80 rolled in, but it was this album that put the Compton native on the mainstream map (and caught the ear of Dr. Dre). Kendrick’s penchant for anthemic hooks was fully developed by this point, and he flexed those abilities with tracks like “Fuck Your Ethnicity” and “HiiiPower.” While there were plenty of attention grabbers such as those, it was Kendrick’s heart that kept people listening. “Tammy’s Song” and “Keisha’s Song” showed the depth that the Black Hippy capo had and his potential for crafting timeless music.

2) Follow Me Home

Following Jay Rock home was an exhausting ordeal. The Watts rapper had unsuccessful stints at both Asylum and Warner Records before finally signing to Tech N9ne’s Strange Music in 2010. Rock would then spend a while on the road and deliver his Black Friday mixtape before finally dropping his debut album in July 2011. While Follow Me Home was not a commercial success, it was critically praised for its classic West Coast lyrics and booming production. Songs like “Elbows” and “Just Like Me” demonstrated Rock’s knowledge for the importance of powerful hooks, while “Code Red” and “Bout That” delivered a menacing feel for his core audience. The album bleeds with vintage West Coast gangsterism yet sets itself apart with fresh flows ideas.

1) good kid, m.A.A.d city

No surprise here. When it came out to unanimous critical praise in October 2012, Kendrick Lamar said the only thing keeping good kid, m.A.A.d city from classic status was time. Well, it has been over a year and the album is still as good as ever, if not better. GKMC is a fully-conceived, thought-out story, the likes of which we rarely get in hip-hop. Not only does the album require your full attention in order to understand the narrative, but it also has some jams on there for you to vibe to. “Backseat Freestyle” and “m.A.A.d city” are high octane tracks that demand movement when being played, while “Money Trees” and ‘Poetic Justice” soothe your soul. Add to that moving records like “Sing About Me” and you have the recipe for a masterpiece.

Where does Oxymoron fit in to TDE’s catalog now that its available? Let us know.

The post Ranking TDE’s Albums From Worst to Best appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.