One year ago, Drake  stepped it up a notch and brought us an album that is arguably his best up to date. The Toronto native cooked up an emotional, melody-driven album with production from Detail and guest appearances from Jay Z and Jhene Aiko.

Upon the album’s release, our social media timelines were filled with nothing but hilarious memes and Drake quotes that were made for texting our exes and humbly-bragging about the things we have in life. Here are 10 of the most influential lyrics from Nothing Was The Same that changed our lives:

• “Somewhere between psychotic and iconic/ Somewhere between I want it and I got it/ Somewhere between I’m sober and I’m lifted/ Somewhere between a mistress and commitment” (Furthest Thing)

According to Drake, there are levels to this shit.

• “I just been plottin’ on the low, schemin’ on the low, the furthest thing from perfect like everyone I know.” (Furthest Thing)

The humble Drake we all love and adore.

• “I show up knowing exactly who I was and never leave as myself.” (Connect)

Drake loses himself each time he’s with his lady.

• “I love me enough for the both of us.” – Jhene Aiko (From Time)

Jhene is so full of love, that she doesn’t need a man’s attention to up her self esteem

• “F*ck all that happy-to-be-here shit y’all want me on” (Pound Cake/Paris Morton Music 2)

Drake has outgrown the need to say how thankful he is for the position he holds in life and wants people to respect his success.

• “Started from the bottom now we’re here/ Started from the bottom now my whole team f*ckin’ here” (Started From the Bottom)

The come-up story we all know and respect.

• “I don’t know why they been lyin’ but yo’ sh*t is not that inspiring” (The Language)

According to Drake, he says to not believe the hype

• “N*ggas talk more than b*tches these days…just let shit that sink in” (Own It)

In the words of Jay Z, it’s like a bunch of n****s actin’ like bitches with big mouths.

• “Same city, same friends if you looking for me” (Connect)

In this lyric Drake demonstrates how loyal he is to his crew and city of Toronto.

The post 1 Year Later: 10 Memorable Quotes From Drake’s “Nothing Was The Same” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Words by Robin Johnson & Ben Sherak

It’s a wrap for the first seven months of 2014 and that means it’s time to acknowledge the songs that were most impactful, catchy, interesting, fun, original, and well-crafted. We’ve rounded up the cream of the crop for one list: The 15 Best Songs of 2014 (So Far).

15. Future – “Move That Dope” Featuring Pusha T & Pharrell (Honest)

Of all the entries on this list, “Move That Dope” is most indicative of hip-hop radio’s status quio, but if that includes vivid writers like Pusha, innovative weirdos like Future, and all-around talents like Pharrell, the radio just might be a great place to love hip-hop. Future, breaking drunk-robot form, uses a human voice to deliver inhuman, confounding flows that challenge the listener in teh ebst of ways. Pusha continues to expertly poeticize his Kanye-sized attitude (“Wearin’ designer shit that I misspell”) and Pharrell smoothly slides out of the producer’s chair long enough to deliver a wrap-around-the-beat double-time finishing move.

14. Chance The Rapper – “Home Studio” (No Album)

“Home Studio” is the only bonafide rap record that Chance released this year, but it’s packed with enough giddy wit to last an album. Chance packed this jolt of celebration with line after line of swift lyricism: “You gon’ set a bad example for the average bear / You a Yogi, you should idle while in child position,” “Just don’t count your sheep before they hatch, your chicken ‘fore your eggs, or eat your dinner ‘fore you say your prayer,” “Beat the tortoise by a hair (hare) in a old ’44 Taurus on a spare with a wax finish,” This song is just bursting at the seams with wit.

13. Alex Wiley – “Vibrations” (Village Party)

Village Party, strange young Chicagoan Alex Wiley‘s second release in two years, was a record of astounding melody, innovation, and ADD. It was catchy and piercing at almost every turn, and neither adjective could be more fitting for the tape’s biggest standout, “Vibrations.” Wiley summarizes his attitude and mission statement nicely here–”I just do my own thing, OK, and hope it all works out,” before burning the house down with one of his typically head-spinning double times and tearing into a hook that’s at once passionate and party-ready. This track even does auto-tune well.

12.  Drake – “Trophies” (Young Money: Rise Of An Empire)

If Drake wasn’t acting out skits on SNL, he was either hosting the ESPY’s, gearing up for a tour with Lil Wayne or dropping some very dope guest verses. This single from the Young Money compilation album was so clearly its highlight that it’s hard to imagine it as being on that album. There are few better examples of Drake’s all-around dominance than this record.

11.  Isaiah Rashad – “Heavenly Father” Featuring SZA (Cilvia Demo)

Just signed last year, Isaiah Rashad has already proven to be on the level of TDE’s previous rap artists. “Heavenly Father” is sheer poetry at heart and his EP, Cilvia Demo, proved that despite being only 23, his soul is well beyond his years. Isaiah Rashad deserved his spot on the 2014 XXL Freshman List as well as to be voted on this list, twice.

10. Mac Miller – “Erica’s House” Featuring Treejay (No Album)

The funniest song of the year’s thusfar also one of the best. Mac Miller, cozying to his role as the rap game’s increasingly trippy former-bro cousin, raps like he’s bored with the acid he just took. He’s self aware, he’s absurdist, he’s hilarious: “Let’s go to Syria and have a war / Stop fuckin’ calling me Macklemore / That’s not my name, well kinda…it’s kind of my name” he drools on the intro. “I love like a folk singer and fuck like a crack addict,” he croaks in the first verse. “Still having sex with blind people / They say my pussy smell like pine needles / Bust a nut in the poultry section at John Eagle / Look a chicken in the face like, bitch, I’ma eat you,” he proclaims proudly in the third. Mac Miller has become some strange Odd Future-Madvillain hybrid, with a sprinkle of a calmer Eminem, and we’re all the better for it.

9. Imagine Dragons – “Radioactive” (Remix) Featuring Kendrick Lamar (No Album)

The fact that Kendrick appears on this list two (and a half) times without having released a solo song this year is a testament to his sway, not only over trends and fans, but over the quality of any record he touches. A greater testament to that: the fact that Imagine Dragons‘ “Radioactive” is a more or less a moderate/solid Coldplay song, that, molded by King Midas Kendrick’s hands, is suddenly the 9th best hip-hop song of the year. Introduced during the chill-inducing Grammy performance, K.Dot’s frantic, poetic closing statement on the Dragons’ hit is a moment that stays with you long after the record is off. The verse is sort of a “Control” aimed at his demons and the surrounding universe, and the results are something that bleeds far deeper and more powerfully than a mere boast.

8.  Common – “Kingdom” Featuring Vince Staples (Nobody’s Smiling)

Ten studio albums in and Common still has it. Linking back up with his main producer, No I.D.,  “Kingdom” carries a triumphant melody and a much needed message towards Chicago’s gun violence.

7. Big K.R.I.T. – “Mt. Olympus” (Cadillactica)

When K.R.I.T. released “Mt. Olympus,” he kicked down the door and came straight for the jugular. The Mississippi country boy just wants to be heard and K.R.I.T. takes the opportunity to snap on this one. His upcoming album, Cadillactica is set to be released later this year and when it does, hopefully the world will be listening.

6. Schoolboy Q – “Prescription/ Oxymoron” (Oxymoron)

Not only was Oxymoron amongst the most celebrated albums of the year, but Q also brought gangsta rap back to the forefront. He showed us just how disturbing it is be an Oxycodon addict and then, to turn the narrative on its head, showed us what it’s like to sell it right after. Chilling details coupled with production handled by TDE’s in-house producers Digi+Phonics makes this one of the best tracks of the year so far.

5. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – “Real” (Piñata)

Madlib‘s never sounded angrier. Not that he actually raps here–it’s entirely Freddie‘s show, and more on that later–instead, the rollicking first beat for “Real” is the most animalistic, beast-on-a-hunt feeling beat that the perma-stoned West Coaster has ever produced. Even the second instrumental on the two part assault, while sounding like vintage Beat Konducta, still packs a serious whollop, with a kick drum like a cannonball. Meanwhile, Gangsta Gibbs lets off one of the most passionate and thorough disses in recent memory (in history?). Most people quote the vivid tales that Freddie lays out as plain evidence against Jeezy (“You ain’t take security, so we ain’t take a seat,”) but what really makes this record special (aside from Freddie and ‘Lib’s pure ferociousness) is how Fred shows us that the beef is tied to true emotion, that it was born of a friendship–“I looked up to you, put that on my mama.” That cuts deep.

4. The Roots – “When The People Cheer” Featuring Greg Porn and Modesty Lycan (…And Then You Shoot Your Cousin)

The Roots really can do no wrong. They are veterans in the game and their music always comes with stellar production and a meaningful message. Taking a conceptual approach to every song on the album, “When The People Cheer” sets the tone of the album hitting on anti-rap themes and community stereotypes of seeking guidance in the wrong places. Between Greg Porn and Black Thought’s verses, it’s nearly too much poetry for one song, which is why it landed in the top 5.

 3. Rick Ross – “Sanctified” Featuring Big Sean and Kanye West (Mastermind)

Ross, Big Sean and Ye’ swap hooks and verses in between sips of sanctified refreshments, all the while sporting DONDA apparel for this one. This is Ross’s song, but Ye takes the most time at the podium to address the critics and to justify his rants.  Ye hasn’t dropped the follow up to his Yeezus album yet, but he did manage to take over someone else’s song and steal the number 3 spot on this list.

2. SZA – “Babylon” Featuring Kendrick Lamar (Z)

SZA is holding her own as TDE’s first female signee while representing the label’s more eclectic side. Her EP, Z, as stated by Kendrick Lamar, is laced with hidden messages and “Babylon” is one of the deeper songs that has a dual meaning. SZA sings about a complex love/hate relationship in a spiritual context. Kendrick Lamar’s clever wordplay adds more meaning to thought, sending the emotional roller-coaster ride out of control. TDE has clearly taken over this list, and for good reason.

1. Young Jeezy – “Seen It All” Featuring Jay Z (Seen It All: The Autobiography)

Young Jeezy prides himself on authenticity. In fact, he’s one of the realest rappers out here (unless you’re asking Freddie Gibbs). Before rapping, drug dealing was Jeezy’s means of survival and the testimonial track “Seen It All” gives us his truthful encounter of selling white. Hov takes us back to his Reasonable Doubt days as he recounts his vision of pushing keys through Marcy Projects. Originally made for Jay Z’s Magna Carta Holy Grail, the single will be featured on Young Jeezy’s upcoming studio album Seen It All: The Autobiography. It’s no doubt why “Seen It All” is number one–it’s the G-code standard for sifting out rap counterfeits.

Runners Up:

Alex Wiley – “Forever” Featuring Mick Jenkins
Ratking – “Canal”
YG – “Really Been” Featuring Kendrick Lamar
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – “Uno”
Drake – “Days In The East”

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#15: 1017 Thug – Young Thug

For better or worse, 2013 has undeniably been the year for trap music. Saturated with molly references, menacing bells, thudding bass and auto-tune, most of this music has been aggressively forgettable. Even the most passionate trap-enthused DJs haven’t kept most of these songs in rotation. Nevertheless, amidst this atmosphere of ephemeral mediocrity, one particular artist is etched into our minds: Young Thug. The Atlanta artist released 1017 Thug back in February, but it’s still a fresh project. Released a few weeks after Young Thug‘s signing to Gucci Mane‘s 1017 imprint, the mixtape reminds us of the unbridled experimentation that characterized trap’s initial emergence. Before trap music had a readily identifiable aesthetic, it was basically the sound of people trying to make money by any means necessary. Accordingly, no stone was left unturned; no idea was left unconsidered. Young Thug keeps that spirit alive, using trap sounds to create music that doesn’t easily fall into the categories of “street anthem” or “club-ready.” 1017 Thug features him truly exploring what trap can do beyond making people “turn up.” Of course, this mixtape will make you turn up, but that’s not all there is to it. There’s some genuine craftsmanship here.

#14: Summer Knights – Joey Bada$$

Young Brooklyn rapper Joey Bada$$ had a hectic 2012. The release of his mixtape 1999 was insanely successful, very quickly propelling him and his Pro Era crew from internet underdogs to widely acknowledged emcees. Yet despite these gains, the year ended with a tragic los:, the suicide of Joey‘s friend and fellow crew member, Capital STEEZ. Joey and company strongly kept chugging along, working with other artists, touring and just generally trying to capitalize on their hard-earned opportunities, but death is a strange and unpredictable experience, so when Summer Knights was announced, there was some genuine trepidation regarding how good the music could be in the wake of such a tragedy. Fortunately, Joey delivers. Whereas 1999 painted Joey and Pro Era as meticulous nostalgists, Summer Knights shows that the crew’s artistic roots extend far beyond 90’s New York. New York’s particular contributions to hip-hop are still central to how Joey creates, but Summer Knights depicts Joey with leanings toward reggae, dub, poetry and arguably even some punk rock, with flows to match.

#13: Cut 4 Me – Kelela

Kelela has the uncanny ability to establish harmony amidst the most elemental chaos. Featuring graceful melodies atop amorphous tracks from producer hive Fade to Mind, Cut 4 Me is 50 minutes of fearless exploration of voice and affect. Strikingly, most of the songs are remixes, yet Kelela stealthily colonizes them all, owning them for herself. Some of these instrumentals truly are intimidating, yet Kelela faces them like a veteran, variously taming them and absorbing their unbridled energy into her melodies. Cut 4 Me is the musical equivalent of the comic book character Storm controlling, unleashing and becoming one with the weather.

#12: King Remembered in Time – Big K.R.I.T.

The consequence of giving fans consecutively stronger releases is the escalation of their expectations. With the release of Live From the Underground, Big K.R.I.T. found himself fighting against the quality of his former releases, much to his chagrin. After all, he made many sacrifices for Live From the Underground, namely its necessarily small number of samples in comparison to his mixtapes. Dealing with the reception of his debut album, the Mississippi rapper doubled-down on King Remembered in Time, actively competing with and trying to best his previous works. He isn’t as successful as he could have been, but the tenacity and the gumption of the project resonate well. K.R.I.T. both gives fans what they want and gives them a potent “STFU,” all while remaining relatively innovative and open-minded. There are surely some misfires, but when K.R.I.T. is on point, he’s truly unmatched. Read our full review here.

#11: No Poison, No Paradise – Black Milk

Black Milk‘s biggest career mistake may have been titling his 2010 LP, “Album of the Year.” While that project certainly stands firm as a great body of work, it is on No Poison, No Paradise that the Detroit emcee/producer crafts his magnum opus and undoubtedly one of the best albums of 2013. From the Mel-assisted opener, the listener is taken on a morose journey through the childhood of Sonny, a fictionalized character brought to life by Black Milk’s own experiences. Think of this as a more flushed-out and hyper-realized version of The Roots’ Undun. “Deion’s House” tells the story of Sonny’s friend, who is a quasi-bad influence, given the fact that he pulls Sonny towards the street life, while at the same time pushes our hero to pursue his musical aspirations. Herein lies the narrative in a nutshell: dealing with the influences of your surroundings while striving towards a greater goal. While Black Milk’s production sometimes garners more attention than his lyrical skills, as do his collaborations with the likes of Danny Brown and Jack White, this is the album that proves that his pen game is just as lethal.

The post RESPECT. Roundtable: The Best 15 Albums of 2013 appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

After announcing that Soul Tape 3 will be here Christmas Day, Fabolous dropped visuals for the first track off the project. “Everything Was The Same” features vocals from Stacy Barthe, and the usual hard-hitting punchlines from Fab. The black and white video shows Fab in a remote location while rapping over Drake’s Paris Morton Music 2. Fab’s Soul Tape series never disappoints, so take some time out on Christmas to download it.

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