Hip-Hop Doctrine

Hip Hop Doctrine [Doc·trine] Noun 1. Analytic Scripture of Mainstream & Underground Hip Hop from an avid fan 2. Uncensored shit your favorite blogger is afraid to write

[theboomboxdoctrine]

Pour Up. DRANK. The underlining

"I'm doing things that i'll know I regret. I think this liquor helping me with my stress - Albee Al" "I've really been drinkin'. Muthafucka, I really been smokin', what the fuck? I'm the sober one. Man, I'm so stressed out, I can't focus - Kendrick Lamar"

Let's talk about.... You guessed it. Substance Abuse. As an avid hip-hop head we try to listen to everything here at theboombox. What's becoming apparent is that the hip-hop community is really heavily involved in indulging drugs. Whether or not we're doing it for partying and turning up or stress relief we're doing it. So let's explore this why don't we.

The stark reality of the "streets".

What's stressing our rappers?

So let's go back in the days when they were young and they're not kids anymore. Maybe we'll find some root issues. As much as some of these songs are club bangers, we're missing out on some of these messages we're just partying to. So what are actually listening to? "Confused I just closed my young eyes and squeezed" , "I had to see my mom in tears when pop went to the store. For them Newports that he must ain't find in years" , "Used to think that I was hard, so I stole my brothers Glock And that's the day my life changed cause that night he got shot". Guilt, Shame, Lost Love, and hard upbringings can traumatize. This is some of the saddest things we hear and bob our head to. The hip-hop community has an issue on it's hands. Turning our trauma to triumph without understanding we're traumatized. Is this what leads some of our favorites to pop those perkys? Whether we can pinpoint these issues to trauma and stressor related, sexual, dissociative, or even depressive disorders one thing is for sure, we can pinpoint it and our favorites may even fit the bill for some of these disorders.

This is some of the saddest things you hear and bob your head to. The ACE (Adverse Childhood Experience) questionnaire is a tool used by social scientist to identify types of abuse, neglect, and other hallmarks of a rough childhood. How many rap songs will score high? Let's just say that our rappers may not be coping in the best ways. Which may not be surprising due to that ACEs are labeled as a contributing factor of an early onset of substance abuse. When you're stressed out what do you turn to?

So what do we do? Do we support these rappers? How do we help? Can we?

"I learned you get famous before you get rich" - Joe Budden.

All of these things can haunt our favorite artist and these are just things in the past. But let's say that nothing in their past was an issue whether it is known or unbeknownst to these rappers.

What's going down in the present?

How much pressure is it to be the rich one? Now that's a whole another can of worms we'll open another blog.

[theboomboxdoctrine]

Lupe Fiasco - Lupe Fiasco's The Cool

When we first met Lupe he was giving us a ghetto love story of a kid and the freedom he has with his skateboard. On his sophomore effort, he turns a whole album into a theme that is the coolest. Food & Liquor introduced us to the coolest nigga, who awoke from the dead. Lupe Fiascos The Cool tells the tale of that individual. It's been 10 years since this album graced the hip-hop community but have we really appreciated that piece of work? Let me put you on game. The Upsides: Lupe does not spare a topic on this album. This is one diverse piece of work. Lupe goes from speaking on kid soldiers in foreign countries to what the evils of the world are that makes us cool. This album becomes a dumping ground of emotional cries for help. It is as if Lupe is speaking for the ones we tend to forget in the real world. Songs such as "Intruder Alert" and "Fighters" are examples of just that. The beats on this album are as diverse as Lupe's verses; from beats that sound as 50 Cent would've been on it from beats that reminiscent of Linkin Park Lupe does not discriminate. The Downsides: As much as the album is great it leaves one major key out: a cohesive transition of the theme. Whilst the album does play well the songs seem to be sort of randomly placed. The album isn't fluid as say a movie would be but it is still tolerable and the message still gets across.

Honorable Mentions: "The Coolest":I'll be the coolest nigga. Lupe spits over this beat and focuses on the streets and the game. As typical as that sounds Lupe puts a spin to it. Personifying the streets and the game they become their own entities, in this sense dieties, making promises to the young cool nigga Lupe is.

"She said that she would give me greatness status Placement above the others My face would grace covers of the magazines of the hustlers Paper, the likes of which that I had never seen Her eyes glow green with the logo of our dreams The purpose of our scene, the obscene obsession for the bling She would be my queen, I could be her king, together She would make me cool, and we would both rule, forever"

Dumb It Down: Simply a fest of bars that go over heads. Along with these bars lupe adds 2 hooks that signify where the rap game is and where it is in offices.

"You going over niggas heads, Lu (Dumb it down!) They telling me that they don't feel you (Dumb it down!) We ain't graduate from school, nigga (Dumb it down!) Them big words ain't cool, nigga (Dumb it down!) Yeah I heard "Mean and Vicious", nigga (Dumb it down!) Make a song for the bitches, nigga! (Dumb it down!) We don't care about the weather nigga (Dumb it down!) You'll sell more records if you (Dumb it down!)" "You've been shedding too much light, Lu (Dumb it down!) You make 'em wanna do right, Lu (Dumb it down!) They're gettin' self-esteem, Lu (Dumb it down!) These girls are trying to be queens, Lu (Dumb it down!) They're trying to graduate from school, Lu (Dumb it down!) They're startin' to think that smart is cool, Lu (Dumb it down!) They're trying to get up out the hood, Lu (Dumb it down!) I'll tell you what you should do (Dumb it down!)"

[theboomboxdoctrine]

Lil Wayne - Tha Carter II

Circa 2005, Lil Wayne was on top of the rap game. To say you didn't know who the southern emcee was would've been a bold face lie. The fireman who tells the DJ when to go dropped "Tha Carter II" back in the height of his mixtape success. So what we're going to do with this one right here is give you a throwback. Let's get into this album full of Hustler Musik. So from the beginning of the album you can sense that Weezy is trying to set a certain tone for the album.

"I ain't going nowhere special I won't never leave Shit I'm already a legend if I ever leave Game get rid of me? Not little me Man I got 'em I'm gonna get 'em B I'm hungry like I didn't eat I want it like I didn't see a mill before seventeen What the fuck you niggas telling me? You pups can't keep up with the Pedigree" Spitting these bars you know Wayne was trying to get to this top spot that was rightfully his. Tha Carter II is an album with club bangers, introspective joints, and that gangsta shit. One of Wayne's best work, Tha Carter II is certified Platinum. All well deserved. The Upsides:The most notable upside to this piece of work may be it's diverse sound. Wayne is bringing some of his witty metaphors but also in a slick manner that aren't too hard to understand. "All I have in this world Is a pistol and a promise A fistful of dollars A list full of problems I address 'em like P.O. boxes Yeah I'm from New Orleans The Creole cockpit We so out of it Zero tolerance Gangsta gumbo I'll serve 'em a pot of it I'm wealthy Still fucking with that block shit" Just in case you wanted to know how to sum up the album. The Downsides: You know what you're expecting with Wayne. So to say there are Downsides to this album would be a reach. Honorable Mentions: "Get Over ft. Nikki": This one right here just gives you a deeper view into Wayne's head. It's all in the first verse, don't believe me? Check for yourself wooodie. Get it, Its a New Awlins joke [insert laughter here] "Stay strong, be tough, that's what the preacher tell ya He never really felt ya, so he can't even help ya Need a shoulder to lean on, somebody to cry to It's like everything's gone, but I'm a survivor Standing on stage in front of thousands Don't amount to me not havin my father That's real talk, I know a lot of y'all got 'em But you need 'em way more when you gotta go without 'em And I'm without 'em, but that's life y'all Sometimes you gotta learn to swim with no lifeguard I'm alright, God, shit, I'm still breathin But losses hurt like bullets, I'm about to start bleedin Throw me down some comfort, cause my heart need it Tryin to cope wit my chances and meet 'em There's a dark road ahead, but I'm tryin to take it easy" Fireman: All alone Wayne has been dropping these hints that he got that fiya. On fireman we see just that. Boasting and bragging on how hot he is Wayne adds a certain taste of wittiness that in 2005 was pure ether [no pun intended]. whether spitting lines like this: Gotta be abstract You catch my girl legs open, better smash that Don't be surprised if she ask where the cash at I see she wearing them jeans that show her butt crack My girls can't wear that Why? That's where my stash at. OR like this Riding by myself Well, really? Not really (Well...) So heavy in the trunk Make the car pop a wheelie Its easy to see how Wayne would have to put his red rag over the mic when he's spitting. Dont worry he wont burn the whole booth down.

[theboomboxdoctrine]

Rick Ross - Rather You Than Me

Ricky "The Boss/Rozay" Ross is on his 9th studio album. Let's give it up for that. Rather You Than Me is reminiscent of Teflon Don. Sonically rozay goes back to his smooth raps over smooth beats.So where are we now with MR. Rozay? We're at the eptiome of aged rap. From the second the intro opens up you know that this album is going to be different.

"Standin' on your block but you so out of place Uncle on the couch, momma runnin' out of space Lights off so you never tend to speak much Go your separate ways every time the lease up A fat ugly nigga, thought I'd never be nothin' Another tree stump, happy with his free lunch" So with an introduction like this how can you go wrong? What you know bout wingstop nigga? You dont know shit about wingstop nigga. The Upsides: Ross brings forth a whole slew of different beats. The album flows very well, the transitioning here is sweet. The largest positive of this album isnt the brag rap but the rich inspirational rapping ross does. "When you black, lips chapped 'cause the game cold I'm givin' niggas jobs when I sing songs (let's go) White man love me when I get my bling on (nigga) But you hate me buyin' real estate in foreign land (what) Respect my genius" The Downsides: TOO MANY FEATURES. Ross has maybe 2 songs completely alone with no guest. This is completely unfair to the consumers. We're getting some jewels in Ross's verses but it seems as if Ross is relying on the work of these artist. Honorable Mentions: Game Aint Based On Sympathy: More boss talk. Ross is simply putting out the jewels for us to capture. Highlighting the trials he and others had faced in the ghetto's of America and doing his due diligence. "Renovatin' the ghettos, movin' me elsewhere Daddy didn't see pension, they took his healthcare Affordable housin' and they fed us welfare Showed us Tony Montana, teachers couldn't care less A young prince in Miami, son of a pharaoh This is deeper than raps, I can't run from the echoes And I still hear the screams

[theboomboxdoctrine]

Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.

Alright everyone K.Dot. No. Kendrick Lamar. No. KUNG FU KENNY (that sounds about right) has touched back down on earth and dropped a new work of art onto us. Not in the same theme of his last Effort "To Pimp A Butterfly" of black consciousness in today's political and social climate, it is still a beautiful work of art nonetheless. What's this new Kung Fu Kenny like? This album is all packaged up to have these following ingredients: Power, Poison, Pain and Joy. This is a whole new sound for Kendrick its more modern upbeat music, but the message is still there. The Upsides: You know what you're getting from Kung Fu Kenny when it comes to a project. This project added in a new realm to Kendrick's discography. Kendrick has a great way of releasing singles that play a larger part into a movie of an album. Once more Kendrick is growing right in front of our eyes. Rapping over hard gritty beats with his signature voice. The Downsides: Lets see what we can find here to say is negative. We here at the doctrine love this album. Yet, kendrick seems to be finding new ways to be having fun with his music. Anytime you think Kendrick is finally going down one actual path and you're grooving. It'll change. Honorable Mentions:

Fear: Take a walk through Kendrick's life and what was his most intimate fears at the ages of 7, 17, and 27. 3 verses that let you into the mind of Kendrick and maybe just even into inner city youth of America?

Age 7 Kendrick: "I beat yo ass, you better not run to your father. Seven years old, think you run this house by yourself? Nigga, you gon' fear me if you don't fear no one else" Age 17 Kendrick: "I'll prolly die anonymous. I'll prolly die because these colors are standin' out I'll prolly die from one of these bats and blue badges Body slammed on black and white paint, my bones snappin' I'll prolly die 'cause that's what you do when you're 17". Age 27 Kendrick: "The shock value of my success put bolts in me All this money, is God playin' a joke on me? Is it for the moment, and will he see me as Job? Take it from me and leave me worse than I was before? At 27, my biggest fear was losin' it all Scared to spend money, had me sleepin' from hall to hall Scared to go back to Section 8 with my mama stressin"

[theboomboxdoctrine]

Phantasm Pens

Alright, we wanted to wait for Meek to drop his official response track to discuss this situation. No, there will be no review of any tracks here. Today, we are here to discuss the topic of songwriting. Now Meek Mill disrespected Wheelchair Jimmy and is currently being bodied by a singing nigga. So what prompted all of this you may ask. Drake is accused of not writing his own raps. That’s a large accusation in the rap community. So as we always do at this time, Let’s break it down. Part 1: Why is this so serious? Part 2: Can rappers have ghostwriters? Part 3: The sins of a ghostwriter.

Why is this so serious? First and foremost rappers are expected to bring the meanest pen game. Rap is a competition within its essence. When one uses a ghostwriter its more of a spit in the face to “the game”. The person themselves starts to look a bit transparent. How are you going to be the one everyone quoting but then these lyrics weren’t crafted from your pen. This is so serious that when a ghost writer is revealed for a major artist it makes people question their catalog. Since Aubrey is out here using ghostwriters we have to question our instagram quotes and facebook statuses. Who was really running through the 6 with their woes? OMG OMG if Drake dies who’s the legend? These are the questions we really have to ask ourselves. Can Rappers have ghostwriters? Theres two ways you can chop this fable. It’s pretty basic either YES or No Dammit, What you doing with a ghostwriter. If you’re on the side of Yes let’s expound. If rappers aren’t claiming to be the best or boasting and bragging shouldnt it be okay? They aren’t hurting anyone and making music that’s entertaining at the moment. Rappers are also entertainers and they’re multi-faceted. If they arent able to write a hit is it okay to get help from a hit-maker? Yes, but only for the chorus the verses must be written by the artist. If Soulja Boy had “Crank That” ghostwritten would be be angry at him for it? But if you’re on the side of No there must be only one explanation. Being a rapper means you’re a rapper and an entertainer. You have to understand that rappers have a job to entertain. In the immortal words of Jay-Z “I’m a writer for myself and others”. Rappers write period. Sins of a ghostwriter! Who’s the beneficiary here? Ghostwriters do get paid for what they produce so they are winning if they produce a hit. Where can they lose in this situation? A sound may become noticeable now certain artist are scared to touch a record from that certain ghostwriter. Now you out of luck. The sins of a ghostwriter is funny only becomes they’re doing their job but can lose everything just because someone got caught. Amazing isnt it? Now this can either propel the said ghostwriter career. There’s always two sides to a coin. Shoutout to all the songwriters: Verse Simmonds, Sauce Money, Ester Dean, Terius Nash, Everyone whose wrote a Dr. Dre Verse, Everyone whose wrote a Diddy verse

[theboomboxdoctrine]

Artist Spotlight: Vince Staples

With so much drama in the L-B-C. it's kinda hard being the V-i-n-c-to the - E. Aha, gotcha. You thought this was going to be the 2015 Gin & Juice? But no its not. Today we're going to shine the spotlight on Vince Staples. At the age of 22 Vince is signed to Def Jam with his debut album already out. Vince carries a unique voice on top of each of his records. Learning to get used to Vince's voice is a skill that takes times. His lyrical ability is up to par with his vivid imaginary. Telling his crippin' tale of his teens in LBC his debut album "Summertime '06" details just what the title insinuates. Lets drop some random lines from this project , why dont we? "More black kids killed from a pill than the FEDs in the projects / In the planned parenthood playin' God with ya mom's check / you ain't even been to prom yet" "I shot your child so what you know we wildin' after dark / The sun come down and guns come out you know Ramona Park / Bandana brown my skin is brown I'm fightin' wit' the law" . How can you not appreciate these lyrics? The american nightmare? In the planned parenthood playin god with ya mom's check? (Planned parenthood was founded by a racist white lady). C'mon man words like this shouldnt even be on a song. My god Picturing these lyrics through the eyes of 13 year old is something very scary (Do the math, album titled Summertime '06 and Vince is currently 22). The lyrical savant was featured on the XXL's freshmen list of 2015. So be on the look out for any new works or any interview the guy is pretty interesting. Check out Vince's early work on livemixtapes.com or datpiff.com or even youtube.

[theboomboxdoctrine]

Is There Love In Hip-Hop?

Me & My Bitch, 21 Questions, I Need Love, Beautiful, All I Need, Song Cry, and Put It On Me. Each of these tracks have are ode's to the undeniable love these rappers have for their women. Lets get down to the nitty gritty, its pretty simple. Has the growing generation (Post 2005) had a slew of love songs? Lusty songs over a loving instrumental aren't love songs. Where did all the rappers who aren't afraid to show their actual feelings go? Lets break this down. Whats the problem here? People can't separate the lust songs vs love songs. Lust Lets define lust shall we everyone? Lust for men is when she's wearing her boyshorts and spills cereal on her thighs and you thinking about what other white substance she's going to have to clean up. Women do get lusty too; like when she's jumping into her jeans and she's thinking about bouncing on the sausage. Then again those examples may not be clear. According to dictionary.com lust is an "uncontrolled or illicit sexual desire". So any songs that fall under this category don't count as love songs (Drunk in love). These songs about how deep homie about to venture into that pink rabbit hole ain't it. Let's give you some examples. "You must be used to me spending / And all that sweet wining and dining, well, I'm fucking you tonight." or how about "Heard you not the type that you take home to Mom / Is we fucking when we leave the club or nah? / I ain't spending cash for nothing, I wanna see you take it off / I'ma pop this bottle, you gon' give me brain or nah?". Man can't no-one quote this to their new boo or put this as an instagram status. Misogynistic songs have been at the core of music since the dawn of time and that's not to blame. What's to blame you ask? We'll let you decide that. Maybe the time of actually being vulnerable in music has passed. Finding a love song now-a-days seems like finding a needle in a haystack. Love We're not going to define love because that's too damn hard. What we're going to do is let these rappers define it and you decide where you fit. "Love's a battlefield / it's not a one-night stand Alone / praying every day that I can stop thinking about you But I would go to war with God for you baby" , "I just want you to know / Your whole being is beautiful / I'ma do the best I can do / Cause I'm my best when I'm with you" , or how about when Ja Rule muttered these immortal words "What would I be without my baby / The thought alone might break me / And i dont want to go crazy / But, Every thug needs a lady". Those are some real powerful sentiments right there. Where have all the rappers who aren't afraid to show vulnerability gone? Even the Female rappers are made to be over sexualized or categorized as "ride or die's". Now of course our rappers tend to be about the glitz and glam but have they lost the sentiments for their significant others? Sign of the times? Have our artist lost the ability to show affection in hip hop and does this reflect on us as a society? Music is always supposed to be a sign of the times, reflection of our culture, and our expressive nature in general. Okay, yes, people are afraid to show some vulnerability at times but music is supposed to speak to those emotions we choose not to exude. We probably have just gotten caught up in the glitz and glam of social media and haven't taken time out to get to someone else. As a society maybe it's our fault for becoming too materialistic and focusing on other things and not relationships (if we have any). Dr. Naim Akbar once said "Male and female are intertwined synergic forces that are inseparable and are vitally maintaining each other while maintaining themselves". Have we lost sight of that? What constitutes a love song? Male rap artist love saying "This one for the ladies". When those words are uttered it's thought of that the song is a "love song". But what really is a "love song"? Songwriter Cynthia Weil says "Most people can’t express their feelings, so a good love song has to make them say, ‘Oh my God, that’s just the way I feel.”. If we're going to use that definition for a love song can you match a hip-hop song post '05 that does that? Outside of a drake song.

[theboomboxdoctrine]

Meek Mill - Dreams Worth More Than Money

Meek Mill is back with his sophomore effort everyone. So yes he's yelling again. Right out the gate Meek is at our speakers ...yelling... with the intro track that's highlighting his current situation. "Shout out that judge that denied me my bail/ It made me smarter and made me go harder/ They locked me up and slowed my album up/ but I did not give up Cause I knew I would prevail" and prevailing Meek most definitely is. 14 tracks with hard hitting beats and even harder hitting lyrics DWMTM (Dreams Worth More Than Money) is looking to be well worth the wait. The Upsides: Meek doesn't stray from what he’s known for,no not yelling, staying in his lane. The upside of this album is Meek’s newfounded attitude. Same content, different swagger. Giving fans a glimpse inside the penal system without sacrificing our interest. Granted, Meek is still the hard thug from Philly but this time around he has a few tracks that have a softer feel (yes, he's still loud). Reaching across all spectrums Meek most definitely did it right. The Downsides: The structure of the album seems to be random in sorts. The songs with Nicki Minaj (a.k.a. the love songs) seems to serve as the interludes before the next hard hitting track comes up. No-one is complaining about the grittiness of the album but can we get something else, maybe something introspective. Due to the structure of the album, songs that inspire or have meaningful lyrics are overshadowed by the next song. Honorable Mentions: Lord Knows: Meek might be the king of album intros. Coming straight from the pen back into the booth sharpening his sword is no difficult task. "I just came from jail, ain't do no crying. They put me through hell, sharpened my iron I did my push-ups and roared with the lions". Just another solid intro from meek showing the game where he is mentally. Bad For You (Ft. Nicki Minaj):So this song is pretty funny. The title should be F.T.E (Fuck That Ex). This one here is for the ladies or for the dudes who have yet to find lyrics to dedicate to their new thang or old flame...Drake is missing in action for the thugs. Since both verses are from Meek himself it makes the song that more complete as he just professes his love for Onika Minaj. "How could something that's so wrong feel so right? But who to tell you this wrong, though? This your life" "You look at my eyes and see what's inside You know that it's pride, you say that I'm worth it But said I ain't ready, baby I'm ready Really I'm ready I'm ready like never before I'mma just give you a key to my heart You'll be the first that I let in the door"

[theboomboxdoctrine]

XXL Freshman 2015

Guess who’s bizzack still smel… Wrong introduction never mind that. XXL Magazine drops their freshmen list annually and this year is nothing different. Fresh off their show at Best Buy theater in NYC its a good time to break this list down.The list is made to highlight what artist should blow up, have a productive year, or who to pay attention to. XXL has a reputation for having a list that doesn’t always predict bright futures. 2015 adds 10 new freshmen to the school of XXL’s freshmen. Now lets get down to it and introduce you to our incoming class. •Goldlink - DMV •Raury - Atlanta •Tink - Chicago •Shy Glizzy - DMV - D.C. •Fetty Wap - New Jersey •Dej Loaf - Detroit •Vince Staples - Long Beach, C.A. •K Camp - Atlanta •OG Maco - Atlanta •Kidd Kidd - New Orleans

Standouts I’m like hey wassup hello / Seen yo pretty ass soon as you came in the door. It ain’t nothin’ to cut that bitch off (x2) / So what you sayin’ hoe, you know im the man hoe (x2) Let a nigga try me try me / I’m a get his whole mothafuckin’ family / And I ain’t playin with nobody / Fuck around and I’m a catch a body You are lying if you’re saying you didn’t read those lyrics in the tone of the songs. So of course we have the hitmakers. With the likes of Dej Loaf, K Camp, and Fetty Wap XXL has covered the hot newcomers. Since their breakout singles these artist have traveled through radio waves respectively. There’s barely a radio station that doesn’t have a Fetty Wap, Dej Loaf, or K Camp record in rotation. These are the standout artist on the list for this year. Now as totally weird as this may sound the list does nothing for artist who fall under this category. We expect them to be here. So we shall leave them alone. Bye guys…..and lady. Who are these guys? Like we always do at this time I go for mine… Wrong introduction never mind that…Again. With every Freshmen list XXL always throws us a few people who haven’t gotten little to much exposure. These picks usually turns heads since they aren’t known (e.g. Macklemore). First up to bat is GoldLink from the DMV. Now who’s GoldLink you’re probably asking XXL. GoldLink is a rapper that has a unique flow just really smooth over even smoother and funky beats. ‘Link may serve as the token pick who represents a different genre or spectrum of hip-hop that has to be catered to. Songs like Sober Thoughts, When I Die, Velho, and The Heart shows an ear for a plethora of beats. You might chuck Link up as a mix of Funk meets ATCQ (A Tribe Called Quest). So the other candidate for the “uhh who is this” list is Raury. Now this freshmen is the farthest left you can get on this list. We’re not sure if he’s a rapper and XXL has put non-rappers on the cover before but yet this is just simply different. Raury is a combination of Kid Cudi and Childish Gambino. Known for his feature on Gucci Mane’s Dead President track in 2014. Now the question that always seems to pop up with artist that fall under this category is “will they pop?” The Up-And-Comers •The new hitmakers So who falls under the new hitmakers? We’ve got Shy Glizzy & OG Maco. Glizzy is mister “AWWSOME” and outside of that he hasn’t had a hit that can combat that. Glizzy has one thing on his side his uniqueness he sounds nothing like the other artist on the list. Maco on the other hand is also known for his hit “U Guessed It”. He can be seen as this list yelling front man, or a downsouth Meek Mill if you will. The problem with the up-and-comers who are considered hit makers are that they’re very expendable. Don’t believe that? When the last time you’ve heard Roscoe Dash on a record? In defense of Glizzy and Maco they have been holding their own respectively without being featured on popular songs. • The lyrical savants or actual rappers Okay so here’s where the list gets a bit fuzzy. These artist usually have a cosign due to their actual skill. Now we’ve gotten through the list and we rest with the last 3 suitors. Tink, Vince Staples, and Kidd Kidd. Tink is the only female on the list this year so is it safe to say she’s just here to fill a minority? NO. Being timbaland’s protege she already has one paramount cosign alongside this cover. This lady is a dual edged sword rapper-singer combination. Let’s move along to the West Side of things. The only west coast artist on this year, Vince Staples. Fresh off inking his Dej Jam deal and dropping his Def Jam debut album “Summertime 06” staples is the perfect candidate for this exposure. Being signed to Def Jam shines a light on Staples that the magazine can only extend. As stated in a previous article “Vince has one of those unique voices that may not have been fully developed and it does get stale.” Coming up last like A-Rods next to bat is Kidd Kidd. The New Orleans MC is no stranger to the limelight. You’ve heard Kidd Kidd before if you’ve heard Lil Wayne’s “Mrs. Officer” cause obviously he’s Kidd Kidd and his face is on every wanted poster plus he’s wanted by every lady cop all over. Oh yeah being the new G-Unit signee that gives Kidd stock a tremendous boost additionally. So that’s all folks. Who’s your favorite artist on this list? Who’ll be the next standout artist from this list? Well see as the year continues to unfold.

[theboomboxdoctrine]

50 Cent - Animal Ambition

So everyone 50 Cent had a new album out...........let the hate begin. Okay now stop the hate. So 2014 seems to be shaping up as being New York's year once again. With G-unit getting back together and 50 dropping a new album can we see the reestablishment of NY Hip Hop? Now Animal Ambition is 50's latest album since Before I Self Destruct. So where do we begin with this album. First it must be stated that the features on here are pretty outfield in our opinion. From Jadakiss to Trey Songz 50 is collaborating with people we may have never imagined him on a song with. The Upsides: As always 50 stays true to his "Gangsta" persona. On songs like The Funeral 50 goes through the storytelling that gives fans a visual depiction of what he's trying to show. The shoot first ask questions last 50 is still in effect on this album. Each song on this album has its own persona, unlike past albums the songs stand on their own each one sounding different with a different energy. The Downsides: 50 lacks the beats that propelled him to his superstar status. Many of these beats on the album are reminiscent of 90's or early 2000's rap but nothing hard hitting. 2 "club" singles aren't enough for 50 cent which is the massive hit maker. It feels as if 50 doesn't play to his strengths on this body of work. The gritty street content is always a plus but 50 doesnt work well on the balance of a full project. Honorable Mentions: The Funeral: This song is the grimey NY nature that the true 50 Cent fans have been craving. Highlighting the events leading up to a funeral and how a funeral plays out 50 draws the scene out great. Dont Worry Bout it (Ft. Yo Gotti): Leave it up to 50 to get one of the south's hottest artist to make a club banger. Don't worry bout it might be 50's largest club banger in a couple years. The hook is so damn catchy i could forget whatever the verses are. Lyrical content can exit the building for 4-5 minutes.

[theboomboxdoctrine]

XXL Freshman 2014 - The Dirty Dozen

XXL Magazine drops their freshmen list annually and this year is nothing different. The list is made to highlight what artist should blow up, have a productive year, or who to pay attention to. XXL has a reputation for having a list that doesn't always predict bright futures. Now lets break this down 5 midwest artists, 5 dirty south artists, 1 west coast artist, and 1 New York artist. So who has the highest chance of making it big in our opinion, lets see shall we? MIDWEST So first up are the Midwest Artist lets go down the list. Chance The Rapper, Vic Mensa, Lil Bibby, Lil Durk, & Jon Connor. Now here's what we're going to do, we're going to choose 2 Artist from this region and examine them and see who deserves to be here and who might not make a peep next year. You ready? The top two standout artist from this Midwest region are Chance The Rapper and Lil Bibby. Chance the rapper is mostly known for his critically acclaimed mixtape, Acid Rap, he released in 2013. The tape was met with well reviews and propelled him to various festival stages such as Coachella and Lollpalooza. Now in our opinion Chance deserves this freshmen nod due to what he's been able to do with the popularity from the tape. He jumped from songs with Action Bronson to songs with Justin Bieber. Chance isn't an one route rapper. He adds different elements to his music from his singing rap to his musical content. Coming from chicago chance doesn't stay in the lane of the "drill" music and he doesn't even come close to it but he does explain his life and experiences to his fans. As the perfect polar opposite to compliment Chance is Lil Bibby. Also a youth of the chicago streets, Lil Bibby, one of the up-and-coming drill rappers. Stories of hustling and losing friends due to the gang culture of Chicago is embedded all throughout his music. Bibby shows promise and the content of his music is somewhat surreal by not showing his age but by showing what he has gone through on this earth despite his age. The sad reality for many of the chicago population. Dirty South The South has had a hold on hip-hop for some while now. The problem with the south is the artist that come to prominence have short lived fame. This year XXL has 5 artists from the south. Who will become prominent out of the '14 class shall we? Out of the south the next big thing coming in our opinion are artists Kevin Gates & Isaiah Rashad. We chose these artists due to the fact that the other artist from the south already have a mainstream buzz. Louisiana rapper Kevin Gates seems to be an interesting individual just take a look at a few of his interviews. He shows a great deal of promise by making music for each walk of life. From love songs, to songs about betrayal, and even songs about the hard street life you cant go wrong listening to Gates. Since he deals with "severe cases of depression" its seen in his music that he has dealt with a lot in life. What makes Gates so marketable is that he fits well on a lot of music and it doesn't seemed forced. New TDE signee Isaiah Rashad is from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Now Isaiah may not blow up to mainstream success within the few months but he does have a great team behind him. With the release of Cilvia Demo earlier this year he gave new listeners a taste of what they can be expecting and it sure does taste good. Rashad's greatest weakness and strength might be his TDE camp. TDE has a group of artist that are all more popular than Rashad at the moment but this can also be a strength. Since he is on tour with schoolboy Q it may be a strength since his name can now be mentioned in different circles. East Side / West Side East V.S West Coast? Now the surprising aspect of this edition is that the west and east coast both have only 1 artist representing. For the west coast : Ty Dolla $ign for the east coast : Troy Ave. The west coast has several artists that could have been on the cover. In a battle to determine who would have a more buzz in the next months to come Troy Ave wins in our opinion. Since Troy Ave is the only New Yorker on the XXl Freshmen cover lets view who he is. Hailing from Brooklyn Troy deserves the cover the most out of any new York artist due to the fact he says "i'm going to restore the feeling". Bringing back New York style Hip-hop Troy Ave has acquired already acquired a "gangsta grillz", a slot at Summer Jam, along with various accolades from New York legends. So when you sit down and look over the artists on the XXL Freshman cover look at their profiles. Get to know the person. Watch their interviews because you may not like their music but if you get to understand their background you may warm up to their music, this is whats coming at you in the next few months.

[theboomboxdoctrine]

Production

We recently wrote about what makes a good album. Now before you read this post go back and read the "What Makes A Good Album" post here. Now that we've gotten the lyricism part out of the way let's talk about the secondary portion of music, production. It isn't just the instrumentals that musicians perform over. Production in music can be broken down into two simple elements:

1. Instrumentation 2. Mixing of the audio tracks 1. Instrumentation Headphone quality is being pushed to the maximum in this day and age. Since we are being sold on headphones so much the quality of our music should be up to par. When a producer makes a beat we as consumers just tend to pay attention to if it isn't appealing to the ear. As consumers we must notice what goes into an instrumental. Producers work hard on adding each factor to their music and we as consumers don't tend to appreciate the hard work. Listening to songs such as "Bitch don't kill my vibe" the instrumental is a perfect example of why headphones are so pricey. The chord progression, sound effects, and foreign sounds all add to a beautiful instrumental. Bringing together a mix of sounds to create a beat is a hard task. There is a certain criteria that comes along such as dynamics, placement, and effects. The right beat isn't just a nice drum pattern, there are outlining factors such as harmonies, progression, dynamics, and so forth. Since music is a product of sounds its natural to layer sounds to create art and that is apparent in hip-hop music. 2.Mixing of the audio tracks Have you ever heard a song that was good but the quality of the audio was sh*t? Well that may be due to the mixing. Maybe the most important factor of music is the mixing. Listening to artist like Blu its obvious certain people don't think quality mixing is important. When your words or instrumentation comes off "wack". Mixing is an art that us consumers look over. Think about your favorite verses and how they're set so perfectly on the beat. Go and listen to "Somebody gotta die" by Biggie Smalls. This song is the perfect example of quality mixing. It blends background noises into the beat so well that it becomes unnoticeable that they are foreign to the song.

[theboomboxdoctrine]

Lyricism

So I recently brought up the topic of what makes a good album. I introduced a couple different categories that attribute to having a good album. The first attribute we’ll be tackling is LYRICISM. Now since the beginning of hip-hop music or music in general, lyrics have been key. In hip-hop we have different types of lyricism in my eyes.

1. Saying simple stuff in a dope way 2. Story Telling 3. Evoking emotions through your words. 1.Saying simple stuff in a dope way. So lets break this down. Now rap has always been about wordplay. Back in the day it was about Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, and etc. Then came the golden era which ushered in Biggie, Pac, Nas and Jay-Z. Now we have various artists who have propelled to stardom with this dope lyrical stuff. Hip-Hop has grown over the years in terms of wordplay in all aspects. When I heard Biggie say “I got 7 Mac-11′s / About eight 38s / Nine 9s, 10 Mac Tens / The shit never ends / You can’t touch my riches / Even if you had MC Hammer and them 357 bitches” OR when i heard Nas said “Rappers I monkey flip em with the funky rhythm I be kicking/ musician inflictin’ composition/ Of pain I’m like Scarface sniffin cocaine/ Holding an M-16/ see with the pen I’m extreme” I made the face that usually comes after you shit yourself. Where has Hip-Hop gone with the lyrical prowess that is so potent in its music? Being clever is important when it comes to wordplay. Saying simple shit in a dope way is evident in today's rap game by way of various artists. “Whats your plans to win a grammy? Sweet taste of victory like Oprah's punany." Kendrick could've just said you want success and called it a day. These lyrical skills rappers possess are well noted and are in dire need in this day and age. The early to mid 2000’s saw a drought of lyricism in the game and its still an epidemic coming from artist like Future, 2 Chainz, French Montana, Young Scooter, Rich Homie Quan, and other artists. 2.Story Telling Storytelling: the oldest element of rap. From Grandmaster Flash’s “The Message” to Slick Rick’s “Children’s Story" storytelling has been at the forefront of rap since its creation. Storytelling comes second to lyricism because beautiful enticing wordplay isn't needed. From generation to generation storytelling may be the only element that hasn't faltered. In the mainstream hip-hop of today the storytelling element has fallen down the stairs and hasn't gotten up yet. Rappers don't paint pictures in most cases. Remember the good days when an artist's words were a paintbrush? Storytelling is important to hip-hop just because of the sheer talent it exposes if done right. Rappers who tell their own life stories or tragedies have a large fan base because fans feel as if they know them and can place themselves into the story being told. Sincerity in rap goes a long way. Storytellers of our generation? Every rapper. I know you're about to throw whatever you're reading this on, on the floor and break it but just keep reading. All rappers have a story, its just that some cannot articulate their story in lavish ways. Some work out the stories to attract you and even make you feel as if its hot fire. "Wack Rappers" look up to the good rappers.Two different artists may have two different stories to weave but its all received in context. (eg: Gucci Mane - Sun Valley & Jay-Z - American Dreamin) All rappers have a story to tell may it be that they're wack or that they're hot. 3. Evoking Emotions Through Your Words. Have you ever been listening to Chief Keef and want to go outside and commit a homicide? Have you ever been listening to Pusha T and decide you want to just want to go carry around a Kilo worth of cocaine? Or Have you ever listened to scarface and decided you need to get your life in order? Bob Marley lied when he said "One thing bout music when it hit you feel no pain." Music touches your soul no matter what. Rappers and singers alike have the talent to make you want to do something or even feel a certain way. Certain rappers now-a-days don't really have the skill to draw out a situation and make you feel different each time a new verse is uttered. In recent times, we have been sad and emotional due to Drake's love songs but we have barely seen songs about situations of real life. Mainstream hip hop is still showing the gangster rap and nothing that has any substance to it. Substance is what really makes the artist more humanistic. Listening to Pac's "Brenda's Got A Baby" made you want to re-evaluate your life. Songs barely give us this emotion in this era but what can we expect. Showing the fans an introspective side lets them feel as though they know the artist more and can empathize with the artist as well.

[theboomboxdoctrine]

Vince Staples - Shyne Coldchain Vol2

The west coast is really putting their foot on the neck of 2014. Newcomer Vince Staples welcomes Shyne Coldchain Vol.2 to the west coast opus of 2014. Showcasing his lyrical ability and his way of life in Long Beach Staples gives the underground of the west coast a breath of fresh air that is needed to replace the happy go lucky party rap. The Upsides: Vince keeps his lyrical sword sharp on this album while not sacrificing any of his flow or unique voice on these records. The album goes on to be pretty revolutionary on certain songs which keep social commentary alive. Lines like: "Fuck the pigs alive and dead/ ‘cuz they ain’t never had my back/ See you black, ‘fore you a man/ and you a nigga ‘fore you that" shows the racial discrimination still runs rampant in Vince’s generation. Painting how his humanity and innocence is stripped away makes this project interesting. The Downsides: Vince has one of those unique voices that may not have been fully developed and it does get stale. The album has such a dark quality of music lyrically; so dont expect nothing cute here at all. So for those who usually need a break from the gangster music to a calm mellow story you wont find it here. Honorable Mentions: Nate (Ft. James Fauntleroy): This song is so dope. Slamming beat & beautiful story about his sad upcoming in his home. From front to back the song shows you the lifestyle he lives because he wanted to be like his father. The sad reality of his upbringing boils down to Vince saying he wants to kill a man and how all he wanted was a hundred grand all because his daddy did it.

[theboomboxdoctrine]

YG - My Krazy Life

The West Coast has been on an impressive sprint in terms of hip-hop and this album is just another fact of that. My Krazy Life guides you through the krazy life of Bompton Gang member YG. The album goes through every stage of gang banging and doesn't miss a beat from initiation, to shootouts, to criminal activities, to your parents even being worried about you, and even going to jail. The album follows a beautiful sequence and even keeps the listeners entertained with interludes that help keep this movie going. The Upsides: To those being introduced to the new west coast this album offers up another view of the west coast. YG offers up a younger view of gang banging and the life he lives due to his affiliation. Lyrical YG paints a story for us on each song that proves Gangsta rap is still alive and kicking in the west coast. The interludes on the album help keep the album in order as if it were a movie, the structure of the album is very well put together. DJ Mustard takes care of most of the production here on this album so the album contains a head bopping vibe for its majority. The Downsides: Being that DJ produced most of the instrumentals on the album sonically it may sound the same varying from song to song even when the beats are good. YG voice changes on several songs from verse to verse which makes it hard to keep up with who your listening to especially when certain features come from artist that don't have a vocal niche carved out. Honorable Mentions: I Just Wanna (Ft Jay Rock & ScHoolBoy Q) Snatching up fellow west coast gang bangers YG just wants to party on this DJ Mustard beat and doesnt want to hurt anybody. Being the second track on the album brings a sensation of a good time which is resonated with west coast weather. The stars of this song are the two TDE rappers ScHoolBoy Q and Jay Rock. Both rappers outshine YG but still manage to stay true to their own styles. Sorry MaMa (Ft Ty Dolla $ign): Maybe one of the most introspective tracks on the album. YG narrates his mothers trouble of dealing with him due to his gang banging in the street. Giving us a touching story of him and his mother arguing due to her love for him and his love he has for her.

[theboomboxdoctrine]

Ashanti - Braveheart

Ashanti has returned to the music game after her hiatus. She comes back with her newest offering "Braveheart". Braveheart travels through her relationship and its aftermath effect on her. Somewhat like a phoenix arising from the ashes Ashanti begins her comeback with the simple words "A lot of people counted me out and that feeds my hunger". An album full of emotions and a happy track here and there. Ashanti tries to execute her first independent solo album while self proclaiming herself a braveheart. The Upsides: When I first turned on the album I didn't care for it. When I finished it I still didn't. Yet aside from that Ashanti does do a good job painting her emotional hurt which is what interested me towards the album. Production on the album is well rounded going from pop sounding songs to the sappy love song instrumentals. The Downsides: The album wants to be well rounded content wise and it doesn't work well. Each song seems to be about a break up minus two or three songs. Showing off her vocal skills Ashanti comes off whining. The album showcases her breakup on a grand scale. With lyrics such as "Time and time again I convince myself that we ain't over", "I'm staring in the mirror saying ''damn, I really love him'', or even "My heart is slain". There's barely a happy moment on the album which doesn't lift the vibe. The album doesn't show growth it just sits in breakup mood. No happiness after the breakup songs here so the album is stagnant within it mud of depression. It seems like a EP based on her previous song "Way That I Love You". Honorable Mentions: Intro: On my second listen to the album I noticed i only vibed with two songs. The intro is really a standout track that the rest of the album does a poor job matching up to. Showing her qualities as a girlfriend with a catchy chorus gives this track its appeal. Scars: The anthem of a breakup. The song sonically is appealing but lyrically just shows fresh open wounds of a breakup. Falling in love is never an easy task and Ashanti is letting her listeners know that. Giving up your soul and all you leave with is scars.