Watch The Throne

I mean, for me...

Watch The Throne, the collaborative album by Jay-Z & Kanye West, is the best album of 2011. No I have not listened to every album that came out this year. No the year isn't over with. And honestly, it doesn't matter! If you want me to be politically correct, Watch The Throne is the best Hip-Hop album that I've personally listened to this year. Better?

But if you have not bought or at least listened to this album, you are truly missing out.

If you like catchy hooks, check out No Church in the Wild, Lift Off, or Made in America

If you like samples or laid back, throwback-type beats, listen to New Day, Primetime, or The Joy

If you like punch-line heavy, bragadocious lyrics you gotta hear N*ggas In Paris, Otis, Gotta Have It, H.A.M., Illest ______ Alive & Who Gon Stop Me (Jay-Z went INNN on this one)

Ladies, they give you props on That's My...."Chick"

If you are into lyrical content and subject matter, you have songs like Why I Love You, Welcome to the Jungle, & Murder to Excellence to listen to.

And really, some of the songs can fit into multiple categories.

This album, has something for everyone. From the club goer, to the lyrical fiend, or to the ones that say "I just like good music", this album has at least one song for you. But I would be surprised if you only liked one song.

To be fair, when I first listened to the entire album, I was underwhelmed. Few songs stuck out from the beginning as undeniable smashes. However, some songs took a while to get acclimated to. For example, I still can't really get into New Day like I want to. The lyrics and message are good, but the beat is not my favorite. But when it comes down to it, I'm one of those lyrical fiends ha ha. But some of you may not be that, and that's ok. All I can tell you is that this album as a whole, is amazing. Production is out of this world. The sounds, the way they use the sounds, the way they rap over the sounds is just phenomenal. No beat sounds like the other. No song sounds like another song. Yes, comparisons have been made about Lift Off being similar to All of The Lights production-wise. What they fail to realize is that the two songs do not sound the same, it's just the fact that both songs sound EPIC that make people who just hear the music, and not listen, think that they are more similar than they are. And if you listen to Lift Off entirely, you hear that there is a total switch in sound and beat towards the end...genius! I really don't know what else to say. Lyrics are amazing! The metaphors, the symbolism, the imagery, the story telling, the truth behind these lyrics are just awesome.

"I made 'Jesus Walks' I'm never goin' to Hell. Couture level flow is never goin' on sale. Luxury rap, the Hermes of verses. Sophisticated ignorance, write my curses in cursive" - Kanye West, Otis

"At 42 be better than 24, I carried the 4-5, mastered 48 laws. Still wearin' my 23's they can't f**k with the boy. As far as them 16's, I'm 23 of it all." - Jay-Z, Primetime

Like really?? Who comes up with lines like that? Albums like this are just unfair. It's too much talent. Too much skill. Too much creativity. And the crazy part about it, in an interview Jay-Z said that they had to cut some songs out and water some songs down because he didn't want to ruin anything they did afterwards! ha ha. In other words, this isn't their best work. << That's kind of scary... people shouldn't be that good ha ha.

But anyway, to rap (pun intended) it up, Watch the Throne is the best album since My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (Kanye West), and one of the best albums of all-time if you ask me [of albums that I've heard -__-]. It's a definite buy. At least listen to the entire album objectively the whole way through twice before you totally disagree.

..oh, and I'm ready for J. Cole's debut album next week. It should be good too!

My Top5 Favorite Rappers are...

So I havn't done this in a while, but I guess I'll jump right into it.


First let me say that this list is of who I feel are my Top5 >>FAVORITE<< rappers. Meaning that they might not be the best to ever do it in your opinion, but these are just who I like.


I mean, for me...

in at number 5 is.....a TIE between newcomers Big Sean & J. Cole.
To be honest, I haven't followed their careers too long right, but from what I've heard they are better than a lot of established artists. They have their swagg. They have lyricism and humor. They have some popularity. They have respect from big-time artists already. These two guys have come in and have set the game on fire. It may not be the most recognized fire, yet, but I have a feeling that these guys along with a couple others have the potential be the future of Hip-Hop. With Big Sean you have someone to kind of fill the party, club, yet lyrical and punch-line oriented rapper (ex: Lil Wayne). Then with J. Cole you get a more conscientious rapper. Deeper subject matter and more complex lyrics (ex: Nas). But we'll see what happens once their first albums drop. Big Sean's should dropping in a couple of weeks and J. Cole's in a month or so.

Number 4....Lil Wayne. So if you know me it might seem like I "hate" on Lil Wayne a lot, but that's just because nobody else does! ha. I mean, sometimes I feel like people exxaggerate his skills >>SOMETIMES<< but it's too much hype around him (ex: He's the best rapper alive or G.O.A.T.) That being said...I do feel and I do say that he's the best PUNCH-LINE rapper alive. Besides that I honestly don't know what else to say about Wayne. Yall know him, and most probably feel that he his the best or something. He's good, maybe even great, but just not the greatest. But I do realize his talent, that's why he's number 4.




Number 3...Lupe Fiasco. I mean, you should've seen this comin'. I did an entire blog about him. There's really nothing else I can say that I didn't already say in the Lupe blog. He's a beast lyrically. Honestly I really feel like there MAY be only two or three better...maybe. If you really listen to how he says what he says, it's just unreal. And it's not even when he's just telling a story, or when he's talking about something of substance. Even when he's just bragging about himself, he just does it better haha. If you listen to his mixtape Enemy of the State, the subject matter isn't as serious as his albums' content. It's more light, and yet still deep if that makes sense. I will say this though, his Lasers album disappointed me, but I know there were other people and issues involved that kind of changed what he planned and it was noticed. But 2/3 of his albums have been awesome!



Number 2....Jay-Z. I mean this is self explanatory. It's Jay-Z. Jigga Man. HOV. Cmon now. I don't feel like there's a real need to really explain why I like him. He's just good. Really REALLY good at this whole being a rapper and rapping thing. Lyrically he's one of the best all time. Diverse in subject matter. One minute he's telling a story about the rise and fall of a drug dealer (Fallin') Another minute he's talking about gettin with a girl (Excuse Me Miss). Then he's talking about the harsh streets and realities of the ghetto (D'Evils) or the greatness of the city he calls home (Empire State of Mind). I mean there's really nothing he hasn't touched on either on his own songs or with a verse as a featured artist. I mean the list goes on and on, but I'll get more detailed when I talk about the greatest rappers.




And number 1....Kanye West. Why is he my favorite rapper? Well he first came on the scene with Twista and Jamie Foxx on Slow Jamz. Had one of the most quotable and notable hip-hop lines of all-time with "Gotta light skinned friend look like Michael Jackson. Gotta dark skinned friend look like Michael Jackson." That line made me want to know who he was. Then he came out with hit, after hit, after hit, after hit. I was new to the whole hip-hop thing at first so I really didn't go out and buy albums when College Dropout came out, but by the time Late Registration came out, I was already at the store gettin' it. Gold Digger was the song that removed Nelly from being #1 on my list back in '05. And once I listened to the entire Late Registration album, it was official. The beats he does are different than most rapper's beats. He actually talks about real things in his songs. He has a wide range in subject matter. His lyrics can be funny, haunting, can cause thought and reflection, and some are just good punch-lines. He's so diverse in what he does and what he can do. His production and musicality is pretty much unmatched by any other rapper. The production on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was just so indescribably good and different. I love music, and you can tell by the music he makes that he does as well. His lyrics have gotten better with every album. I mean, I really don't know what else to say. He's my favorite rapper, and I feel like he's one of the best dead or alive...but we'll get to the Top5 Greatest list later...



So those are my Top5 FAVORITE rappers: 5. Big Sean & J. Cole 4. Lil Wayne 3. Lupe Fiasco 2. Jay-Z and 1. Kanye West

Lupe's Fiasco...

I mean, for Me...

Lupe Fiasco is one of the most underappreciated rappers in the "game" right now. I use to say he was underrated, but I think that's the wrong word. Rappers like Will Smith, or a new singer/songwriter like Jeremih (might get into those people in a later blog) fall under the "Underrated" category. But, after awhile, I've kind of notice that he's not really underrated. There are a lot of people that says that he's a good rapper, however not enough people say it, so technically he's underrated, but that's just not the category I feel he fits best in.

Lupe gets a lot of shine from word of mouth type popularity, but as far as national or worldwide recognition, his popularity does not match his talent...at all! His second album went gold, but personally I feel the material was worth platinum sales (one of my top 5 fav albums, that I own, but that's another blog)! His talent deserves to be performing on award shows, he deserves a number 1 spot on 106th & Park, he deserves higher spots, and longer lasting times on Billboard, and he deserves more people wanting to see him and hear his music. All of those things, that he doesn't have, yet deserves, places him in that Underappreciated category.

I don't get how people like Gucci Mane can get the shine, without the talent. I mean, I don't want to say that Gucci is talentless, BUT, what do people look for in a rapper?? Is it just a hot song?...and by song I mean HOOK cause most of these rapper's verses are wack, or lack substence. Lupe talks about real life things and issues...a lot like Kanye. I think the reason why Kanye was able to talk about the issues as well as get shine was because he watered his stuff down just enough to where people who don't care about the verses or don't pay too much attention to the lyrics, could still follow and want to listen. Lupe, much like Will Smith, however does not and I can respect that. But people gotta start lookin deeper into the words and find something more than the beat and hook to draw them in.

I feel like I'm just rambling, so Ima just rap it up...

Lupe Fiasco deserves a lot more credit, popularity, and respect than he gets. He's a CRAZY GOOD lyricist (one of the top doin it...that's another blog too lol) and he's now my 3rd favorite rapper (another blog lol)! So for me, Lupe is underrated, but more underapreciated by music listners in general.

BUT I appreciate you Lupe!! AND LASERS NEEDS TO HURRY UP AND COME OUT!! BEEN WAITIN' SINCE '08 BRUH!!! haha..OH AND IT'D BE COOL IF YOU SHOUTED ME OUT LIKE YOU DID THOSE GIRLS AT THE END OF FIGHTERS (pause haha)

Thank Me Later...

I mean, for Me...

Thank Me Later wasn't all that great. Maybe it was too hyped up and I expected a perfect album. Maybe it was because I expected something different, because he really went in a totally different direction that I thought he was goin' in. Either way, I felt that he could've done better.

Firstly, the production of the songs were too similar. I mean, they were good for what they were, but it seemed like it was a really slow and the production was too, for lack of a better word, serious. I know it's good not to have all up tempo, lively, and fun songs, but when the album is the total opposite of that, it gets kind of boring and sleeply. Listening to the first 4 songs on the album in a row almost put me to sleep, literally! He had a small section of more up tempo songs, but even with the tempo a little faster, the sounds were still really similar and I didn't like that.

Secondly, he really didn't have any "hooks" in his songs. He had choruses, but didn't have anything that I could, or at least, would want to sing along with. And again I say, I understand every song on the album cannot be the fun songs, but it would have been nice to have a few more than 3 or 4. Especially when he put out songs like Best I Ever Had..and I bet that reading the song title you're replaying the hook in your head right now! (Baby you're my everything..all I ever wanted.....You're the f***in best....) <<

Thirdly, Drake seems so sad on this album. I thought I had girl problems, this guy's love life is horrible..according to his album. The album reminded me of Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak. The differences between those 2 albums: 1. We knew that Kanye's album was gonna be somewhat sad because of the title, and the fact that he was going to be singin'; we didn't know that about Thank Me Later (at least I didn't) 2. 808s & Heartbreak had more uptempo, and different sounding production using the same type of drum, than Thank Me Later did. This album was semi-depressing at times, the lyrics & production.

There are some things I liked, or didn't dislike too much about the album though. Drake's lyrics, whether they were depressing or not, were great. The metaphors and the way he said the things he said were up to par, and were what I expected from him. Subject matter might have been different from what I assumed, but he still delivered lyrically. One suggestion I would make though, he should have had Kanye do a verse on Show Me a Good Time (which is my favorite song on the album....uptempo beat, as well as a hook ;) I just think that the song suited Kanye, and having a 3rd verse by him would have sealed the deal on that song.

So overall, his album gets a 3.2 out of 5 from me. He got as high a rating as he did even though I didn't like it that much because I think he could've and should've done better, because his potential/hype is so high! And I don't think it's right to penalize him because of what he could've done...so I rated him on what he did do, and what it was if I hadn't heard any other song from him. So it is what it is...and that's how I feel about it.

First Time...

Ok, so this is my first "blog"...so I guess I'll just give an introduction on what I plan (maybe not what I will) to blog about. Music is my 2nd love, God is my first, but since more people will talk about music, that's what ima blog about. More specifically, HipHop and maybe a taste of R&B. I plan on giving my own album reviews, artist reviews, song reviews, and opinions about people, or situations regarding music. Maybe every now and then I might turn this into a Diary and talk about my own feelings haha, but the majority will be about music, or something somehow related to it..

And the title of the blog is "I mean, for me...." because the stuff I say about the artist, song or album etc. is MY OPINION! You might not agree with me, and that's ok cause I might not agree with how you feel about a song. So I'll start off every blog saying "I mean, for me..." because for me, this is how I feel about whatever I will talk about.

Well that's it for now for my first blog..

Hope you enjoy..