The Message Blog: Saturday Sample: Brand Nubian/Lou Donaldson and Bill Conti

Review - Stone Arm Steady - In Search of Stoney Jackson

Posted by Wally $ean On January 25, 2010

While former Death Row reps were bemoaning the state of California hip-hop, a handful of independent-minded lyricists established a new age empire that has since defined the left coast soundscape. And although they have gotten far less shine then some of their brethren, the three man collective Strong Arm Steady's contribution to this movement is no less important. Now, Krondon, Phil Da Agony and Mitchy Slick have teamed up with California's premiere independent beatsmith Madlib for In Search of Stoney Jackson.

Review - The Clipse - Til the Casket Drops

Posted by Wally $ean On January 23, 2010

The Clipse have perhaps one of the most spotless track records in Hip-Hop. Between the flawless albums (excluding the unreleased Exclusive Audio Footage, of course) and bar-setting mixtapes, the brothers Thorton have carved a niche for themselves as two of the most lyrical emcees in recent times. Sadly, though, three times isn't the charm for Malice and Pusha T, as their latest effort Til the Casket Drops is D.O.A., save for a few glimpses of lyrical brilliance.

Review - M.O.P. - Foundation

Posted by Wally $ean On October 1, 2009

Arguably the most hardcore of all hip-hop artists to grace the scene, M.O.P., individually known as Billy Danze and Lil’ Fame aka Fizzy Womack, have secured an incredibly devoted fan base with their raucous, no holds-barred music. Despite the Brownsville duo’s numerous label setbacks, courtesy of Roc-a-Fella and G-Unit Records, fans still remain to the foundation. Now, after nine years since their last proper studio album Warriorz in 2000, the Mash-Out Posse has returned with their latest studio album Foundation.

Review - Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...II

Posted by Wally $ean On September 20, 2009

It's been five long years since Raekwon announced his plans to release the sequel to his masterpiece debut Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995. And with two previous duds under his belt, Immobilarity and The Lex Diamond Story, it seemed like CL II was going to follow suit, if at all...[yet] Cuban Linx II is an album perfectly matched for the current state of Hip-Hop. Rae middles between the old school vibes of the 5 year plan era Wu-Tang and the harder edge music of the present...Break out the blue and cream Clark's, it's time for Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Vol. 2.

Review - Big Twins - The Project Kid

Posted by Wally $ean On August 28, 2009

As of late, it seems as if Queensbridge's musical luminosity has dulled...yet such an assumption is incorrect as longtime Mobb Deep affiliate Big Twins has unleashed his debut solo album The Project Kid. The gravel-voice Twins isn't necessarily a strong rapper. Much like his mentor Prodigy, he delivers simplistic rhymes. Yet what firmly anchors The Project Kid is Twins' hard-body and antagonistic delivery and a blazing production line up from producers like the Alchemist and Sid Roams. The Project Kid shakes and skulks with a paranoid, antisocial tension that makes it an intriguing and worthwhile listen

Saturday Sample: Brand Nubian/Lou Donaldson and Bill Conti

Posted by Wally $ean On Saturday, July 04, 2009

Apologies for the hold up on this, but I've been a bit distracted by tour-de-force that is National Treasure 2. Anyway, today's sample comes from Brand Nubian's "Punks Jump Up to Get Beat Down," off '93s In God We Trust. The samples in the song come from Lou Donaldson's "It's Your Thing," which is one of the most sampled songs in Hip-Hop, and Bill Conti's "Gonna Fly Now" from Rocky.

Brand Nubian - "Punks Jump Up to Get Beat Down"

Lou Donaldson - "It's Your Thing"

Bill Conti - "Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky)"