J. Cole released his Roc Nation debut last week and the disgruntled fan masses awoke with a myriad of opinions. Critical reception has been lukewarm, but welcome to the new age of Hip-Hop criticism where popular mixtape artists get on with a label and drop turds, since anything less than an effort resembling Reasonable Doubt meets acrimony. Read the rest of this entry »

The question was raised in a recent discussion if a Grammy still mattered. Now granted, the fast-paced Internet has tossed a lot of hoopla and huff in our peripheral scope. So much to the point where every award and accolade begin to get clumped together into one big lump of routine kiss-ass. But don’t think for a second there’s not an artist living who doesn’t want to be recognized on music’s biggest stage for doing exactly they’ve been doing. Read the rest of this entry »

This isn’t so much of a remix as it is a rehash. But the beat is so cold and in my assertive opinion, Swizzle does the damn thang on the hook, so, take that haters. If you payed close attention to the second original, Mary J.’s vocals were never lifted off the first original so her presence here (and the VMA’s) were more natural than what met the naked ear. Read the rest of this entry »

I recently read that Drake is a socially awkward, lip-puckering roody-poo whose best moments happen when he’s off camera. The fact that his videos—from So Far Gone to Thank Me Later—have been met with heavily mixed reviews may validate that person’s opinion just a smidget. But as for the music, several remix projects dedicated to his debut alone give Drizzy immunity from the occasional ribbing. Read the rest of this entry »

Bun Bizzle was generous enough to share the original version of “Miss Me” via Twitter today. There’s a clean version too so me and the children are about to jam. Read the rest of this entry »

“Tell meeeee what’s really goin’ onnnnn” is one of the dopest openings to a song I’ve heard in a very long time. It’s just infectious as hell. It’s difficult not to walk around humming it to yourself for days after listening to Drake’s “Miss Me”. Read the rest of this entry »

Thank Me Later was copped it’s second week out and still hasn’t gotten a single spin. Aside from “Over,” I haven’t heard one song from the album we’ve given our highest rating to all year. On purpose. In some ways, I’m saving it. In others, I don’t care. The hype is over and at least ten other artists have filled any void left open for new music this scorching summer. Read the rest of this entry »

According to Drake, his first-born [studio] baby coulda-woulda-shoulda been even better than the streak of majorness you have on your iPod. Instead of opening with the buoyant and revealing sprinklings of “Fireworks,” Drizzy intended for the lyrical inferno of “9 A.M. In Dallas” to jumpstart Thank Me Later. And “Shut ‘Em Down” did leak in March to his detriment. (Patrick M. and I think it’s the best track on the tape; MZ, not so much.) Maybe the anticipation of a bigger payoff caused that record to be ignored. Read the rest of this entry »

– Drake won over big in the court of public opinion, as well as the critical ears of the review crew.

– Blog beef… skew it on the barbie.

– Remember, after you skate across that Summer school stage a few months from now that Everest College wants you. Read the rest of this entry »

No introduction needed for this one, as adoring fans and awaiting haters have anticipated the release of Thank Me Later since the DeGrassi graduate took music by storm a year ago. With the success of “Over” and a new leak with a new Hip-Hop A-lister every week for months, the foundation’s been laid for Drake to seize Hip-Hop’s spotlight. Read the rest of this entry »

…Well, give or take roughly 40,000 scans.

But with a 1st week tally of 462,989, I’m sure nobody is holding that against him. We all can thank 50 Cent for this meaningless accumulation of facts being so revered. The opening seven days is merely a fistfight compared to the year-long battle an album usually fends for to stay in the spotlight. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re a concerned fan and are worried Drake may be victim of a flop for the release Thank Me Later, Crooks & Castles is here to comfort you. To support their “homie” (who sends them texts on their iPhones to reassure this fact), they do what any good friend does when a “homie” releases their debut album. Read the rest of this entry »

While the warden’s away, Weezy will play. Putting the full court press out to support his commissary connect Young Money cohort’s album release, Wayne phoned in verse to be tacked on the already stacked “Light Up.” Read the rest of this entry »

This post is dedicated to you. Yeah you. The one with the shiny gold Maxwell in your CD wallet with Thank Me Later inscribed in top shelf Sharpie. The one who tried to impress their date the other day by putting on “Karaoke” to set the mood. Updating your Facebook statuses with all sorts of exclusive Drakisms all damn day. Read the rest of this entry »

With Thank Me Later leaking a couple of weeks before the album is supposed to officially drop, smart money has the iTunes version and retail version containing a few more Easter Eggs than originally intended. This track would fit nicely as an added incentive as it’s banging enough to have made it on the album. Read the rest of this entry »