Jhené Aiko - Sailing NOT Selling: Souled Out + Other Stuff

In 2002, a 14-year old LA native, Jhené Chilombo was just known for being a frequent guest appearance on boyband B2K's projects. A few solo tracks were featured on a B2K remix album (an intro, 1 full song and 2 snippets), along with her being featured on a movie soundtrack (The Master of Disguise), and a solo track on a 2 other B2K projects. The next year, Jhené was on many movie soundtracks (including You've Got Served & Barbershop) and, most importantly, released her debut single, No LOVE, a cover of a Tha Rayne song of the same name. The song, along with all the other songs she recorded from 2002, was to be on her debut album, My Name Is Jhené. However, this ended up not being released at all, due to tension at Epic. This caused her to leave the label, so that she can continue her education and possibly graduate high school. So she took a hiatus.
Suddenly, when she was 19, she returned to music, and recorded a few songs. Unfortunately, she wasn't really that recognized as she was previously. The next year, she got pregnant by former B2K singer Omarion's brother, O'Ryan, and she started recording more music. While this happened, she was a guest feature on "Growing Apart (To Get Closer)", a song off Kendrick Lamar's mixtape, Overly Dedicated. This song gained her popularity back and can be seen as a popular song from both Kendrick & Jhené. She also made a guest appearance on ScHoolBoy Q's Setbacks at the start of the new year, on a song called "Fantasy". Two months after that, she released the mixtape, Sailing Soul(s), on her 23rd birthday.

Released: March 16, 2011

Sailing Soul(s) was Jhené's (finally) debut project, as her unreleased debut was to be out 8 years ago (at this time). She released this on her birthday as a free download and featured 13 tracks. The title is a play on the phrase "selling your soul", where "sailing your soul" happens to be the opposite of selling it. The mixtape had appearances from Miguel, Gucci Mane, Drake, HOPE & Kendrick Lamar. The tape had Jhené gain more fans than before, and was praised for its concept. It also show a departure from the commercial-R&B style, used in her early years of her career; and showcased a neo-soul/PBR&B (hipster-R&B) style. This was praised by internet bloggers and critics for its lyrical content and concept, and it brought Jhené to a internal audience, although a minor one was being developed at this time.

So...

1. The Beginning
Interesting...

2. Stranger
This song introduces the darker side of the singer, and it's really appealing to me. The concept can make the listener really hooked to the song. I mean, her trying to find a guy that isn't like all the other guys, she finds that hard, since they do a lot of things to her. Great song.

3. Hoe (feat. Miguel & Gucci Mane)
Meh.

4. July (feat. Drake)
This sounds like a leftover of Drake's Thank Me Later. I mean, it's more of a Drake (feat. Jhené) track rather than what it is actually portrayed as. The background theme is nice and the beat is very light and sounds seasonal and spiritual. Drake's lyrics are interesting with the voice suiting with the song and mixing with his trademark sing-song flow. Jhené does great with her hook, and the overall project is excellent. Another great song.

5. My Mine
Arguably one of the best songs on this tape. Point Blank.

6. Popular
This song sounds exactly like a pop-rock song originally for a scrapped high-school movie, where people 21 and over remember their high-school days. Seriously, it's that bad. And the sample of 50 Cent's "Wanksta" wasn't really needed, by the way.

7. Real Now (feat. Lite, HOPE & K. Roosevelt)
A solid one from Jhené. It's good, and the 3 people contribute very well. I like the booming beat, the soft voice of Jhené, the nice rap verse from HOPE & Lite and the singing contribution from Roosevelt. This is a really good song, and it's an interesting song.

8. Sailing NOT Selling (feat. Kanye West)
Jhené gets straight to the point on why it's good to sail your soul, instead of selling it, and it's decent. However, it's kinda disappointing how Jhené stole a Kanye verse from a BET Cypher. Yeah, I get it's because it's something that suits into the song. Like everyone else, I expected an actual Kanye verse. But, oh well.

9. Do Better Blues (with HOPE)
HOPE & Jhené collaborate on a smooth relationship track, which has the two try to deal with their struggles and stress in their relationship. HOPE starts off with a good rap verse. Jhené continues well with her singing and the hook too. HOPE is really nice with his verse and contributions, and Jhené is great. In other words, this is my favourite song on this tape.

10. Higher
Not a bad song. Jhené does nice with her metaphor of how her "love is a man's drug", similar to what singer Ke$ha said. This is better than Ke$ha, anyway. The beat is nice, and the lyrics are appealing. It's an interesting thing when metaphorically comparing love to a drug. Solid cut.

11. You vs. Them
This song follows Jhené trying to find a guy, but she can't have him, but at the same time, singing to her child. Really appealing, and ear-hooking. Bei Maejor did well with the production too.

12. Space Jam
Jhené tells a true story about a guy she met. It's a good and interesting song, and Fisticuffs does excellent with the beat. The fact this was written when she found out her brother had cancer interests me into the song more. RIP Miyagi.

13. Growing Apart Too (feat. Kendrick Lamar & HOPE)
Jhené concludes the mixtape with an alternate version of Kendrick Lamar's "Growing Apart" aka the song that gained her recognition back. Jhené incorporates her ending verse and uses it as a bridge, and Kendrick's verse is repeated (from the original), with HOPE doing his own verse. I still like the original though.

Sailing Soul(s) is a very appealing and interesting mixtape. It shows the feelings of Jhené and it doesn't really try to be like any other project. As the mixtape plays on, it feels like a book about her misadventures with guys and her thinking about life. Heartfelt songs and relatable lyrics for women make this mixtape nice. Jhené proves to show a soft voice to portray feelings and plotlines of songs. "July" shows a spiritual/seasonal feeling with its light atmosphere (especially with Drake's contribution) while songs like "Stranger" and "You vs. Them" showcases how and what she feels for a guy. I like it mostly because of Jhené's voice. It makes the mixtape so worthy instead of being so mainstream and trying to be like any other (commercial) R&B singer. The production from Fisticuffs suits in and he knows how to make a dark atmosphere to a track. However, at some points, I did expect a few lighter tracks (there were only 2), since there was too much dark tracks about how hurt she was with a boy or how she felt about him.
Yeah, there were a few weak tracks though, although the tape proved to be interesting. "Hoe" just sounds like your average club banger, and I did kinda expect Miguel to have a singing verse or something, and Jhené had to jack a Gucci verse, instead of calling him up. "Popular" is too pop-rock(y), and it doesn't really suit Jhené that much. Other than that, Sailing Soul(s) proves to be good and interesting, mainly because of the concept of "sailing your soul" instead of selling it. I recommend that you download this. Jhené portrays the fact she is (still) in her element with her amazing voice (I bet some of you already knew that) and the producers manage to do an absolute great job at this, while she tells her stories.

The Furious 5ive
My Mine
Do Better Blues
July
Stranger
Space Jam

Honourable Mentions
You vs. Them
Real Now

But wait, there's more!

Released: November 12, 2013

Jhené had 2 years to herself, being a frequent appearance on many people's albums, including Ab-Soul, Big Sean & Casey Veggies. During those two years (2012), she managed to get a meeting with No ID (Common's frequent producer on his first 3 albums and A&R Vice President), and was signed to his label ARTium under Def Jam. In September 2012, Jhené managed to release her first single under the label, 3:16am, which feature a dark vibe about addiction. The next year, she released a sequel called "Burning Man (3:16pm)", which featured a feel-good light vibe, unlike the original. In the summer, she was featured on "Beware" with Big Sean & Lil Wayne (from Hall of Fame).

Furthermore, Jhené was a feature on "From Time", a track off Drake's Nothing Was The Same. Around the same period this happened, she announced an EP called Sail Out, and revealed its cover. Bridging the gap between her mixtape and the album, the EP continues around the "Sailing NOT Selling" concept that she showcased on her mixtape and plays on the phrase "sell out". November came and Sail Out, the prelude to her album, dropped in retail and online stores/streaming services, with guest features from Vince Staples, Childish Gambino, Ab-Soul & (yours truly) Kendrick Lamar, and, of course, featured the infamous hit single "The Worst". This also sold a lot of copies, especially being a reintroductory project to people who were getting to known her

But however, was this better than the first [Sailing Soul(s)]? Did Jhené improve? Were the features even worth it? Well, let's find out...

1. The Vapors (feat. Vince Staples)
So this is how it starts off, with a smooth and slow beat, and Jhené using metaphors to describe love for a guy, or maybe she personifying weed ("Can I Hit It Again?"). Vince Staples comes with a nice verse, probably replying to Jhené's lyrics in her verses, reminiscing about the times and wanting her to stay. I really felt the song. It was nice. Jhené was good with her verses, while Vince did well with his, and the song has a smooth vibe. Good song.

2. Bed Peace (feat. Childish Gambino)
Childish Gambino comes on a softer song than all the others. With the title, and video being inspired by the Bed Peace protest by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Jhené uses a love concept with a soft-rock element. I liked the soft-rock elements in it, and it works on the track unlike what happened with "Popular" [off Sailing Soul(s)]. Gambino's input was great, and he flowed really well on this. A really great song.

3. Stay Ready/What A Life (feat. Kendrick Lamar)
Kendrick is up next on 1/2 of a double track. Jhené does her thing in her introductory verse, starting off very well while Kendrick suits in with a soft voice on an excellent rap to get into the vibe of the song. I loved how Jhené worked with this, and how Kenny did a great verse. The beat is really nice, and it has a neutral vibe to it.
Part 2 is What A Life, where Jhené leads the song with a dark vibe, which has a beat that reminds me of production from 40 (Drake's frequent producer), and it's a solid cut. Jhené has a good time for 3 verses and it goes off really good. But I did find Stay Ready better though. This is just decent.

4. WTH (feat. Ab-Soul)
This song's too slow. I didn't really feel this one like the others. But luckily, Soulo does save it because the vibe does get better by the time he comes up. It just comes out as a solid track though.

5. The Worst
Of course, from being a "weak track" from Jhené to actually becoming a really popular track from her. This follows her being in a relationship that has caused fights, and made her confused. With memes being made of the "I don't need you, but I want you" line on social media, it's really interesting that it's a bit different from her other tracks, which frequently talked about how she felt before she got into the relationship. I like the third verse, which makes the plot get to the point. Perhaps the best track Jhené has ever made in her career.

6. 3:16am
Also known as her debut single ("No LOVE" doesn't count), Jhené sings about depression, addiction and very dark thoughts in 3 minutes, 16 seconds (seriously, 3:16). It's really interesting. The vibe is really scary and really negative. The lyrics appeal to the listener, and shows something so negative, so dark, and so shady. The beat is nice, and it sets the scene and the concept a lot. A really great track.

7. Comfort Inn Ending (Freestyle)
The EP ends with a track, where Jhené talks about her past relationships, about how she has been screwed over so much by guys. I saw the video, and I'm pretty sure I saw her burning some Jordans, I guess that's how pissed off she was... but, I digress. This song is really nice. It's interesting and appealing how she battles herself about how her relationships were like. She name-drops people that she had a past relationship with, as if she was so angry about it. Overall, an interestingly great song.

Even the smallest things can be better than the biggest ones, and this proves it. Sail Out ends up showing an improved and refreshed Jhené, which has her talk a little more about other topics than just guys screwing out over (speaking of which, The Worst is the best song out of all the songs she has made about that). Jhené has managed to portray many things and with features to actually complete the point that she's making. She continues the "Sailing NOT Selling" concept and she does a really great job at it. Many dark tracks are made, mainly because of her adolescence/young life before and while she returned to music. It's really interesting, hearing those types of songs, but they do get boring after a while. However, the reason why I like this is because Jhené happens to switch up a lot with this, with peaceful concepts & soulful vibes, and she has a little bit of laidback atmospheres on tracks. Features make this one hell of an interesting project. Vince Staples does his thing with "The Vapors", and Kendrick had a great verse with "Stay Ready". Additionally, Fisticuffs, pretty much the only producers on the EP showcased great genius minds with their production. In general, Sail Out is more improved and fresh out the oven than previously. Her dark thoughts come together and they merge successfully, unlike Sailing Soul(s) [at some points]. I recommend a purchase. It's an excellent and refreshing project from Jhené and she shows and proves more than ever, with the EP leaving you amazed and restored from it.

Recommended Tracks
The Worst
Stay Ready
The Vapors
3:16am

And now for our Feature Presentation...

Released: September 9, 2014

Jhené had one hell of a great year, You see, Jhené was getting popular and well-known every day (and still is), especially with The Worst, and she had been doing concert and tour dates a lot. In addition, she was working on the long awaited album, Souled Out (which obviously played on the phrase, "sold out"). Mixing sessions and finishing touches were being made and by the time it was finished, two singles came out: "To Love & Die", in June and "The Pressure" in July. Two months later, the album was finally released by ARTium on September 9.
Souled Out is the third project from Jhené and was delayed so many times after Sailing Soul(s) came out; as it was supposed to be a follow up to the tape. It once again continues around the "Sailing NOT Selling" concept introduced in Sailing Soul(s) and was preceded by the two singles. The album had little features, including Common & Cocaine 80s (a collective that Jhené herself is part of), along with the production being handled by No ID, Fisticuffs and more. Souled Out was something really anticipated, especially since her Sail Out EP. Observably, this was praised for its concept being an "evolution of a growing girl", and its content. Also, Jhené experiments and mixes up neo soul, psychedelic music and, of course, frequent elements of hip-hop. This album has shown many fans that Jhené has improved and has done better with her singing, especially with many people having their favourites. Furthermore, it debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200, and as of probably right now, "souled" a massive amount of copies; which possibly shows how much of a good album this is.

So, on to Souled Out, one of the most anticipated projects this year...

1. Limbo Limbo Limbo
A great starter to the album. The song features a dark atmosphere and a rocky background to it, along with a trap-like beat. The lyrics were interesting including "life on a ride" and her talking about a girl (or probably herself in 3rd person), before switching to 2nd and 1st person. Dot Da Genius' production was nice and suited the song. I liked how it worked with the lyrics and content of the track. Decent track.

2. WAYS
A fan favourite from many listeners, and I can see why. Jhené uses life lessons in this song, and it really appeals to me. The beat is chill, and the content is interesting. Jhené's voice sounds more polished than some of the songs I've previously heard from her. The life lessons and the lyrics are motivating and inspirational, and the hook is really nice and soft. I like how she continues to play around 3:16am (At 44 minutes to four), and how an angel managed to say something to her. Also, the guitar in the background is really suiting and fitting. Noticing that the song was named after a text that her deceased brother sent her (Why Aren't You Smiling?) is really interesting and heartwarming, Pretty much my favourite track on this album.

3. To Love & Die (feat. Cocaine 80s)
Jhené's first single off the album makes the cut next, and it's nice. Fisticuffs' instrumental is remarkable, and I like the peace/love atmosphere to it, along with the references to 2Pac ("live by the love, die by the love") and 50 Cent [a reference to "Many Men (Wish Death)"]. James Fauntleroy's additional vocals are great, and it's awesome how she represents her city ("westside"). Overall an awesome track.

4. Spotless Mind
I love this song. Jhené uses an island vibe on a extremely chill beat, and it's interesting. It's great how she recorded this in nearly an hour (using GarageBand). No ID's instrumental is relaxing and peaceful, and it sets a perfect island image to the song. Additionally, the guitar riff is really comfortable for me and it's a perfectly great track.

5. It's Cool
This sounds really different from what she would normally do. The beat is a little bit faster, to incorporate a slow and trippy beat. The song follows her meeting of a guy, who she fell in love. The song goes in really nicely, and ID's beat is really relaxing, just like I said about "Spotless Mind". Unlike most of the tracks I've heard, it's not really about how she got screwed over by a guy, so it interests me a bit more than usual. Decent song.

6. Lyin King
As obviously suggested, the title plays around on the classic movie "The Lion King". The story (which began on "It's Cool") continues where we left off, and it follows her ticked off about her man and how he's been treating her, breaking her heart. Of course, I didn't think this would be the second part. This is more interesting than the previous track, even if it's about how she's been screwed over; and I love how she points the finger at her boyfriend's parents. Just like I said about "WAYS", her voice sounds (a little bit) polished than usual, but not that much like "WAYS". Still a good track.

7. Wading
This was just mediocre for me. I mean, it was alright, but it wasn't really enough for me to feel the song or something. So...

8. The Pressure
The second single off the album, which focuses of the stress and the "pressure" of her working on the album. Also, it focuses on the guy she like, and how it can be stressful. The song has very appealing lyrics including "every gem is not a diamond". Fisticuffs' beat is nice and we got a sombre/chill atmosphere in it. Another one of my favourites.

9. Brave
I don't really know how I feel about this song. A little weak, but it has an interesting plotline of how brave Jhené's man is and how they're in love. Unfortunately, it doesn't go that well. A really weak song for me. Jhené could've done better.

10. Eternal Sunshine
If you didn't know already, this song and "Spotless Mind" are named after a film called "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". Anyway, this song is nice and great. It has a sunrise/wake-up atmosphere. It's interesting how it follows her feeling a sense of clarity while she's on a journey. The piano makes a great vibe, and her singing gets softer as I hear this song. Another one of my favourites.

11. Promises
Jhené samples Namiko (her daughter) and her deceased brother, Miyagi's voice in a really dark song. Her daughter manages to sing with Jhené and it's really cute hearing her voice on this song. She also makes a dedication to her brother and how her death managed to affect her. It's a really heartfelt track and it's a song that can touch many people's hearts. An excellent track.

12. Pretty Bird (Freestyle) [feat. Common]
Common manages to be the only rap feature on this album (which is weird, considering how many rappers she has worked with during her career). This concludes the album in a peaceful way and it ends the story. Jhené repeats a line involving "a dying and crying bird" (which refers to Dumb and Dumber) and she sings it out loud like this is her last. Common ends the song with a conscious verse which interests the listener a lot. A heartfelt way to end the album

The following are bonus tracks on the deluxe edition:

13. Remember
The deluxe edition comes with two tracks, and this is the first one. Jhené happens to recall times that her man got another girl pregnant and how he has broken her heart. "Do you remember who you were" is a haunting lyric when she tries to speak to the man that screwed her over. Nevertheless, I didn't really like this like the others.

14. Blue Dream
Jhené does an alternate version of "My Afternoon Dream", and it's alright. It's pretty decent. No ID once again happens to do a laidback/sunrise dreaming atmosphere just like how the other of his productions were like. I like this song. It's good and the lyrics are nice. It's actually my favourite bonus.

The following are Target exclusives:

15. You vs. Them [Acoustic]
An acoustic version of an early song becomes an exclusive on the album. It's that boring, and I haven't said Meh in a long time so... MEH!

16. Beautiful Ruin
I like this one. It's like a one-verse wonder on this, but it's good. It doesn't really have a beat. It's still the same type that Jhené's has been using on this album (not that it's bad). But I love it. It's a great song.

For an album that has been long anticipated and finally listened to, I know you want to know what I have to say about it. OK, guys, here it come: Souled Out is excellent. It has a lot of potential in it and the concept is really interesting, Jhené manages to develop a soft, aquarian vibe in the album, and a bit unlike the others, it's less about "guys screwing her over" and more "life lessons and interesting stuff". She does a good job with the concept and the album feels like a musical journey. However, the production, as we get through the album, ends up lacking something important, and it's really unclear what it is. Most of the tracks have Jhené's soft singing, but she didn't do much to it (apart from "Pretty Bird" and "WAYS"). The album only had one feature (if James Fauntleroy doesn't count): Common, and he's the one to come with something really conscious and heartfelt. At least Jhené managed to say other things than just guys breaking her heart and screwing her over multiple times. A little bit of lacklustre production and soft singing (that she could've used to her extent) are the only flaws. Nevertheless, this is what you'd expect from a mature and grown Jhené: life lessons, dark/negative or sunrise/light atmospheres and hipster content. I recommend a purchase, but if you're someone who mostly focuses on nice production or doesn't like the sometimes repetitive production, look below. If I was to rank Jhené's discography from strongest to weakest, I'd put this at second place (and Sail Out at 1st, guess which's third) This is great, for many people [especially with a laidback, aquarian vibe], but unfortunately lacks a little potential (mostly in the second half) for something heavily anticipated.

The Furious 5ive
WAYS
Promises
Eternal Sunshine
Spotless Mind
Pretty Bird

Honourable Mentions
Blue Dream
Beautiful Ruin
The Pressure

Young Roddy - Good Sense

Released: April 1, 2012

For almost 6 years, New Orleans rapper and member of Jet Life, Schrod "Young Roddy" Morris was only known for being a feature on Curren$y projects. He was recognized by Curren$y when he was to record a song in the studio with his cousin. Curren$y happened to spot him there and the rest was history...
His first feature was "Lysol", a freestyle with Curren$y over Souls of Mischief's "93 Til Infinity". This song was off the mixtape, Life at 30,000 Feet. He also had features (with Curren$y) in other tracks on the tape. After this happened, he ended up being featured on nearly every Curren$y mixtape from 2007 to now. By the time Spitta's first 2 albums (Pilot Talk I & II) came out, Roddy, along with partner Trademark, were gaining a lot of popularity from being on "Roasted" and "Hold On". The next year, Roddy & Trademark were gaining more while being on Curren$y's albums. While this happened, Roddy leaked a solo song called "Blow" which was him rapping over a smooth boom-bap beat. By the end of the year, Jet Life released their compilation album, Jet World Order, which frequently had the duo on songs together.

During the New Year, another song leaked, which was called "The Plot", a song with a beat produced by Kixnare (who used that instrumental previously in an Onyx remix). 2 months later, Roddy released a promo, where he announced the mixtape and the release date: Good Sense, April 1st.
Good Sense was his finally first project and was named after the sandwich bag company, GoodSense, as the cover suggests. The sandwich bag was possibly an object the Jet Life member grew up using. The mixtape has Roddy rap to used instrumentals, mostly boom-bap ones, using an underground flow, instead of a major type. The tape doesn't use that much features, only Trademark, Nesby Phips, Smoke DZA & Curren$y.

And now, let's begin!

1. Kyle Watson
Roddy freestyles to Common's "A Penny For My Thoughts" (which I previously put as a recommended track on my Can I Borrow A Dollar? review) and it's good. Roddy does a great job and his laidback flow makes this a tolerable cut. But the original is better though.

2. LM Bravehearts
A freestyle to "Lord Knows" by Drake & Rick Ross. A solid one, but not that special.

3. The Plot
Also known as the second leaked song off the mixtape, Roddy rhymes to a Kixnare beat, and I love it. Roddy uses an underground flow, and the hook is catchy. Roddy's lines are interesting and the concept of plotting on his come up is nice. It's good how he wants to make it. One of the best tracks on the tape.

4. Good Sense
A jazzy laidback song. It's not anything nostalgic or boom-bap. It's more of a "Just Listen" type of song, and it's great.

5. Landing Strip (feat. Trademark)
Trademark is the first feature on the tape, and they both rhyme over AZ & Nas' "Gimme Yours". I liked how the two work together. It's like they had a good chemistry the way Raekwon & Ghostface did. Trademark murders this track, but Roddy did well though. A solid cut.

6. Uncle Bull
Rod takes Camp Lo's "Black Hollywood" (not to be confused with the Wiz Khalifa album) and rhymes over it. The fact that it's more of a recent song makes this song excellent. I like what Roddy does with the track, thinking about what's on his mind and stuff. It's a great track, one of the best songs on the tape.

7. Tre 1st Commandments
Originally on Curren$y's Verde Terrace, Roddy does his own version of Biggie's "Ten Crack Commandments". Of course, it doesn't top Biggie's classic, but at least Rod did a great job at this. Solid. RIP BIG, by the way...

8. Russian Roulette (feat. Smoke DZA)
I get why this is called "Russian Roulette", mainly because this was the same year producer The Alchemist released the album of the same name, and he produced this instrumental. Anyway, Roddy & Smoke DZA collaborate on a freestyle to "Reality Rap" by Infamous Mobb (not Mobb Deep, by the way, although they were affiliated with each other). It's a good track and DZA shows how raw he is on this track and I like it. A great track.

9. Brisco
I won't actually call this an interlude, but Roddy does a short and sweet rap along with a skit. The instrumental feels a bit too repetitive, but it's alright. Short & sweet, and solid.

10. What That Is (feat Curren$y)
Since rapper Max B is spending a lot of years in jail (probably life imprisonment), what better way it is for Roddy & Spitta to do a track over a Max B instrumental, and it's great. Yeah, that's pretty much it.

11. Freedom of Speech
Rod does a freestyle to Rae & Ghost's "Heaven & Hell" and he's good. It's interesting how he refers to the song and acts like he has a "freedom of speech" with something interesting to say, as the title suggests. A decent cut.

12. Blow
This was the first leaked song. I don't know what song he was rapping to, but it's sure as hell great. When this came out, it was a nice introduction, due to the fact that he never really had a solo song. Nevertheless, another one of the best tracks on the tape.

13. Trapologist (feat. Nesby Phips)
And the mixtape concludes with a cover of Kendrick Lamar's "HiiiPower". Roddy does excellent on this and Nesby also does a fine job with this too. I like it, but it does get boring as the beat just loops a lot instead of switching up like the original. But, that's Good Sense for ya!

Good Sense is a worthy effort from the Jet Life rapper. It's great, and it proves that a rapper like Young Roddy has other things to talk about other than the lifestyle rap (money, cars, and weed) portrayed in many Curren$y/Roddy/Trademark collabs. He uses a raw and underground flow and, in most tracks, talks about how he dreams about coming up like his boss Curren$y did. The features are nice, with a small amount, especially with Curren$y. The beats are awesome, although most of them have been already used and recycled ("The Plot" and "Blow"). I liked how his style worked on the tape. He shows that he has potential with something like this. It's short and sweet, and he interests me. This mixtape is something worth downloading. It's nice, interesting, and great. And that's Good Sense for ya, ladies and gentlemen!

The Furious 5ive
The Plot
Blow
Uncle Bull
What That Is

Good Sense

Honourable Mentions
Russian Roulette
Landing Strip

But wait, there's more!

Released: April 1, 2013

The remainder of 2012 saw Roddy featuring on many people's albums and mixtapes, mostly Curren$y of course. While this was happening, the Jet Life crew released a trailer of a project which happened to be a sequel to the first Jet Life compilation (Jet World Order) called, you guessed it (whoo!), Jet World Order 2. The first single, No Sleep (with Roddy & Trademark) was released at the same time the trailer came out, with the help of Curren$y. In November, the album came out, and once again had Roddy & Trademark as a frequent contribution (they could've as well just made this into a Roddy/Trademark collab album or mixtape instead). Roddy was quiet for a while, other than being a guest appearance on projects. But in March 2013, he announced the second mixtape, Good Sense II, the sequel to his debut tape. He released it on April 1, 2013, the one-year anniversary of the first instalment. Unlike the first, Roddy raps to original beats, instead of recycled and used ones (although he freestyled to Jay-Z's "Ignorant Shit").

But however, was this better than the first? Does Roddy do a better job than before? And most of all, did he improve his rapping? It's time to find out...

1. Cookin' Up
This is actually raw. I would say that it is a better intro than what Roddy did for the first one. The beat bangs, and it still focuses on him scheming on his plot. It's really appealing and makes the listener wanna get into the tape a little more than before. Roddy shows that he's not messing around and he succeeds at that.

2. Street Pharmacist
This one is pretty soulful, laidback, smooth, mainly because of That 70's Sample. It's good, and Rod still shows potential and his underground flow is still portrayed here. I love this. Good beat, good rhymes, good sample, good... well, you get the point. SOLID!

3. Still Tryna Get It
Arguably one of the best tracks on this tape. Period.

4. 3 The Hardway (feat. Styles P & Smoke DZA)

This song bangs. No hook, just bars! Styles & Roddy did great. As for DZA, he was... eh.. alright. Not that good though. Still, excellent song.

5. Lysol Flow Reloaded
Since the "Lysol Flow" was one of the first tracks he was ever featured on, Roddy decides to do this one again. The thing is that it's only 16 bars, and all he done in the beginning and the end was just talk. I do understand that this was his first track, and without it, well... I dunno, but still, I expected a little bit more from him on this track, which he wanted to do again. Nevertheless, it's a solid cut.

6. 4 The Money
Originally on a Harry Fraud mixtape (Adrift), Roddy raps to a booming but laidback track, which has major jazz elements on it. It's a good track, and I love how Roddy manages to get into the track and suit it too. Harry Fraud does his thing with the production and the track manages to be great. I like this. An enjoyable song.

7. 504 Radio (feat. 3D Na'Tee)
3D Na'Tee gets on a banger, which samples "That's The Way (I Like It)". Roddy actually did well on the first verse and the third too. But, Na'Tee shows after many local mixtapes and stuff that she has potential to be a good female rapper unlike some people (cough*Iggy Azalea*cough). Another one of the best tracks on this tape.

8. Ignorant Shit (ETM/Educated Thug Music)
Roddy freestyles to Jay-Z's "Ignorant Shit" and it's nice. His rhymes are on point and I like it. Of course, it doesn't top Jay's like I said with "Tre 1st Commandments" on the first, but it's good.

9. Life (feat. Curren$y)
Boss man Spitta Andretti jumps on the Southern banging-in-the-whip track, which has more of a day-in-the-life concept. Roddy starts us off with a good verse and Curren$y continues with an excellent lifestyle rap verse, which is why I love this song so much. It suits Spitta a little more than Rod, mainly because he's been doing this for such a long time. An enjoyable banger from Spitta & Roddy.

10. This One
On this instalment, I didn't see Roddy on that much boom-bap beats like the first, so to see this is excellent and it's nice, smooth, laidback, and soulful. Of course, he does suit on this, as he did rhyme to these types of beats on the first instalment. It's excellent because of Roddy's lines and the concept of this. Another enjoyable cut.

11. You Know (feat. Trademark)
I wasn't expecting the Roddy & Trademark collab to come a bit later. I didn't really feel this track like I would with other collabs. Average song.

12. Freedom of Speech (Part 2)
Roddy does another part of the "Freedom of Speech" series which started off in the first tape. This part is a bit different, with a sombre and a darker tone to it than before. Roddy shows that he still does well with his rhymes and I like it. Decent!

13. Feel Me
Now it's over...

Good Sense II is an excellent follow-up to an introduction to someone we know as Young Roddy. The mixtape features more original beats, and Roddy shows that it's not everyday boom-bap. He also improves on his rhymes and the representing of his streets is frequently portrayed here. Roddy scores well with his features and the beats are nice. Songs like "Life", "Still Tryna Get It" and "This One" portrays a lot from him. There wasn't even an ounce of bad on the mixtape (other than "You Know") and he does better. My last word is that Good Sense II proves to be a better project than the first, and his style differs a lot from previously. The reason isn't because it doesn't show any old school vibes. This tape had a little nostalgia in it and it was great the way it is. I recommend that you cop this. Roddy gives you much more than just the lifestyle rap portrayed by the Jet Life crew, when showing he wants to come up in the rap game and the tape leaves you wanting a lot more.

The Furious 5ive
Still Tryna Get It
Street Pharmacist
504 Radio
Life
This One

Honourable Mentions
4 The Money
3 The Hardway

Common - Can I Borrow A Dollar?

Released: October 6, 1992

Lonnie Lynn Jr., the man we know as Common, grew up on the South Side of Chicago, having a good teenage life with his parents (while they were divorced), formed a group called CDR, and ended up successfully on the "Unsigned Hype" column in The Source while at University. This got him signed to Relativity and released 3 albums on the label (including Resurrection, known for "I Used to Love H.E.R"). He then signed a deal with MCA and released 2 albums on that label (one of the albums, Electric Circus, [where he experimented with other genres other than rap and hip-hop] was seen as a weak project from him). He left the label and luckily got signed to Kanye West's GOOD Music, and released 3 albums on there (Be, Finding Forever and Universal Mind Control). While he was on the label, he started doing major film work, in movies like New Year's Eve, Date Night, Dow Jones and his most popular film, Just Wright with fellow rapper/singer Queen Latifah.  He left GOOD without any hard feelings, and released The Dreamer/The Believer, and now, he has recently got signed to his longtime friend No ID's ARTium, releasing Nobody's Smiling on that label in July.

I think that paragraph sums up his whole career at the moment...

Anyway, in September 1992, Lonnie was known as Common Sense and released his debut single, "Take It EZ". This was then followed by his debut album, Can I Borrow A Dollar?, released the following month under Relativity. The album was produced by No ID (who was then known as Immenslope), Twilite Tone and The Beatnuts. Although the album didn't really sell much, it was praised by critics and the hip-hop audience, it also did expose Common to the underground world of hip-hop, along with the 3 singles hitting the charts.

Let's give this album a listen and see what there is to hear...

1. A Penny for My Thoughts
The song takes a long time to get to the point and has a really lengthy build up, but it's worth it. I find it really laidback and great. Common's wordplay and delivery are really nice & smooth. He has very appealing lyrics, bringing up what's on his mind, and showing off his lyrical skills (even referring to popular people like Wesley Snipes and MC Eiht). I do remember Young Roddy (Jet Life) doing a track to this song on his mixtape, Good Sense (which is why I know this song in the first place). No ID's beat is nice and the Eddie Kendricks sample was a great highlight of the song. One of the best tracks on the album.

2. Charms Alarm
This song is a great one, the chorus is catchy and the beat is a funky boom-bap beat. Com does his thing with his fast-rhyming, and his lines. Furthermore, the sample interests me a lot, along with the lyrics. An interesting and excellent cut.

3. Take It EZ
Also known as Common's debut, No ID gives Com a groovy beat. It was a good way to introduce himself to the hip-hop scene, especially coming from Chicago aka the Midwest. A lot of Jazz elements are formed here like any other song from the early 90s. Common's lyrics are on point and the way he gets on the track is really appealing. However, the more I hear Com's friend Ynot on the beginning and end of each song, the more it feels like he's the host of this album, making this feel like a major concept album, than just a regular type of album. Nevertheless, this is great.

4. Heidi Hoe
I see this as the darkest track on the album. Here, Common disrespects the women that "don't have respect for themselves". If anything, it's a good track and the concept interests me, mainly because the amount of "hoes" degrading themselves that is in the generation right now. A great song.

5. Breaker 1/9
The second single of the album. No ID samples The Isley Brothers' "Between The Sheets", which would be a known sample when it was later sampled on "Big Poppa" by The Notorious BIG. And if I had to choose which one is sampled and done better, it had to be "Big Poppa" (not just because it's Biggie). Anyway, the instrumental is smooth, mainly because of the Isley sample. Common uses an lot of romantic adventures for the plot of the song (which has been a frequent thing to talk about in 90s songs), and it comes off as an appealing song. His lyrics are nice and it's a very fun track. Another solid cut.

6. Two Scoops of Raisins
Common & No ID collaborate on this track. Of course, on the previous 5 tracks, we only saw Immenslope/No ID as a producer. The two share the mic and they both do well. No ID does great for someone who's a producer, but no matter how many tracks we can hear him rap on, I'll always see him as a producer rather than an occasional rapper. Oh yeah, I nearly forgot about Common. He did great too, although he gave an bigger opportunity for No ID to shine on. His lyrics were very fine and the references were accurate. Another one of the best tracks on the album.

7. No Defence
Ain't nothing but an interlude. NEXT!

8. Blows on the Temple
This song is a little boring. The sample is good, but the beat is a little fast and it feels like it don't suit Common. He did well, though.

9. Just In The Nick of Rhyme
Now I know why "Blows on the Temple" was boring. Twilite Tone!

10. Tricks Up My Sleeve
Ok, now this one features Rayshel, Common's "ex-girlfriend". The beat is great, and Common does well. Rayshel proves to be a good rapper, so it's funny how she never blew up after this. She's nice. Once again, another solid cut.

11. Puppy Chow
Twilite returns to production, and he makes a good song, unlike the other 2 tracks he done. This feels like a new jack swing track. Singer Miss Jones does the background vocals, and she's excellent. Common contributes good lyrics on this song. But the overall song just comes out decent.

12. Soul By The Pound
I think this is one of the softest tracks on this album. It's not that fast like other tracks, and I feel that this is Common at his finest on the album. He's more serious than before and it's a laidback and smooth cut from him. However, there is a Thump Mix of this song, which is hardcore and has a darker vibe. Still, this is an awesome song.

13. Pitchin' Pennies
Common concludes this album by making a rap about a game that is played in Chicago. And it's an excellent way to end the album. I like how he messes with the concept and he says what he's doing in the game. It's hilarious how it ends with him taking a piss. Well, that's the album for ya.

Can I Borrow A Dollar? is an interesting listen for me and a lot of people. It puts Common in a very different position instead of the position he has been in for 20 years. He showcases a fun, positive side, instead of the lyrical conscious side which he has used since Resurrection. This can be known as one of the most slept-on debuts I've ever came across, especially when Com has many classic albums like Resurrection, Like Water For Chocolate and Be. On this album, Common makes a lot of good tracks and many listeners can be surprised with an album like this. With excellent production from Immenslope & Twilite Tone, and features from 3 people, he messes around with many concepts and uses jazzy beats, fast rapping, positive vibes and lyrical skills. It's great, in many ways, but when listening to the album start-to-finish, it makes you happy that he switched up after this; which is why this is a very interesting listen. He shows that he was ahead of his time and knew how to keep it real since the start of his career. I do recommend that you borrow a few dollars (or pounds if you're British) and buy this (or stream it on Spotify). It's an underrated debut from Common, and as I said before, puts him in a very different position. A decent and solid effort.

The Furious 5ive
A Penny For My Thoughts
Two Scoops of Raisins
Charms Alarm
Breaker 1/9
Soul By The Pound (preferably the Thump Mix)

Honourable Mentions
Heidi Hoe
Take It EZ

Eminem - Infinite

Released: 1996

Everyone knows and loves Eminem. That white rapper. That guy who your parents hated. That guy from Detroit. That... well, you get the point. A lot of people, especially those who see themselves as "hardcore Shady fans" mostly knew the fact that in his early stages in his career, he was rapping in the streets, got into rap battles, and all that. Other than the things that a lot of fans saw in 8 Mile, there was a lot more than just that. So, if you only know about the street rapping and the battles he got into, and you classify yourself as a "hardcore fan" of Em, then you got a lot to research to do after reading this review.

Infinite was Eminem's actual first album (The Slim Shady LP was his major label debut). This was released in 1996, after releasing a third EP with the local rap group, Soul Intent in 1995. The EP (which was self-titled, Soul Intent), was best-known for a song called "F***in' Backstabber", which featured the late Proof. Em was still known as M&M at the time (seriously, joining his initials of his name, Marshall Mathers, and that was an awful stage name), before making it look like a word. According to Wikipedia, this album came out on November 12, 1996, although it's not really declared as official from Eminem himself and others, If it's true, then this album had its 18th anniversary just 3 days ago, along with the 10th anniversary of Encore, Eminem's fifth album, which can be seen as one of his weakest projects yet. Many people noticed the fact that on this album, he sounded similar to Nas and his sideman AZ (who was only popular for being on Nas' "Life's A Bitch"). Denaun Porter (aka Kon Artis) was behind every song. Although looking a little like there was a few ghost-producers, Mr. Porter was seen as the only producer.

Seeing as not many people ever knew about this album, until around 2006-2009, I can see why Infinite didn't sell much (only around a thousand copies). Noticing that this was before the birth of Slim Shady, the alter ego that made your parents hate him so much; and how he has grown so big in 18 years, I decided to check this out and see if the different side of Eminem on this album, is as good as how he portrays himself as Slim Shady. And now, allow me to introduce you to Marshall's actual debut...

1. Infinite
The album starts off with a song, which shows his lyricism and his fitting in on the beat. Eminem sounds great on this track. He shows a laidback and smooth flow over a pretty awesome beat, bringing up things like telekinesis, chain reactions and him being a stimulator and stuff. As for the chorus lyric being that he "went to hell, serving a sentence for murdering instruments", well, this looked as if it was acceptable in the 90s or something. Right now, a lot of people say it sounds like a 3 year old could've wrote that. Nevertheless, this is one of the best tracks on this album.

2. WEGO (Interlude)
Normally, I'd skip this and just say "Meh" or that it's just a skit/interlude, but the only reason this is tolerable is only because of the input of the late Proof. Admit it, we would skip it and I wouldn't be writing about this track if he was alive. Enough said.

3. It's OK
The sound of the beat feels weird, but does come out alright. Eminem talks about his struggles in life and how he got hope for the future. His lyrics are interesting and he sounds calm and soft. Speaking of which, it's funny looking back on Eminem's career from how he sounded so calm and smooth to sounding aggressive and expressing a lot of violence in a lot of tracks. This song has a catchy hook and a very nice concept, along with a great beat for Porter. This is another one of the best tracks on this album.

4. Tonite
"Tonite" sounds like a TLC or [insert any R&B girl-group here] song, that was never recorded. This is the most commercial song I've ever heard from Eminem. The chorus makes this song really tolerable and good. Eminem does good with his lyrics and his delivery is great. The production does come out a little weak with the lyricism being really STRONG.

5. 313 (feat. Eye-Kyu)
I always found this song a little boring. This features a rapper called Eye-Kyu, who doesn't really helps the song like it would, The song sounds like something recorded from 1992-1993. Eye-Kyu sounds alright and he's good, but it's weird how he never blew up after this, while Eminem does good and tries to sound hardcore and dark. But, the overall song just comes out boring.

6. Maxine (feat. Mr. Porter & Three)
So, here, Eminem and his crew talk about a girl called Maxine, and how they wanted to do things with her. The song starts with a conversation between Porter and Maxine, and Em does well with his first verse, followed by Porter, who is just OK, while Three (the underground rapper) does awful and sounds a little bit like Imani from The Pharcyde. The production is chill and reminds me of production from The Pharcyde or A Tribe Called Quest. This song is actually great but it's just Eminem and Porter that does good with the song.

7. Open Mic (feat. Thyme)
This song is a good track, and yeah the sound is dark, but it's good. Thyme does the chorus and he is really annoying on the track. Eminem could've at least got a different guy on this. Anyway, speaking of Em, he does a great job and has a great lyricism on this especially reminiscing from the open mic in the Hip-Hop Shop in Detroit, hence the title. The line "I never gave a f***, now I give a f*** less" is an awesome lyric, which can be known for having Jay-Z to even rework that line in a song. I knew this song because of Joey Bada$$' sample of this chorus in "World Domination". This song is nice. Just take away Thyme and we got a really tolerable track.

8. Never 2 Far
Eminem talks about how he is poor and he needs money, along with him talking about the streets. It kinda reminds me of Lose Yourself, due to the fact that their content are similar to each other. The production is funky and I like it. Em does awesome on this and the hook is really memorable. I heard Porter say "You only live once", not that it's a bad thing, but we all know that the saying was never really said by rappers till Drake came out with "The Motto". Also, it's another song that is really interesting to hear, especially knowing how far he has came to get to where he is today. Nevertheless, this song is really great and nice.

9. Searchin (feat. Mr. Porter)
You know how every rapper, hardcore or not, has that one love song. Well, this is it. Eminem makes a song dedicated to Kim. The fact that this was before all the fights and that horrible song he made on the MMLP just surprises me. Porter follows up, but he messes up with his singing mixing with his rapping. Not all mainstream love songs are good, and this is an example. It's just average,

10. Backstabber
Eminem does a continuation to "F***in' Backstabber", where he raps about backstabbers, as the song suggests. The beat is weak, while the concept is interesting but lacks a little here and there. Nevertheless, the song is alright.

11. Jealousy Woes II
Sampling LL Cool J's "Jealous", Eminem does his own version and it follows him complaining about a jealous women. This song is alright, but doesn't do well to my appetite. Overall, it's a good way to end the album.

A lot of people say that this is his best work yet, and that it's a classic, then there's some others that think that this was awful because of the production, "ripping off" certain tracks and Em sounding like AZ & Nas, and finally, there's me. On a scale on 1-10 (1 being rubbish and 10 being a classic), I'd put this on a 5.5. It's a good album. Eminem showed that in this album that he has a lot of potential. Although Em sounds like AZ, it comes out good. But the thing is, if the album had better production and input from other people, instead of just Porter (or him probably getting signed earlier), maybe I would've ranked this higher than I did now. But it just stays like that. I do recommend a listen or a purchase, since there are a few good tracks, and from start to finish make this a solid listen. 11 tracks is quick and Eminem makes it like how Illmatic was with 10 tracks. Like how Wiz Khalifa's Show and Prove was (readers, don't get mad at me for comparing this to a guy like Wiz), it's good, but does mess up here and there, and Eminem had yet to find himself and develop his own style.

The Furious 5ive
Infinite
It's OK
Open Mic
Never 2 Far
Maxine

Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor

Released: September 19, 2006

In 1982, Wasalu Muhammad Jaco (popularly known as Lupe Fiasco) was born and raised in Chicago to West African parents. His father was an engineer and was part of the Black Panthers while his mother was a gourmet chef. Raised a Muslim on the west side of Chicago, he even took martial arts. His parents divorced when he was five and by 6th grade (Year 7), he moved in with his dad full-time and his dad taught him how to use guns (luckily, Lupe didn't grow up to make drill music, just all modern Chi-Town rappers do now) to protect himself.
As he grew up, he didn't really liked rap music, due to its major vulgarity and profanity, but because of him not being able to play an instrument, he started doing poetry. He started rapping his poems in the eighth grade (Year 9) and decided to pursue a rap career after listening to It Was Written, Nas' sophomore effort.

He started off in a group called Da Pak, who signed to Epic. They only had one song before splitting up, and what they talked about made Lupe feel like a hypocrite. He started making guest appearances on Tha Rayne and K-Foxx singles while on Arista, before getting dropped, due to LA Reid being fired as CEO. He later met Jay-Z who helped him sign a deal to Atlantic. He remixed Kanye West's song "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" and caught Kanye's attention, wanting to work with him on "Touch The Sky". At first, Lupe disagreed, but when a friend encouraged him, he decided to do it.
When Lupe finally got signed to Atlantic, he started working on his debut. While this happened, he decided to release the mixtape series, Fahrenheit 1/15, which gained him a lot of popularity, especially with the second instalment, Revenge of the Nerds, known for the songs "Switch (The Science Project" and "Conflict Diamonds" (the remix of Diamonds from Sierra Leone). Lupe released "Kick, Push", which was even nominated for a Grammy. "I Gotcha" was the next single, produced by The Neptunes.

The album was finally finished. But unfortunately, the album leaked onto the Internet (this version was known as the Advance). Lupe was angry about it and ranted about it before deciding to make a lot of changes. He changed some of the original titles ("You My" became "Sunshine", "Trials & Tribulations" became "Pressure" etc.), changed his verses and recorded brand new songs. At last, Food & Liquor was released on September 19, 2006. The album featured guests from Sarah Green, Gemini, Jonah Matranga, Jill Scott, Matthew Santos & Jay Z. So now after that introduction, let's review this...

1. Intro
Ayesha, Lupe's sister introduces the album with a captivating poem. It is then followed by Lupe reading from the Quran and welcoming us to the album. Well, this is just an intro, nothing special. So NEXT!

2. Real (feat. Sarah Green)
Another song I'm reviewing called "Real". Here, Lupe says a lot of conscious things while Sarah Green does some ad-libs on the chorus. I like Sarah on the chorus, her catchy "oh-oh's" are worth being there and the instrumental, provided by Soundtrakk, is great. Does it mean that the song is great? Well... yes. But Lupe's lyrical delivery is not anything special, and it just sounds like he's doing something funky. So it's OK.

3. Just Might Be OK (feat. Gemini)
If this was performed live, this song would've sounded epic. No, seriously. This song has the greatest instrumentals to lead a hip-hop orchestra concert. Gemini's R&B hook is actually good and makes this track really great. Lupe does a decent job on this, making this one hell of a song.

4. Kick, Push
AWWWWWW YEAAAAH! Lupe's debut single is up. And you know the concept: skateboarding. The song follows 2 people of the opposite who both like skateboarding and how they have to skateboard without the cops seeing them. I like the concept, of course and the sample used to make a good skateboarding song. This song bangs and I love it.

5. I Gotcha
The Neptunes provide Lupe a funky piano beat. I always loved this song. The piano sample used is very memorable and lovely. Lupe's lyrics are hot. The chorus is catchy and unforgettable, altogether making a very hot song.

6. The Instrumental (feat. Jonah Matranga)
When I first saw this song on the album tracklist, I actually thought it was an instrumental interlude from either Jonah Matranga or Mike Shinoda. But, I was wrong, this is just a normal song. It's a little funky but sounds like a leftover from either Fort Minor's We Major or The Rising Tied. Here, Lupe talks about the youth obsession with electronic media especially TV & Computer. It's weird how he talked about it in the year of 2006. I mean, the youth obsession would get worse by the time iPhones & Android phones came out. I gotta admit, I got a little obsession with electronics, but I'm working on it. Jonah's input is horrible and is the type of guy to whisper-sing on some good songs. Lupe's lyrics are nice and I like the concept of the song. The Instrumental... I mean the beat, is good and suits in with the overall song. But, still an decent song. Just take away the hook and we got a great one.

7. He Say, She Say (feat. Gemini & Sarah Green)
Here, Lupe speaks from the Mother and Son's point of view on how the father is abandoning his family. Of course, the black deadbeat dad stereotype. This can be known for the starting point of Lupe's character, The Cool. On this song, Lupe repeating the verse twice to get to someone's POV can get annoying for listeners, but to be honest, I don't mind. It's actually good this way, or it'd probably be an interlude. One of my favourites on the album.

8. Sunshine
On this song, Lupe expresses his love for both a girl and hip-hop in general. I can tell the inspiration of "I Used to Love H.E.R." is here, especially when Common personified Hip-Hop as a girl. I always liked the lighthearted atmosphere on this track, probably the lightest track on the album. The Diana Ross sample makes the song very good. And the metaphors are really outstanding on this song. As a whole, this song is excellent.

9. Daydreamin' (feat. Jill Scott)
Lupe and Jill Scott are on the biggest standout on this album. Here, Craig Kallman produces this. Ok, this is weird. I mean, this guy is the CEO of Atlantic who produced this. Anyway, forget that, this song is sooooooooo good. The sample of I Monster's "Daydream in Blue" fits in and is a reason why the song bangs. Lupe's lyrics are hot. Jill's input makes this very great. And the beat is just excellent. I still can't believe Craig Kallman produce this though. It even won a Grammy. Oh lord!

10. The Cool
The second part of "The Cool" instalments is here, and we dig deep into the story of Michael Young History. While several songs from "The Cool" album follows on the beginning, this focuses on the end. I found this song very good. Kanye... yes, Kanye's beat is very dark and gets in with the horrorcore type of song. Lupe's story of how Michael was back from the Dead makes the song interesting to listen to (haven't said that in a while, huh?). Generally, it's a banging track, and one of the best tracks off the album.

11. Hurt Me Soul
Needlz produces a light sampled track which talks about how he used to hate rap music, because of how they used to talk about women (the way they now do it is worse). He also talks about hip-hop as a whole and how it can be criticized for the topics they talk about. This song always stood out to me, mainly because of the hook and the message behind it. Needlz' beat is excellent and is a good beat for Lupe to have. An enjoyable cut from Lu.

12. Pressure (feat. Jay Z)
I feel like Prolyfic wanted this to sound very epic. I mean, this feels like something from Just Blaze. It's not a bad thing. Of course, Blaze is a big influence. But it sounds like something off The Black Album or The Blueprint. Anyway, forget about that, and this song is another enjoyable cut from Lu. A lot of people think that Jay had the best verse on this album, but his verse was actually very weak, compared to many of his tracks. This is a reason why I think he is a bit too overrated in the industry. Anyway, Prolyfic's instrumental is very hardcore. I heard the original version (Trials & Tribulations) and I have to say that version was even better than this one. Nevertheless, The instrumental, hook, and lyrics make this track generally one of the best tracks.

13. American Terrorist (feat. Matthew Santos)
Matthew gets on a "just decent" track. It isn't a best track or a standout. Just decent. Anyway, here Lu talks about how the US has a humanitarian record history (with George Washington being the American Osama bin Laden). I find this to be a little deep especially with the message. Matthew just messes up with the hook, as it feels like it was originally recorded for a different song. The beat is alright and the overall message is appealing. In general, this song is just decent.

14. The Emperor's Soundtrack
This song bangs. The hardcore instrumental from Soundtrakk just rocks on my phone so hard. Lupe's metaphors and verses are fire, and he even references "Children's Story" The song overall just makes a hardcore song from Lupe.

15. Kick, Push II
The sequel to Lupe's debut single comes on the album, and a lot of people find it better than the first part. For me, it's weak. Yeah, I said it. WEAK! But the story continues and it's a little more interesting than the first. The beat is boring. The chorus is nice, but as for the song in general, it's just decent.

16. Outro
12 minutes! 12 MINUTES of him shouting out people involved in the album and his friends etc. This wasn't needed. In these 12 minutes, he could've done another rap or a double track for us. But no, he gives us a 12 minute outro of him giving shoutouts. Hey, isn't there something called liner notes?!

5 years later, Atlantic re-released the album, as the 5th Anniversary Edition. The following features the 4 bonus tracks on this edition:

Theme Music To A Drive By
The 5th anniversary edition bonuses start with this, a Prolyfic beat and 2 verses from Lu. This song was originally supposed to be the intro to the album, but due to the bootlegging and leaking, it ended up not being on the standard version at all. I like Prolyfic's beat as he uses a sample of The Spinners, which creates a really smooth laidback beat. Lupe's lyrics are really nice and his wordplay is awesome here. The message behind it is good to listen to. This track rocks.

Tilted
Originally taken from the Need for Speed: Most Wanted 2005 soundtrack, Needlz produces a club banger, which has Lu talk about cars and his awesome wordplay. I like how this song turned out to be, especially suiting the Most Wanted game itself. Lupe's references to cars are nice. And of course, the chorus is catchy and really memorable, overall being a great song.

Carrera Lu
Prolyfic is back and he produces some funky beat. Carrera Lu sounds like it was taken from a 70s film and all Prolyfic did was just get Lupe to rap over it. But, still, Lu's intro with that "Carrera's a predator" stuff is good to listen to and may want to make you rap the section the way he did. Under the alter ego, Carrera Lu, Lupe has himself care about the money and paper, but at the same time uses his usual lyrical wordplay and metaphors. The beat is funky and nice, and his lyrics are hot, generally being an awesome track.

What It Do
As soon as I saw the title, I knew that the song would sound like this. To be honest, this was a little weak. The track sounds like it's from a Southern dance track. But, the thing is, Lupe flips it and makes it hot, but the wordplay and lyrics feel like a hit-and-miss thing. Lupe talking about CDs telling you to buy a TV, telling you to buy a DVD, telling you to buy a... you get the point. But, all things aside, it's an OK song. It's a bit of a banger and it's interesting to see Lu get on something like this.

Hearing Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor is a very nice listen for me. From skateboarding stories ("Kick Push" I & II) to interesting gritty stories ("The Cool"), Lupe shows his very lyrical wordplay, appealing topics, and his Chi-Town repping, especially on tracks like "The Emperor's Soundtrack", "I Gotcha", "Hurt Me Soul" and "Sunshine". The production is great. Soundtrakk does his thing as he creates some outstanding work on songs like "Real", "Kick, Push", "He Say, She Say" and "Sunshine". Prolyfic has a lot of interesting work on "Just Might Be OK", and "Pressure". And many more producers doing a very good job.
The features... well, although not many, it was just fine. Jay-Z was a little weak on "Pressure", yet people thought his verse was the best out of the two. Matthew Santos, however, sounded like he was originally on a different song on "American Terrorist". Gemini's singing is nice on "Just Might Be OK", while Sarah Green does some catchy ad-libs on "Real", with the two both coming together on "He Say, She Say".

Lupe does well on the album. His wordplay, lyrics and flow are on point and interests the listener especially being inspired by a lot of people. The hooks on "Hurt Me Soul" and "The Cool" are really catchy. Judging from the album, I can see how Lupe felt when the album was leaked, and the album ended up like this. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but the "Advance" version was a lot better than the original. The final product was just averagely decent.

Overall, Food & Liquor is a solid project. The only problem is how the people had the chance to leak it, with the finalized product coming out not that OK. It's similar to what happened with Nas when he was to release "I Am... The Autobiography" as a double-disc, but then the heavy bootlegging came and I Am... (the first part) ended up OK while Nastramadus (the second part) ended up being the worst album he ever put out. Notice the similarities of Food & Liquor and I Am... They had a struggle due to the bootlegging, but the albums both came out OK. Anyway, I do recommend this a purchase, but for anyone who heard the Advance version and liked it a lot (like 100%) more than this, just get your blank CDs out. This is a good album, Lupe done good, but the finalized version just came out just decent, and not that good for some people, compared to the leak. It's your choice...

The Furious 5ive
Hurt Me Soul
Pressure
Kick, Push
He Say, She Say
Daydreamin'

(The following embed Spotify link unfortunately doesn't have the other 2 5th Anniversary tracks, only Tilted and Carrera Lu. However, if you want to check the other 2, look them up on YouTube)



Here's the Advance version:

http://grooveshark.com/album/Food+and+Liquor+Advance/1919123

Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city

Released: October 22, 2012

In his early years of his career, Kendrick Lamar Duckworth was known as K-Dot. Born in Compton, California to parents from Chicago, he was named after Eddie Kendricks (well, the surname). In 1995, Kendrick saw 2Pac & Dr. Dre film the music video of "California Love", which would be a special moment in his life (well, of course, if you were that person who witnessed it, you'd feel that way). Around 2004 or 2005, Kendrick released his very first mixtape, Hub City Threat: Minor of the Year (YHNIC), which saw him rap over beats from The Game, Beanie Sigel, Jay-Z, Lloyd Banks and more. The mixtape got him signed to Top Dawg Entertainment. Kendrick started making guest appearances, firstly making frequent appearances on Watts Finest Vol. 1, Jay Rock's first mixtape. He even made an appearance on a cypher with The Game, and many artists. He released his sophomore mixtape, Training Day in 2007 and later released a collaborative mixtape with Jay Rock, No Sleep Til NYC, which sees them both rap over New York rap instrumentals.

In 2009, K-Dot released C4, a tribute to Lil Wayne, especially after Wayne released Tha Carter III. By mid-Summer, K-Dot changed his stage name to his birth name (Kendrick Lamar, just without Duckworth) for the reason being that people still wanted to known who K-Dot is. In December of that year, Kendrick released his self-titled EP, known for his first project as his given name. 2010 saw the release of Overly Dedicated, which can be known for having some of his best work, and appearances from Ab-Soul, Alori Joh, Jhené Aiko and Ash Rider.

Kendrick released Section.80, his debut album released independently on Top Dawg, in 2011, with appearances from Soul, BJ The Chicago Kid, Ashtro Bot (Ash Rider) and more. The album was best known for ADHD and HiiiPower. Meanwhile, somewhere in California (or maybe not), Dr. Dre was listening to Kendrick's "Ignorance is Bliss", a track off the tape Overly Dedicated; which gave him the idea to sign him to Aftermath/Interscope. After the official announcement of Kendrick signing to Dre and Jimmy, he premiered "The Recipe", the first single off the album, which featured Dr. Dre. July saw the release of "Swimming Pools (Drank)". While this was going on, news about the album was already out, with people calling it Good Kid in a Mad City, or Good Kid, Mad City, until good kid, m.A.A.d city was the official and finalized title.

On October 22, 2012 , Kendrick released his major label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, released on Aftermath/Interscope. Subtitled as a "short film" with ScHoolBoy Q's handwriting, the title refers to his childhood and his life in Compton. Days after the album came out, people were already calling it a classic. Controversy also sparked when rapper Shyne called the album "trash" and the production "horrible". Game & ScHoolBoy Q quickly replied and defended Kendrick for this, with Game calling Kendrick non-confrontational and that he won't reply.

So, as we look forward to the second anniversary and also wait for his second major project, I decided to revisit my memories of this album...

1. Sherane aka Master Splinter's Daughter
The album starts with Kendrick telling a story about how he met Sherane and how the relationship was like. He met her at a party and they exchanged their numbers. They both kept in contact with Sherane asking Kendrick to come over. He drove over to her house, and when he got out, he found her along with two guys in black hoodies, ending with a skit of Kendrick's mum leaving a message on his phone (skits are going to be a frequent thing in this album) wondering where he is. I like the dark atmosphere of this track, which makes this track interesting and sound-catching for me. Kendrick's delivery on this track is decent, and makes this track very tolerable.

2. Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe
The hook is weak but, of course, very catchy at the same time. But, forget that, this song is awesome. We're 2 tracks in and I find a really awesome track. Sounwave's instrumental is actually memorable and smooth, but then the beat kicks in, we get a banger. Kendrick's lyrics are interesting. The concept of a vibe being ruined is gripping. The 3rd part of this song is weird but I can accept that. Behind it all, this song rocks.

3. Backseat Freestyle
Kendrick turns a normal freestyle into a memorable track. Using Hit-Boy's instrumental, he creates another banger, which follows the story of rapping it to his friends in the backseat (hence the title). Even though he uses an I-can't-get-this-out-of-my-head hook, this feels like a freestyle session than a ordinary track. Hit-Boy's instrumental is catchy, memorable, a little loopy, but acceptable. K-Dot expresses a lot of hunger and a more lyrical side of him that many fans praised him for, which is why this song bangs a lot.

4. The Art of Peer Pressure
Enough with the bangers, it's time to get more deep into it. Kendrick tells a 3-verse tale, which shows a change of his character when with his friends. The song has Kenny tell a story about being with his homies, and what bad things happens when he's around them, such as smoking and drinking, but he's normally "drug-free". During the 3rd verse, the gang had to complete a robbery without getting caught. Luckily, they escaped with Kendrick having "one lucky night with the Homies". The track is appealing to me, especially seeing a dark side of the 'short film'. I really liked the concept of the song, showing what peer pressure can get you into. This is good how I find 3 awesome tracks and we've just started. What's next?

5. Money Trees (feat. Jay Rock)
If anything, a lot of people remember this for creating the meme of "Ya Bish", an ad-lib which is repeated majorly in this track. For me, I remember this for being my favourite track. DJ Dahi's instrumental is something I've never forgotten and is one of the most memorable moments on this album. Kendrick's catchy verses are interesting and easy to get into your head, but if there's anyone that stood out on this track, it's Jay Rock. Other than Kendrick's "Ya Bish" adlibs, Jay Rock's verse was very good and amusing to me. His lyrics are nice and his flow is on point, another reason why I still like this song today.

6. Poetic Justice (feat. Drake)
Named after the Janet Jackson/2Pac film of the same name, Scoop DeVille samples a Janet song (Any Time, Any Place) [which isn't even played in the film, or in the soundtrack] for a smooth modern love song. I always liked this song (and I still do, especially with the Janet sample fitting with the song). When I look at it now, I see it as one of the only 2 collabs that Kendrick had with Drake, thanks to the Control verse he did. Overall, this is a great track.

7. good kid
Pharrell produces a jazzy track for Kendrick. It's weird because normally... well, most of the time, when he produces something, it's normally with his sideman Chad Hugo (producing together as The Neptunes). So to see him produce this is very nice. Anyway, forget that, this song is good. While Pharrell does the hook, K-Dot talks about the life he's living and how he tries to escape from the lifestyles of Compton. I like the jazzy background with the sample of "We Live in Brooklyn, Baby". Kendrick's conscious lyrics are appealing as he has us to see inside his state of mind from Compton to now. Although sounding like something originally from a soundtrack of an indie film, this song is just average, though.

8. m.A.A.d city (feat. MC Eiht)
This song is a double track (both the same song) separated into 2 parts. The first part is the most memorable one out of the two, mainly due to the chorus and the banging beat; while the second part has MC Eiht featured on (and this guy hasn't been heard from since 2006! WOW!). Both Kendrick and Eiht murder the beat and I love it. Yeah... this is all I gotta say!

9. Swimming Pools (Drank [Extended Version]
Swimming Pools (Drank) is up next in its "extended" form. I like this song. The concept of drinking and consciousness is interesting and the extended part of it gets deep into the meaning of the song, which was my favourite part of the song. I love this.

10. Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst
This one is a double track which is 12 minutes. 12 MINUTES. Unless this was the final track on the album, I found this really weird. Sing About Me takes a piano ballad sample type where he tells stories to be realistic, and it's really engaging to me; while I'm Dying of Thirst takes a darker approach, needing more of God in his life. These songs are really amusing and interesting to listen to and Kendrick's concepts on these songs are mindblowing to me, making this song very tolerable.

11. Real (feat. Anna Wise)
One of the realest songs on this album, Kendrick speaks about the realization that he has felt and the importance of loving yourself (he talks about loving yourself again in his new single "I"). I always liked the song and the skits during the song, with the voicemail of his mum and dad telling Kendrick about keeping it real (really). The beat is catchy and Anna Wise's ad-libs being on point. This song is... well, real.

12. Compton (feat. Dr. Dre)
The album ends with the collab with Dr. Dre. And trust me, when I say Just Blaze doesn't disappoints, I mean he DOESN'T. The beat is hot and is a good way to end the album. The song is about him and Dre growing up (obviously, not together) in Compton, so I see why he ends the album with a song named after his hometown. The song is really good and is one of my favourites. It features a very short chorus, which makes the song feel like a "share the mic" freestyle session about Compton. With a skit of Kendrick saying that he's gonna borrow the van and that he'll be back in 15 minutes, this shows the album is possibly a loop (listen to Sherane aka Master Splinter's Daughter). But whatever, what a good way to end the album.

The following are bonus tracks in the deluxe edition:

13. The Recipe (feat. Dr. Dre)
The first single off the album is part of the deluxe edition. Of course, everyone was gonna buy the deluxe edition because of this song. K-Dot's ode to the 3 W's that California has to offer (Women, Weed & Weather) is still a good song today and it bangs. Kendrick & Dre both do good on this and the Twin Sister-sampled beat still rocks today. The chorus is of course, good and with the song not fitting in with the whole album, I understand why it's seen as a bonus track, especially when a lot of people love this track. This song rocks.

14. Black Boy Fly
I like the instrumental and the lyrics to this song, focusing on how certain guys blow up and become successful, with Kendrick being "jealous" of them. The beat is good and I like how the song works out. Rahki on the beat now surprises me, as this guy was the one behind Kendrick's new single, I, and a lot of people didn't feel the song because of how the beat was like. Anyway, forget that, this song is great.

15. Now or Never (feat. Mary J. Blige)
Using Mary J. for the hook, Kendrick talks about achieving everything he has done and how he has come this far with the release of the album. Being one of the cleaner tracks on the album, K-Dot is interesting on the song and Mary's hook is decent. The instrumental, provided by Jack Splash, is very different than everything that's been on this album, mainly for one of the reasons sounding like a track originally for someone else with a rapper feature, not the other way round. But, whatever, this is still decent.

The following are exclusive bonus tracks. I've omitted the single version of "Swimming Pools (Drank)" in the iTunes Deluxe because I already reviewed it in its extended form:

Collect Calls
An iTunes deluxe bonus, this song has a weird backdrop to it and follows the story of him calling his relatives on how he's been getting into trouble. The lyrics are on point and I love it. In this song, he wants to call his mum from jail but the number is blocked. The instrumental sounds like it were meant for an indie pop band, but I can accept. Overall, this song is great.

County Building Blues
A Target bonus, Kendrick speaks to Petey P, his childhood imaginary friend, about all the times he had as a kid, especially seeing Dre & 2Pac in the burgerstand and the LA Riots in '92. The laidback instrumental is interesting and the things he remembered are good to hear from him. The chorus is obviously catchy, as he remembers all the things he wanted, growing up in the ghetto. So this song rocks.

Swimming Pools (Drank) [Black Hippy Remix]
Black Hippy jumps on the well-known "Swimming Pools (Drank)" and they all do a great job. Jay Rock's part is a dark atmosphere verse, Ab-Soul has a "drinking away the pain" verse, with ScHoolBoy Q ending it with his usual party banger self. Luckily, the song is the extended version, without the skit, which creates a dark outro of Kendrick wanting the bartender to fill his cup more (a part which wasn't in the original extended version). So overall, the remix is decent.

The Recipe (Black Hippy Remix)
Alrighty then, another Black Hippy remix, part of the Spotify exclusive (Swimming Pools (Drank) were part of the Target deluxe). Here, the group does it better than the original, and they all have a laidback flow. Soulo starts off with a nice party vibe, being high and getting girls. Q's verse is decent and I like it. I was expecting Kendrick's verse to change, but oh well. And finally, Jay's verse, which is alright and a good way to end it. So, this remix is great.

What remains are the "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe" remixes. One with Emeli Sande (The international version) and the one with Jay-Z. I won't say anything about the international version, since it's pretty much the same thing, just with Emeli on the chorus, but there's a lot to say about the Jay-Z remix. Kendrick changes his verses and he kills it better than the original. Jay-Z's verse is smooth and alright. So yeah, that's all I gotta say.

When I look at good kid, m.A.A.d city, I see a modern classic. In this album, Kendrick's story is very appealing and interesting and how he represents his character with freestyling, "hanging out with the homies" and many more. Kendrick's storytelling makes the album very interesting. The production is, of course, excellent as Kendrick gathers many major and minor producers from the likes of Scoop Deville, Just Blaze, Sounwave, T-Minus and more.
Kendrick's lyricism is on point so much it get me wanting a little more than 12 tracks (excluding the bonus tracks). "Backseat Freestyle", "Real", "Swimming Pools (Drank)" and "Money Trees" were some of the tracks that really stood out to me. Their unforgettable hooks, appealing lyrics and banging instrumentals made me love these tracks. These tracks have a leading story with relationships, life and Compton.

As for the features, well... let's say although there's not a lot, it's just alright. Drake does his thing in "Poetic Justice", Jay Rock stands out in "Money Trees", MC Eiht murders the second part of "m.A.A.d city" and Dr. Dre does a decent job in both "Compton" and "The Recipe".
The samples fits in and suits in with the atmosphere of the songs. "Sherane aka Master Splinter's Daughter" has a sample which makes a very dark atmosphere of how being with Sherane led up to some trouble. "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe" has a laidback flow. Songs like "Money Trees", the first part of "m.A.A.d city" and "Backseat Freestyle" are bangers while songs like "Real", "The Art of Peer Pressure" and "I'm Dying of Thirst" are more serious tracks which makes the mood really gripping.

Of course, the word "classic" is gonna be used by people in the same sentence as the album title. I mean, heck, I even used it too. But by the end of the album and this review, good kid, m.A.A.d city is a very excellent album, which features the elements of a classic (storytelling, bangers and awesome production) done perfectly. But it is on its own lane, just like I said with Labcabincalifornia. As life goes on, a lot of albums or mixtapes are going to be in the same lane this album is on right now, and see in maybe 10 years, hell, GKMC may be in the lane that major classics like Illmatic or Ready to Die is on right now. I mean a lot of people are too quick to judge it as a big classic at the moment. It's just a modern one. If you're wondering if I'm gonna recommend you to pick this up, you probably didn't read every single thing I said about this album, so I'm gonna leave you with this: Pu siht kcip? KO?

The Spectacular Seven (yes, I've got seven)
Money Trees
Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe
Backseat Freestyle
The Art of Peer Pressure
Real
Compton
The first part of m.A.A.d city

As a matter of fact, the whole album are recommended tracks even the bonuses.

(Note: the following embed Spotify link doesn't have the exclusive bonus tracks, only the original deluxe edition tracks. The only 2 bonuses after the original bonuses are the 2 "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe" remixes [well, if you're from any other country apart from the US, then you've got the international remix]. However, you can check the exclusive tracks out by looking them up on YouTube or go on a mp3 website and download it from there. Or... just buy it.)