Fast Life

"Fast Life" by Kool G Rap samples "Happy" by Surface.

Surface - Happy

Kool G Rap ft. Nas - Fast Life
prod. by Buckwild

Ketchup

Ketchup

TiRon's mixtape, Ketchup dropped in February 2009, but I've had it in my rotation lately so I figured I'd give it some shine. To me he sounds like a young Kanye back in the "Through The Wire" days. TiRon currently resides in LA but he's a Chicago Kankakee, IL:native. His songs on Ketchup are all topics the common man can relate to: needing a wingman when you hollering at a female, throwing your money at the strip club, and getting drunk at the club. The beats on the mixtape are on point and it features some of the top up and comers from Cali.

Standout Tracks: Three Drink Minimum, Go, Still Never Happy, Shine On

Compton

Does anybody remember Guerilla Black? The dude that sounded like Biggie, but he was from Compton? Yeah....

Well, "Compton" was the first single off his debut album "Guerilla City." It samples "Bam Bam" by Sister Nancy.

Sister Nancy- Bam Bam

Guerilla Black ft. Beenie Man- Compton
prod. by Carlos Broady

Sunshower

You can't go wrong with a sample of "Sunshower". The song has been sampled so well I had to post two of my favorite songs that sampled it. Panacea's "Flashback to Stardom" and De La Soul's "Am I Worth You?" Both of those are feel good songs that utilize the sample beautifully. Also check out Ghostface Killah's "Ghost Showers" and Busta Rhymes' "Take It Off", they both use the sample as well.

Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band- Sunshower

Panacea ft. Raheem DeVaughn- Flashback to Stardom
prod. by K-Murdock

De La Soul ft. Glenn Lewis- Am I Worth You?
prod. by Supa Dave West

Comfortable

I think 9th Wonder's sample of Luther Vandross "Forever, For Always, For Love" is one of the best he's ever done. When I first heard "Comfortable", I swear I played it ten times in a row. Dope iddish (c) Median

Luther Vandross- Forever, For Always, For Love

Median- Comfortable
prod. by 9th Wonder

Smile

"Smile" by Trae is similar to most of his songs, somber in tone, with a slow and measured beat to accompany his deep voice and slow flow. The song samples "Your Smile" by Rene & Angela.

Rene & Angela- Your Smile

Trae ft. Jadakiss and Styles P
prod. by Sean T

Love It Mayne!

25 Lighters on my dresser yessir, I gots to get paid!

"25 Lighters" is a classic song by DJ DMD. It samples one of my favorite new jack swing songs, "Nite and Day" by Al. B Sure. I'm trying to grow out a unibrow like Al. B Sure to see how many females I can pull!

Sike!

Al B. Sure- Nite and Day

DJ DMD ft. Fat Pat and Lil Keke- 25 Lighters
prod. by DJ DMD

25th Hour

Dom Kennedy- 25th Hour

This is the "oldest" mixtape I've posted so far. It came out in August 2008, but I was listening to it earlier this week, so I thought I'd highlight it. Dom Kennedy is from LA (Leimert Park to be exact) and has three mixtapes under his belt thus far. 25th Hour was his first mixtape followed by FutureStreet/DrugSounds and Best After Bobby. I really can't compare him to anybody when it comes to the way he sounds or lyric wise, but his songs give off a summertime/nostalgic type feel. All of Dom's tracks will be in my summer rotation, no doubt about it.


Standout Tracks: Watermelon Sundae, Notorious DOM, Tennishoes

My Story

"My Story" off of Nicolay's third album, Here, is a real dope song. Kay spits about his life growing up while Sy Smith provides a beautiful melody on the hook. "Portrait of Tracy" is sampled in this song, and was most famously sampled in the SWV hit, "Rain".

Jaco Pastorius- Portrait of Tracy

Nicolay ft. Kay and Sy Smith- My Story
prod. by Nicolay

I'm Dat Nigga

When I first heard "I'm Dat Nigga" by B.o.B, I had no idea he was going to go at T.I. bar for bar on the track. I think B.o.B outdid T.I. on this track. This track samples "Pusherman" by the late great Curtis Mayfield.

Curtis Mayfield- Pusherman

B.o.B ft. T.I.- I'm Dat Nigga
prod. by Fury

You and I

"Gettin Up" by Q-Tip is one of morning anthems. It's another day to get up and handle business. The song samples "You and I" by Black Ivory.

Black Ivory- You and I

Q-Tip- Gettin Up
prod. by Q-Tip

Smiling Faces Sometimes

"Snakes" by Rocko is one of my favorite storytelling songs. Rocko is no Slick Rick when it comes to telling a story, but the tale he spins over the "Smiling Faces Sometimes" sample is pretty good.

 

prod. by Drumma Boy

She Useta Be

"She Useta Be" is one of the funniest songs you'll hear from Devin the Dude. The song is a tale of a female he had a crush on in high school who has went from "elegant to elephant" in the days since she left school. There are quotables for days in this song! The song samples "Latin Reaction" by Gato Barbieri.

Gato Barbieri- Latin Reaction

Devin the Dude- She Useta Be
prod. by Domo

The Purple Tape

The Purple Tape

Big Pooh has really stepped his lyrical game up. For real! As of fan, I like to see my favorite artists grow, I like to see growth lryically, content wise, and in exposure. Big Pooh has definitely done that and it shows in The Purple Tape. The whole mixtape was produced by Black Milk and it features Prince inspired beats. The mixtape features other HOJ artists such as Joe Scudda and Chaundon.

Standout Tracks: Camera Tricks, Law & Order, Put It In The Air

R.I.P. Teddy P

Yesterday, we lost a legend in Teddy Pendergrass. He was nominateed for a Grammy five times and sold millions of albums. In rememberance of him today, I'll post a sample of one of his songs. "You're My Latest, My Greatest Inspiration" was sampled in "Higher" by Do or Die.

Teddy Pendergrass- You're My Latest, My Greatest Inspiration

Do or Die ft. Kanye West- Higher
prod. by Kanye West

Please Listen To My Demo

"Ridin High" by Faze-O has been sampled quite a few times over the years. Most recently by Ghostface Killah on The Big Doe Rehab album. However, today's post will not be about the song from that album. It'll be about "Please Listen To My Demo" by EPMD. In this song, Erick and Parrish rap about what they had to do just to shop their demo.

Faze-O- Riding High

EPMD- Please Listen To My Demo
prod. by EPMD

Shoot Em Up Movies

Camp Lo released two albums in 2009, "Gotcha" was on the first of the two albums. The song samples "Shoot Em Up Movies" by The Deele.

The Deele- Shoot Em Up Movies

Camp Lo ft. Tyler Woods- Gotcha
prod. by Jocko

For The 919, For the 910, and For the 336

On the track "Nighttime Maneuvers", Phonte shouts out various area codes in North Carolina and fellow members of the Hall of Justus crew. The song samples "The Borgia Stick" by George Benson.

George Benson - Borgia Stick

Little Brother - Nighttime Maneuvers 
prod. by 9th Wonder

Say What You Want

"Say What You Want" was one of my favorite songs from B.o.B's (aka Bobby Ray) last mixtape B.o.B vs. Bobby Ray. It samples the classic Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson collobaration, "Say Say Say".

Paul McCartney ft. Michael Jackson

B.o.B ft. Playboy Tre and Killer Mike- Say What You Want
prod. by Fury

Trunk Muzik

Trunk Muzik

I alluded to YelaWolf earlier and now I present the corresponidng Mixtape of the Week post. YelaWolf hails from Alabama, which isn't to hard to tell by his Southern drawl. The mixtape boasts features from the likes of Bun B and Raekwon and trunk rattling production from Will Power. When he named this mixtape Trunk Muzik, he diddn't lie! All these songs bang HARD in the whip, I don't care if you're driving an 87' Toyota Tercel or a 95' Caprice with beat in the trunk, this mixtape will assault your speakers.

Standout Tracks: I Wish, Good To Go, Pop The Trunk, F.U.

T.K.O.

8Ball & MJG's "Pimps" samples "T.K.O." by Womack & Womack.

Womack & Womack- T.K.O.

8Ball & MJG- Pimps
prod. by Tony Draper

Put It On

When it comes to gettin nookie, I'm not a rookie/I got girls that make that chick Toni Braxton look like Whoopi

-Big L

That's just one of many clever punchlines by the late Big L. Check out his two albums and his freestyles, you won't be disappointed. His 1995 single "Put It On" samples "Vibrations" by Roy Ayers.

Roy Ayers- Vibrations

Big L- Put It On
prod. by Buckwild

F.U.

It's my second post of 2010! For this post I'll post the sample used in song from a mixtape released just this week. "F.U." by Alabama rapper, YelaWolf, samples "Phuck U Symphony" by Millie Jackson. I won't even keep it a secret, YelaWolf's "Trunk Muzik" mixtape will be in my mixtape of the week post on Thursday, I've been riding to the mixtape since it dropped on New Years Day.

Millie Jackson- Phuck U Symphony

YelaWolf- F.U.
prod. by Will Power

SF Anthem

I come across so much music everyday, sometimes I have a hard time remembering where I first heard it. That's exactly the case with "SF Anthem". In the song, San Quinn, Boo Banga, and Big Rich just spit about their city. I had never heard a song about San Fran, so it definitely caught my attention.The song samples "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" by Scott McKenzie.

Scott McKenzie - San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)

San Quinn ft. Big Rich and Boo Banga- SF Anthem
prod. by Traxamillion