"While We Sleep in America, Our House is Burning Down"
Santigold, formerly Santogold, came onto the music scene as a solo artist in 2008. She was unique and her sound only reflected her eclectic and eccentric style. By mixing a variety of beats and sounds, her self titled debut album reached critical and commercial success. After a 4 year hiatus from the music world, Santigold is back with a slight name change and a new sophomore album titled Master of My Make-Believe. Re-uniting with great producers Switch and Diplo, this is a step away from the alternative style from her first LP to experiment with electronic, hip-hop, new wave, dubstep, and reggae fusion to deliver a mix of international beats and social commentary.
Opening with the Switch, Q-Tip, and Santigold produced track "GO!" ft Karen O, Gold infuses a military and almost revolutionary vibe about power and jealousy from others that comes with it. This militaristic style seems to resonate throughout the album, especially on her lead and powerful "Disparate Youth". She takes a lighter note on the pop influenced but seductive track "The Riot's Gone" and slows down the tempo on the guitar and percussion driven beat of "God From the Machine". With other influences from African beats on her second single "Big Mouth" and Middle Eastern rhythm fused with dubstep on "Fame" and mix of Asian chimes with some electronic rock on "The Keepers", it is apparent that Santigold is not afraid of exploring new sounds and styles. Many of the tracks are also heavily influenced by Jamaican reggae and dancehall with some strong Hip-Hop beats ("Look at These Hoes").
Even with this trip around the world in experimental sound on Master of My Make-Believe, Santigold is able to connect these eclectic personal styles with her almost magical and precise voice that captures the theme of each song. Regardless if each song is not an instant classic, she is truly an artist that is not afraid to take risks. With this sophomore release, she succeeds in not conforming to industry standards but create her own odd but relatable world of her imagination. Although I doubt this album will be as successful as her first effort, it still has a couple stand out singles and is a solid piece of work. I am excited to see what she may have to deliver in the next few years or so.
Times have been hard and updates have been slow, but dont worry Coleminers always will hold you down with some new music to usher in Spring...
2 Chainz leaked this new sampled track from the Snoop Dogg classic and YG's latest anthem, "Snitches Ain't" (remix) is actually lyrical not that dumbed down Chainz works. At times his verses seem as though they are being rapped by someone else, but its all 2 Chainz as far as I know.
And he raps too. Bei Maejor is back with a new light, summer time love track titled "Special". Maejor shows off some rap skills over this "cute" song and definitely is aiming for the radios with this. I can see this being a spring/summer sleeper hit.
It seems that as the weather warms up, the lovey dovey and "cute" songs seem to be invade the charts and radio stations. I guess with the warm weather then the romance starts to blossom. Leading the change in sound is the ATL rapper B.O.B. with his new single "So Good". After a mega-hit debut album, B.o.B. continues to give that good mix of rap and pop over a light hearted beat with a catchy chorus. This track is classic radio friendly B.O.B. and should be another hit. I'm not sure if it will be another smash hit like "Airplanes" or "Beautiful Girls", considering there is no Bruno Mars on the track to make the ladies swoon, but it still is catchy enough to get him some radio play. His new LP Strange Clouds drops 5/1/2012.
What can you do in 2 minutes? I'm sure most can do plenty but in Nipsey Hussle's case, you can deliver a dope bar rap over a simple drum beat that will make you a believer in his lyrical flow. With this track "Sound of My Ceremony", the west coast rapper Hussle goes hard and stays true to himself while delivering a street anthem rap bewaring listeners that you can't trust any "homie" or "buddy". He delivers the message that the only person you can really rely on is yourself.
Steady making some noise, the child R&B star Sammie has come a long way from his first hit "I like". Softly delivering a heartbreak tale of finding that true love in his new leaked track "Heart has a mind of its own, released right around Vday, Sammie shows that he has grown into a melodic R&B star and hasn't slowed down after years in and out of the spotlight.
A grammy award snub isnt slowing down the post graduate rapper from NC. J.Cole blesses fans with two new leaked tracks; "Grew Up Fast" and "Visionz of Home". One is a soulful sampled song that is beyond dope and stays true to Cole fashion of speaking on real life female situations that could happen to anyone growing up and, also, poking some fun at the rumor mills that circulated him before he dropped his debut album. The other track is an uptempo, bass heavy beat driven song with some ill guitar rips that gives us a sound from Cole we havent heard before. He is hungry for that nomination and Grammy this time and both these equally dope tracks are two different vibes but still lyrical sick.
Whether he is wailing in the mic with his band WZRD or rapping/singing about life, drugs, or relationship, Cudi has never been shy about his frequent drug use. With his new track, appropriately titled, "Dose of Dopeness" he goes back to rapping and has fun delivering a catchy and clever rhyme. Considering that this track was originally released in 2007, it sounds like classic Cudi and is something that has been missing from his good, yet macabre latest works.
R&B in the mainstream has been on a steady decline since the introduction of dance and synthesizers in the the genre. At times when a fan really has to dig and search for a classical R&B sound, Q.Parker (formerly of 112) delivers with a smooth, "knight-in-shining-armor" rescue song for female fans out there. With a mesmerizing snap beat and strong vocals, Q is finally stepping into the lime light after only releasing unofficial leaks after the break-up of 112 in the mid 2000s. With his new song "Show You How", Parker aims to claim the R&B audience that Slim failed to target with his solo project but shows that he is still a softy when it comes to loving a girl right.
Santigold(formerly Santogold) has been laying low after touring and exploding onto the scene with her self titled debut album. Now re-emerging with a one-letter difference name change and slightly new look, she is making her way back into the spotlight with two new tracks titled "Disparate Youth" and her most recent "Big Mouth". This is classic Santigold with some tribal and drum heavy dance beats and some shots at the swagger jacking style of Lady Gaga. Although different and random, I like her style on this dance track and the video just amplifies her randomness.
Coming with a political conscience, uplifting, and dope rhyme, the freestyle battling rapper Soul Khan delivers a new track "Wellstone". I don't particularly agree with everything he is saying in this track but the overall message of positive and real change is there. The track won't change the world but definitely worth a listen.
Another Brit singer has made that crossover to US mainstream music, the newly signed Roc Nation songstress Rita Ora is both talent and beauty. More than just a similar style to Rihanna, Ora has the soulful voice of some of R&B's top contenders but the sound of pop music's best. It seems that Jay has a niche for talented young girls with a familiar look but her songs her definitely targeting the pop scene. With her latest leaked homage single released on the date Brooklyn rap legend BIG was shot and killed, the song "Party and Bullsh**" has the makings of being a huge pop chart topper with the right promotion and radio play. Jay has yet to back any whack or weak projects/artists so I am patiently waiting to hear and see more of Rita Ora.
Only out for a month or so and the Usher falsetto hit "Climax" has been remixed by the Slaughterhouse emcee Joe Budden. Opening with a tight 16 bar rap, Budden continues to prove why he is one of the top lyricists in the game while letting it burn in confessing his tale about a relationship gone bad.
