Midas by Jace ft. Robb Banks

The Two-9 member releases an absolute knocker to turn up to, dopeness!

Freddie Gordy by Freddie Gibbs (VIDEO)

The Gary, Indiana rapper drops a visual one of the best tracks from his Shadow Of The Doubt album, dopeness!

Famous Remix by Rick Ross

Rozay takes Ye's Famous for a ride and kills it, dopeness!

Changed by King Mez

The NC rapper links up with Cardo for piano laced banger, dopeness!

The Life of Pablo Review

  Kanye West… When you say or hear that name, you think icon, legend, mastermind, musical genius, businessman, narcissist, crazy; the list goes on for years. One thing all people can agree on is that he is a man that isn’t afraid to dream. That is why his label is properly titled G.O.O.D. music, which stands for Getting Out Our Dreams. When it comes to music, Kanye takes all risks and makes giant leaps to stretch boundaries most people believe exist. From the moment when he decided to drop out of college and pursue a musical career to the moment when he decided to start rapping while he was still producing, he has constantly reinvented himself. No idea or concept has been too abstract for him to create or impact in any way.

With six albums (really eight if you count Watch the Throne and Cruel Summer) to his name, Kanye West has consistently set the standard and raised the bar on artistry with each album release. Even if you couldn't see his vision at the time, you always knew Kanye's vision was clear. There were no accidents, everything from the smallest touches on a beat to the artwork to the album roll out was meticulously crafted and calculated.

So after a three year long wait, three title changes and an unprecedented number of setbacks, Kanye West’s seventh studio album The Life of Pablo has finally arrived. To be honest I haven’t been this excited about a Kanye album since the release of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.  Even though I heard the live stream of the album through Tidal, as a music lover I want to hear this album through my own headphones so I can hear every little intricate detail and get the full experience. This review is going to be the full 18 track-by-track analysis of the album.

1. “Ultra Light Beam” ft. Chance the Rapper and Kirk Franklin

This is the only song I missed during the live stream, so this is my first time hearing it. Damn this is a great start to the album. Who is this woman singing, she is so soulful? Goddamn Chance verse is fire! Haven’t heard Kanye this soulful since The College Dropout days. I swear this song is taking me to the light, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to finish this review. This is pure church right here. Is that Kirk Franklin? Kirk just blessed this track with a strong prayer. This makes me want to go to church, catch the Holy Ghost and confess my sins out loud. Why you doing this to me Kanye?

  2. Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1

This is where I started during the live stream. Not going to lie when I first heard this, I wanted to jump out of my body because I thought this was Future on the hook. To my surprise it’s Kid Cudi…. Give me a second, I just had to shed a tear. This sample and beat is fire, pure flames. This is essential Kanye and Cudi right here, there chemistry is simply poetic! This is new theme song for the morning. Makes me wake up with a smile on my face and just say fuck the haters. It’s short, but overall it’s a dope track.

 3. “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 2” ft. Desiigner

The transition from Pt. 1 to this is flawless and smooth. You get heavy claps and Kanye spittin bars I ain’t know he had left on this. The beat and flow is nice. Again it sounds like Future on the hook, but it’s G.O.O.D. music new signee Desiigner (aka baby Future). It’s a good track overall.

 4. “Famous” ft. Rihanna and Swizz Beatz

Another great transition into a song. Rihanna slaying vocals as always, bringing that “All of the Lights” vibe back. But wait a minute I wasn’t ready for that drop. Warning... this beat is liable to burn off your ears. This track has solar flare temperatures and it keeps increasing… It’s over 9000 for sure!!! That line about Taylor Swift is hilarious as fuck. Kanye gets on his braggadocious shit and Swizz boasting him as his hype man in the background. When Swizz said “Wake up Mr. West”, I know Kanye is back and more focused than ever. This one of the rare songs, where Swizz voice doesn’t kill the track entirely. That sample at the end is so random, but fits perfectly with this track. I see why Madison Square Garden went crazy and was rocking. Amazing job Mr. West, simply amazing.

  5. “Feedback”

Excuse me I had to go find myself after that track. This track beat is so abstract, but so up-tempo you can’t help but rock your head. “Wake up, nigga wake up!!!” I’m awake Kanye and I don’t never want to go to sleep again. The beat is grimey and the strings sound like they belong inside a haunted house. This seriously sounds like it was a loosie off of Yeezus. Not gonna lie though, I like Kanye flow and his energy brings life too this track. The ending is hilarious; Kanye pulled an Oprah, so hopefully I get a fur coat, private jet and big booty chick.

  6. “Low Lights”

It’s good to see Kanye continuing his concept of lights in his works. This is an interlude into “Highlights”, but this is so soulful. Kanye has somehow made an abstract gospel hip-hop album. Who is this woman preaching this powerful sermon, it fits well with the production.

 7. “Highlights” ft. Young Thug, El Debarge and The Dream

Yet another smooth transition into a track. Kanye, Young Thug and The Dream actually make a good team on this track and the heavy use of auto-tune works well. The production on here has been amazing so far. I kind of wish El Debarge had a couple more lines on here, but those three were enough to satisfy me. Kanye laying good bars on this thing and it slaps.

 8. “Freestyle 4” ft. Desiigner

This track is very techno-esque, but I’m digging Kanye’s energy on here. It sounds like Kanye is actually freestyling on this especially with lines like, “What if we f***** right in the middle of this dinner table”? I could of done without Desiigner on this track, but overall the beat knocks.

9 . “I Love Kanye”

This is a poem which has a satirical take on the “Kanye Loves Kanye” meme, he using this space to talk about himself from the third person in the most hilarious way. “See I invented Kanye, it wasn't any Kanyes/And now I look and look around and there's so many Kanye's.” Good to see he hasn’t lost his humor.

10. “Waves” ft. Chris Brown

This is the notorious track that delayed the album two days after it’s initial release and well I can’t see why this track was so essential to have on the album. Love the production on it, but it really sounds like an interlude. I feel Chris Brown presence on here more than Kanye and that’s hard to say and do. This really sounds like another interlude. This is the one skip so far for me.

11. “FML” ft. The Weeknd

I like this so far, it’s very minimal and seems to be the honest Kanye speaking here. This song has a slow flow, but it’s very sincere.  This track is really getting to “The layers to my soul.” The Weeknd just took this track to another level and I honestly would have preferred him on the last track. These drums just dropped like a meteor shower and the auto-tune meshes well here. I’m loving this one from beginning until end.

12. “Real Friends” ft. Ty Dolla $ign

This is one of the few tracks released before the album dropped and honestly this is one of my favorite song because it shows Kanye at his most vulnerable. The beat is haunting and gives you a reflective vibe. You can smoke and really vibe to this song here. This is relatable to everyone because we all have these same thoughts about a friend at one point of time and makes you want to be a better friend, a real friend. Ty $ and Kanye are one of the most unlikely but incredible combinations, they definitely need more songs together.

13. “Wolves” ft. Caroline Shaw & Frank Ocean

The beat hasn’t even dropped yet, but the sub-bass and background vocalist has me in a trance. My soul is slowly leaving my body, Kanye why you doing this to me..? I got a long life to live. This has a 808’s & Heartbreak, “Blame Game” vibe to it. That wolf sample is perfect and that effect on the vocals is simply amazing. Wait who is that singing!?! Is that Frank Ocean? It is him, back from the grave! Yep, my soul officially has left the building. Amazing, simply amazing track right here.

14. “Silver Surfer Intermission” ft. Max B

As a comic-book nerd (team Marvel) I love the title. This is interlude features the “wavy one”, no other than Max B. Here he is simply giving Ye a shoutout and showing him love and support. Hope all is well with Max B and hopes he gets out soon.

15. “30 Hours” ft. Andre 3000

The sample for this is so smooth and the beat is wavy. Kanye spittin dope bars here; Whoever helped write on this album has done an amazing job. This track finds Kanye reflecting back on a past relationship—likely with Sumeke Rainey—from the point of view of his present relationship with Kim. Sadly Three Stacks did not bless the track with a verse, but if he did it would out-of-worldly.

16. “No More Parties In LA” ft. Kendrick Lamar

This is true hip-hop right here, Kanye and Kendrick Lamar trading bars like jabs. The beat takes a backseat to these fire lyrics from these outstanding artists. The sample is all over the place, but once agains fits with the song.  I’m torn between who had the best verse because Ye actually held his own with King Kendrick (A rare feat). Dope track right here.

17. “Facts” (Charlie Heat Version)

When this track first came out I was wondering what weed Kanye was smoking, but listening to the Charlie Heat Vision version… It’s a different story. Charlie Heat must’ve gave Ye a snickers bar because he wasn’t acting like himself. Charlie definitely worked his magic on this one. The beat switches are crazy, but cohesive at once. Good work Charlie, good work.

18. “Fade” ft. Post Malone and Ty Dolla $ign

This is the final track to end this great saga. This is another very heavily Auto-Tuned record, but with mid-tempo,. This could easily fit somewhere between 808’s and Cruel Summer. Ty kills it as always and Post isn't half bad. The production is insane, it drives the record. This one is going to have to grow on me.

Phew, what a ride… What a ride Mr. West took us on! I feel like riding again and again. Kanye definitely proved why his genius shouldn’t be questioned or not marveled at once again. I had my doubts prior from the release, but Kanye put them in the grave. This album feels like a story of growth in his music and career as a whole. You get a little of everything of Kanye’s work on here, from College Dropout to Yeezus. It also shows off his creativity and lack of fear to experiment with sounds. The guest features really elevated the album as well and brings out the full potential of each track in my opinion. The production… The production speaks for itself, it’s mind blowing. The beats and instrumentation sound like they were made in Steven Spielberg, Wes Craven and Michael Bay heads. There’s no real concept to this, it’s pretty much everywhere. It’s an embodiment of Schizophrenia. This album is going to affect how you think feel and behave. It’s going to make you lose touch with reality at some point and I think that what he was going for with this one. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this album and think this has album of the year… Wait album of the decade worthiness to it. Kanye really outdid himself with this one and expressed his artistry to the fullest even with the fashion show.

Essential Tracks: “Father Strech My Hands Pt. 1”, “Famous”, “Real Friends”, “Wolves” and “FML”  

Marshall Vs. Capcom by Otaku Gang (MASHUP album)

The Otaku Gang does it again. The same people behind Star Wars and Biggie mashup return for another incredible mashup with Em and Street Fighter, dopeness!

Wave Gods Intro by French Montana

With his Wave Gods project on the horizon, French releases the intro to the tape in all its wavy goodness. Free Biggaveli, dopeness!

The Curse of Mayweather by Jay Electronica

The biggest recluse in hiphop drops a new track outta nowhere. Peep the Fiddy and Kendrick disses, dopeness!

Worth It by Young Thug

Thugger drops the newest joint off is upcoming "Slime Season 3", supposedly dropping tomorrow, dopeness!

Ladies Hit Squad by Skepta

The Grime don drops a club-ready record to turn up to. Featuring D Double E and A$AP Ant, dopeness!

30 Hours by Kanye West

Yeezy seems like he has changed the TLOP tracklist again. He added this song, and has now released for our viewing, dopeness!

Jazz Cartier's "Hotel Paranoia" Album Review

When you think about Toronto, what comes to mind? For many people, artists like Drake, Tory Lanez, The Weeknd, PartyNextDoor and etc come to mind. One might assume that Toronto is the new breeding ground for singsong rappers, but there is another unique sound in the area. A more grittier, modern trap sound that has been making waves through the six.

The source of this emerging wave comes from 22-year-old rapper Jazz Cartier. Imagine Travis Scott with less distortion in his voice, mixed with a more enthusiastic Future and you get Jazz Cartier. That’s a general description, a detailed one would still not be worthy to describe his overall sound.

Cartier dropped a well-received mixtape called Maurding in Paradise last year, that put him on the map and now he’s back with his new effort Hotel Paranoia. This project has a total 16 tracks that leaves listeners in complete paranoia when it’s done, in a good way.

When this album opens up with “Talk of the Town”, Cartier wastes no time letting his peers and listeners know that he runs Toronto. The hard-hitting, atmospheric track has some listeners coming up with conclusions that it’s aimed at Drake.

From there tracks such as the trap orchestra “100 Roses” and bass-heavy, atmospheric “I Know” sets the overall tone of the project and puts listeners in a paranoia trance that you won’t wear of until the end of the album.

Cartier flaunts his versatility throughout the album, by smoothing out his naturally deep voice to sound like a trap R&B singer on slow tempo tracks such as  “Illuminati Love Song” and “After The Club”. This versatility really shines on the soulful track “Tell Me” and “One Day Feel Away”, which showcases he’s softer side.

Don’t get it twisted though; Cartier has bangers for all the days of the week. Tracks like “Never Too Faded”, “Stick & Move”, “Opera” and “Black and Misguided” are guaranteed to have your sound system on its last leg from the hard-hitting bass.

While Hotel Paranoia has its many triumphs, there are still some flaws that come with it. Throughout the project Cartier abuses hooks to the point where it could be a crime. This is especially evident on the pop tracks “Red Alert” and ‘After The Club”. Often times, it feels like he doesn’t go through a full 16 bars before the hook comes out of nowhere. This takes away from an enjoyable track that could have been great overall.

In the end, Cartier proves he is a growing force to be reckon with his sophomore effort Hotel Paranoia. This project is a stepping-stone towards his star potential, which is not that far from the horizon.

Essential Tracks: “Talk of the Town”, “Stick & Move”, “Never Too Faded”, “Opera”, “How We Do It”, “Tell Me” and “Black and Misguided”.

L.Y.B.B. (Resolution) by A$AP Twelvyy (VIDEO)

The ASAP Mob member releases a new video along with the whole crew with Mariachi bands and flying money everywhere, dopeness!

Money, Cash, Hoes by Freddie Gibbs

The Gary mic killer drops a banger. Put this on the highest voulume, dopeness!

Big Lenbo - "Protect Your Neck"

Logic's right-hand man Big Lenbo makes his solo debut and drops a gritty, hard as rocks track "Protect Your Neck". Check out this fiery, verbal assault of a track here.

Hit Um by Jeezy

Jeezy writes an ode to Cam Newton winning the 2015 NFL MVP. Vintage Jeezy banger right here, dopeness!

If You're Here by LSB (VIP)

The London Town DNB producer releases a vibe-ready joint, dopeness!

Formation by Beyonce (VIDEO)

The Queen Bee releases a track a day before she joins Colplay on stage at the Superbowl halftime. Produced by Mike Will, and shot in New Orleans, this vidoe is greatness, dopeness!

Down In The DM by Yo Gotti (VIDEO)

Gotti's hit single gets a visual and it's just as incredible as you could have imagined, Art Of The Hustle dropping Feb. 19th, dopeness!

N*gga Concentrate by Scotty ATL (VIDEO)

The Zone 6 rapper releases another video from his newest project, The Cooligan,along side Cyhi The Prynce, dopeness!

Hotel Paranoia by Jazz Cartier (Album Stream)

The T-Dot rapper drops a dark and vibe heavy album. Here is the stream, dopeness!