Headphones: Chow Mane Has Hot, Fresh Bars
Album of the Week
Chow Mane- "Mooncakes": Hip Hop is the way we tell stories, it's not simply a genre. Whatever your story is, you can tell it through hip hop. Chow Mane is telling his story, which is one of struggle, come-up, dreams, and nightmares. On his latest release, "Mooncakes," which dropped earlier in October, the Bay Area rapper is claiming his piece of the pie in truly unique style.
There is a bounce in Chow Mane's voice that reflects urgency. His metaphors and his flow are instantly likable. His tape, "Mooncakes" immediately sounds like something that you can put on and vibe out to easily.
The tape starts out with the phenomenal "Mooncakes," the tape's title track. It features a lush beat, filled with crafty Asian-sounding strings and dope drums. Chow Mane tells the story of his family and their struggle. "My dad came from the struggle, they lost it all in the war / The government took the house and they raided out all the drawers / And every one of em looked at the sky, asked why lord? / So I could now take my family where we ain't been before"
"Kamikaze" bumps hard with a spacious and futuristic sounding beats with notes that sound like a lead pipe clanking down a tunnel. On this track, Chow Mane really shows off his lyrical ability, reciting hilarious and creative metaphors and similes. His word-play is top notch on this track.
The club-banger on this thing is "Jackie Chan" which sounds like a dark, dangerous club where villains definitely hang out. The song is insanely catchy and thumps hard out of speakers in the club or the car. "My teeth is so shiny, my sour so sticky / I feel like Chip Skylark I smoke Icky Vicky/ My pack way too loud like Meek Milly / Put me on anything like sweet chili sauce."
That's just good shit!
Chow Mane is leading the way with his impeccable wordplay and it by the sounds of "Mooncakes," he is not stopping anytime soon. Chow Mane is definitely a unique artist coming out of the booming Bay Area, and it'll be interesting to see where he goes in the next couple years.
Single of the Week
Chris Stapleton- "Millionaire": The majesty that is Chris Stapleton keeps me maintaining faith in the country music genre. He's such a bright light, and has such a palpable air of freshness to his voice. He has already gifted us one of the most sincere albums of 2017, "From a Room Vol. 1", and on December 1st, he releases Vol. 2.
"Millionaire" is the first single from the album, and it's a lush, laid-back, and lovely ballad about love being more precious than gold. This is because it cannot be bought or sold. "I got love, enough to share / And that made me a millionaire"
Music Videos of the Week
Lady Leshurr - "Queen's Speech #1-7: Lady Leshurr has been throwing down slanderous battle rap bars over hard-hitting beats for a series of freestyles called Queen's Speech. These freestyles are hard, clever, and unrelenting. She has consistently punched her competitions' lights out like Floyd Mayweather. "Queen's Speech #5" was hailed "brilliant" and "2015's crowning freestyle" by SPIN Magazine.
Last week, the British rapper and producer dropped "Queen's Speech #7" which might be the dopest yet. "If your beard don't connect, then neither will we / So please don't get no wild thoughts, you ain't RiRi." I wouldn't want to go against this girl in a rap battle, that's for sure.
Spoon- "Do I Have to Talk You Into It?": Another week, another glorious Spoon music video. This one came with some research from the band. As leader Britt Daniel said in a statement, “we did the research, and it turns out 80 percent of our fan base is composed of graphic designers. This one’s for y’all.”
The music video shows Daniels in a series of photos that proceed to get Photoshopped into oblivion or into crazy ways. It's an incredibly interesting, innovative, and unsettling thing, but very impressive at the same time. I loved it, because I love these dudes.