Tag Archive | Kendrik Lamar

SiMH❤ Today: The City Game ft Kendrick Lamar

“I won’t stop till I’m the king of every state!!”

This is a good first track if there ever was one. Opening an album with this song reminds me of being pushed into an ice-cold pool. No you didn’t get into it inch by inch, you fell full body into it and you can’t and don’t want to get out. If someone asked me my favourite track on Game’s R.E.D, giving a straight answer would be more than difficult because I actually love the whole album. But if I had to pick this song would come out on top. Track 1 on an album is the pace setter, a foretaste of what to expect. I heard this song and I wanted to listen to the whole R.E.D. It’s aggressive and it’s about Game’s city. He teams up with one of the west coast’s most talented up and comers Kendrik Lamar who delivers a brilliant hook. I don’t know why he’s so angry in this song but it makes the song incredible, and you have to adore the “leave the angels in the city” sample in the song. It’s such a simple arrangement but between the beat, lyrics and flow you find yourself wanting the whole album to yourself.

LISTEN TO “THE CITY”

 

Hip Hop Hooray on a Tuesday : The Talented Mr Taylor

Six years ago beefing with 50 Cent was career suicide. Remember how Ja Rule became irrelevant literally overnight? Ok so maybe his music wasn’t as good as before but the beef with Mr Jackson didn’t help his case. It’s ironic however that (the) Game also beefed with Fiddy but his career is going from strength to strength. Frankly he’s doing a lot better than 50 Cent(who’s laughing now).

4 albums later Jayceon Terrell Taylor is still relevant and doing pretty well for himself while he’s at it. In terms of rappers, New York is well accounted for with people like Jay-Z, Fabolous and Nas. LA as the birthplace of Gangster rap and home to Tupac Shakur seems to be running out of great rappers. Snoop has lost it, and Dr Dre is more producer than rapper so I think it would be correct to say that Game is holding the flag of the West up high. I have a lot of respect for this guy, he has stayed true to his roots and delivered an amazing album R.E.D which was released earlier this year. Game oozes West Side swag and R.E.D is so Compton you feel like you’re riding in his “Cherry 64” with the ocean breeze in your hair. From the epic words, “this is how we do” until now he has stayed true to himself. He raps about life growing up in a tough city, and escaping it’s traps and life on the other side. From an abusive childhood, foster care, loss, and near death experiences this guy’s life story is remarkable. The fact that he rose above all this and became so successful makes him admirable in my eyes. It’s not about where you’re from it’s about where you’re going. You can feel pain, determination and most importantly passion in every rhyme and verse.  R.E.D is a brilliant album with a wide range of songs for any moment. I listen to this album everyday and it sounds better everyday. By today’s low musical standards, if you can listen to an album without skipping a single track, you have a good album on your hands. Some albums have a few great tracks while others get boring by the 7th song, but not R.E.D. This is an exceptional work and the collaborations with Kendrik Lamar, Tyler the Creator, Nelly Furtado, Big Boi, Lil Wayne and Chris Brown show is far reaching talent.  2011  has been a great year for hip hop and R.E.D has contributed enormously to this fact. That’s why Game is stuck in my headphones..