Summer Hip Hop Playlist

My playlist yesterday got over  100 views, that's a record for me, thanks guys. As I promised some of you yesterday, today I'm doing a hip hop only summertime playlist. I hope you enjoy this one. I think tomorrow I'll make an electronika playlist if the views stay up like they have been. So, with out further adieu, here we go.

Track 1: Sunshine by Atmosphere http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI2fy_b-m_I (Of course this is on here, this IS the summer hip hop song. Rivaled by none, it's perfection)

Track 2: Gin & Juice by Snoop Dogg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6TUhx2wX0M (With Snoop's west coast flow with the Dr. Dre beat this song was destined to be chill, it's truly a classic)

Track 3: Ms. Jackson by OutKast http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYxAiK6VnXw (OutKast is amazing, Andre 3000 is amazing, this is amazing)

Track 4: Daydreamin' by Lupe Fiasco http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GQjYPWDcmg (I love Lupe Fiasco, I hate Lasers, but I love Food and Liquor and The Cool. This is hip hop)

Track 5: Ghetto Gospel by Tupac Shakur http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxR4AweLeXE (I decided to only use one of Pac's songs, so I chose this one, but they're all incredible)

Track 6: G Code by Geto Boyz http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeLm_hDJjqQ (Such a good song, also, there's totally a midget rapper in this group, how can you beat that?)

Track 7: My Block by Scarface http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Odq2Mvvw6XA&feature=related (I love the piano riff, a homage to his block, it's both a good look and a bad one. Real nice)

Track 8: Today Was A Good Day by Ice Cube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CPlF-IEkXQ (Is this really the same guy that is in Are We There Yet? He's come a long way. Great song though)

Track 9: Nuthin' But A G Thang by Dr. Dre http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhr5UBZh1rY&feature=related (Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and the rest of Death Row throws down on this song, off of one of the chillest rap albums of all time, The Chronic by Dr. Dre)

Track 10: Road To Zion by Damian Marley ft. Nas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLU_ymaLSPI (Nas and Bob's son Damian make the song that honestly sums up all of my beliefs, this song is perfect.)

That's it for this one. Keep checking in, I'll post more stuff. Keep on listening to music and expanding your knowledge. Stephen.

Week... Um, Fuck It... Summer

Hey guys, I know it's been forever since I did one of these but I've been really busy with second semester junior year and lacrosse and stuff. Anyways, it's summer here in Boulder, and so instead of doing an album I'm gonna make a play list for all you cool cats out there to get your groove on, so let's boogy. This is gonna be called Summer 2011 playlist, super original right? Here we go.

Track 1: To The Beach by the Canadian band Jon and Roy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X68Rs7DiJk (this song is so chill and about beaches, how could it not be on here?)

Track 2: Wash Away by Joe Purdy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTdCzIduUb4 (Joe Purdy is a lot like Jon and Roy with the simplicity of guitar and vocals. This song was on Lost, that's why you recognize it)

Track 3: Dub Fire by Aswad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw3PImkJhU0 (This is the song that introduced me to the Dub movement, possibly the chillest music in the world. This is a bass heavy song so if you don't have good speakers get some.)

Track 4: Sun Is Shining by Lee "Scratch" Perry http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOnPS4Oyi24 (Originally a Bob Marley song, but I personally like this version more)

Track 5: Another Noon by Jon and Roy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udprpIq28jA&feature=related (Going back to Jon and Roy because they're awesome and this song is perfect. just listen to the drum, so chill)

Track 6: Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gX1EP6mG-E (Truly a summer time classic. Wagon Wheel is one of those songs that every one knows and can sing along too, if you can't, you should learn. Great bon fire music.)

Track 7: Seven Days In Sunny June by Jamiroquai http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRSH-egVyzk&feature=artistob&playnext=1&list=TLvqFfhV7Y8KY (I usually put this on playlists as a joke, but it's actually a really nice, relaxing song)

Track 8: ChChChillin by DKap http://www.youtube.com/user/OfficialDKap#p/u/12/SmOhXUa0zpY (Huge SHOUT OUT to my boy Daniel Kaplan. This is off of his first of many albums so chill)

Track 9: Sunrise by Nora Jones http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd02pGJx0s0 (The most soothing voices around, Nora Jones is incredible)

Track 10: New Soul by Yael Naim http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtslwxL_Leg (Another summer classic)

That's it for this playlist. Keep on checking in, I'm sure I'll have some more playlists coming up for you. Keep on listening to music and expanding your knowledge. Stephen

Week Eight

Hey all, hope you had a great spring break, and if you haven't had it yet i wish you the best for yours. I was talking to my friend about metal today and told him that Toxicity by System Of The Down was my favorite album. Then i thought about it and realized i haven't done a metal album on here yet so here it is. Probably my favorite part of System is their harmonies, they're eerie, but still really beautiful. The lyrics are poignant in a lot of the songs, they talk about politics (such as Prison Song) relationships, life and have a couple funny songs. Their songs are mostly melodic, so even people who don't really dig the screaming part of metal can get into it. My favorite songs off of this album are Aerials http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-iepu3EtyE , Prison Song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JaMBEIM0kM and their number one hit Chop Suey http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSvFpBOe8eY. but really you can't go wrong with any of the songs. Toxicity was released by American Recordings in 2001. Keep on listening to music and expanding your knowledge. Stephen

Week Seven

When it comes to freestyle rapping there is a pretty obvious king, Big L. Although a lot of his lyrics are misogynistic and homophobic he's incredible. Big L is classic East Coast Gangsta, he's from Harlem from the 90s and you can hear it in everything that he does. His debut album Lifestylez Of Da Poor & Dangerous is a gritty, angry and intense album with minimalistic beats and dirty rhythm. The control that he shows over his flow is amazing, seamlessly transitioning from a slow tempo to a fast section, and his word play is incredible. My favorite song off of the album would have to be Put It On, http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=put+it+on&aq=f which is a song that my friends and I rap all of the time, it's awesome. Also off of it is the murder song All Black, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U1UN4P9Mnw which I also really like. Anyways, a song of his that isn't on this album is 98 freestyle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToTRFS-6eUs but you should check out all of his stuff. He's probably the most under rated rappers of all time. This album was released in 1995 by Columbia Records. Keep listening to music and expanding your knowledge. Stephen

Week Six (Sort Of... Sorry)

Hey all, it's been a long time since I last posted, but I hope you'll forget that and just go along with it. This week my album is Blue Collar by a rapper from Chicago named Rhymefest. Not many people know who Rhymefest is, so it can give you some major hip hop credit knowing him. Blue Collar contains some funny tracks, but also a lot of social commentary and songs addressing some really heavy stuff. It also has collaborations with major artists such as Kanye West (whose song "Jesus Walks" was actually co-written by Rhymefest) Wu Tang Clan's Old Dirty Bastard, and Citizen Cope. Rhymefest likes to tell stories with his songs which means that most of his lyrics are perfectly understandable, unlike a lot of rappers who some people have a hard time understanding. He doesn't overwhelm you with beats, but really makes you focus on the words. My 2 favorite songs are Bullet Feat. Citizen Cope http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_56YPH50bGI and Sister, which isn't on youtube, so get the album, it's incredible. Blue Collar was put out by J Records in 2006. Keep listening to music and expanding your knowledge. Stephen

Week Five

The first time I ever heard Gnarles Barkley was with their hit (and unbearably overplayed) song Crazy. The next time I heard CeeLo was this year with his solo song "Fuck You", and I heard DJ Danger Mouse in his amazing and controversial mash-up album "The Gray Album". To me it seemed that all that Gnarles Barkley had to offer was crazy, but then this year I was browsing my local public library and found the album The Odd Couple. This album is covers everything from Motown to Funk to R&B to blues to indescribable. CeeLo's trademark voice is able to not just sooth or rejoice, but span all of the emotions anyone could possibly feel. I would say that my favorite song on this album is Run, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0MNfMUa9pc but this album is another one that needs at least one full afternoon dedicated to it. It's amazing. Keep listening to music and expanding your knowledge. Stephen Kaplan

Week Four

Hey all, I'm back from break and here with another great album. I hope you had an eventful new year, and to all you Christians, i wish you a late merry Christmas. With the potent combination of M.F. DOOM's smooth yet educated flow and Madlib's extraordinary beat production, you're almost guaranteed an incredible album, but incredible doesn't quite do the album Madvillainy justice. This album, released in 2004 by Stone's Throw Records my be the best put together album I've ever listened to. Every song flow's perfectly into the next, and DOOM keeps on rapping in his trademarked unrelenting yet still relaxed way. The most well known song off of it I would say is All Caps (which also has one of the greatest beats ever created and the music video is so cool) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewc1hixzYPY, but I don't think that I could name my favorite song because they all just go perfectly together. You should really just get  the entire album and let it play one afternoon and listen to the whole thing through, it's a great experience.Keep listening to music and expanding your knowledge. Stephen Kaplan