Kanye Shares New Nas Album Tracklist
Last night Kanye tweeted a picture with the tracklist for the upcoming 7 track colaborative album between him and Nas.
https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/1006739170897743872
This is the 4th album of the summer for Kanye West, who has been releasing a new 7 track album with different artists every week, and there's still one more to go after this one. The album, Nas's 12th album, comes out this Friday and it may be his most experimental. Kanye tweeted "We’re trying new ideas without the fear of not being perfect… It’s just a gut feeling sometimes… just making stuff with your friends…" But if the previous albums show anything about this one expect to hear a lot of Nas this summer.
Foxy Brown "Ill Na Na" Album Anniversary
One of the most heated, vicious and real rivalries in hip-hop was set to begin with winter just around the corner. The date is November 19, 1996, and Foxy Brown was about to drop her debut album, Ill Na Na.
So, why does the rivalry start here?
Because this album releases 7 days after Lil Kim’s debut album, Hardcore.The Kim vs. Foxy rivalry is layered. Here we have two women from Brooklyn, both with sex driven, gangsta lyrics who are trying to be number one in the rap game, much like the men they created their music with, Biggie, Jay Z and Nas. There is even some debate over “Who did you hear first?” We’ll dig into that all at a different time. Right now it’s time to focus on the Big Bad Mamma and her NaNa
What we can’t do is gloss over the fact that in 1996 Foxy Brown helped birth what I like to call “the feature run” before her debut album had even came out. Spring/Summer 96 Foxy had 2 hit singles out. One with Case ["Touch Me, Tease Me"]and one with Jay Z ["Ain’t No"] and she was seen as the star on those tracks. Then she had a strong close out verse on the Nas posse cut, “Affirmative Action”. People may talk about how the math is wrong now, but in 1996 until about 99, I was actually hearing people refer to that verse as being iconic.
I remember it first clicking that “Ill Na Na” was slang for “good p*ssy” and I nearly blew a gasket! My exact words were: If a woman is calling her album “Good Pu$$y, then I've got to listen!” And listen I did. Did it have the same affect on me as Kim’s Hardcore? No. Foxy’s album was more gangsta than raunchy. She struck me as a girl that might sell dope or rob a dude and come home to her man and make him eat her "ill na na". It was intriguing but not really that sexy to me.
When this album first comes on, it’s virtually a Def Jam promo commercial. They promote CRU “The Dirty 30” and Cormega “The Executive”. Totally confusing to me. Moreover, based on what I was expecting, the actual intro “Chicken Coop” wasn’t really an exciting build up.
Then Foxy gets right to the bars. No surprise that it felt as if Nas' little sister was rapping on “Letter To The Firm”. As the album goes on she continues to rap her a** off. How could she not pay homage to LL Cool J and working and writing with Havoc of Mobb Deep and with a guy by the name of Shawn Carter aka Jay Z? In Fact, Jay helps write the bulk of this album. Does Foxy do some of her own writing? Yes. Does she sound like the female Nas when she’s not sounding like the female Jay Z? Yes. However, it works a lot better than many would think.
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Fact: Ill Na Na did better than Reasonable Doubt and they were both written in the same year. Foxy Brown was in higher demand than Jay and from a mainstream perspective, Jay gave Foxy the Lob for his first single and it worked better for her, in the short term.
More Facts: Since this album, Jay hasn’t quite captured the same level of success with another female rapper.
Foxy had two hits with “Get Me Home” and “I’ll Be” on this album. The title track with Method Man should have gotten a bigger push and the tracks around the the singles are displays of great rhyming that many couldn’t rival verse for verse.
I won’t throw this album in the realm of “classic”, but you can’t deny that the Na Na was indeed pretty Ill. Foxy Brown had one of the best breakout years for any artist in rap period. 1996 alone is why her name is still noteworthy till this day.
Salute to Foxy Brown and her notable debut album.
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Check out another Ruby Hornet/Cam Quotes Album Anniversary here.
[RH Photos] Taylor Bennett, Vic Mensa, and NaS at House of Blues Chicago (8/3/2014)
Photos and write-up by Bryan Lamb.
I've been to the House of Blues a hand full of times, but this being the end-all-be-all of Lollapalooza 2014, the energy was different. Performing at the House of Blues once again makes for another landmark moment for the up and coming Taylor Bennet, who was followed by the "Down on My Luck" artist Vic Mensa, who kept the show moving, with NaS performing as the closing act. Both Vic and NaS performed at Lollapalooza just a day or so before the House of Blues show. It was interesting to see their sets in a more intimate setting, and they still had enough energy at the end of Lolla weekend to keep the crowd moving. Take a look at the photos I shot from the show below.
[Video] Disclosure Lets The Fire Burn At Coachella 2014
Photo by Chris Garmon
Unless you've been living under a rock, you're very aware of last weekend's mega festival in the desert, Coachella. This year seemed to be the year of the special guest appearances. For example, Nas brought out Jay and Puffy, Queen Bey danced around supporting her sister Solange, Gwen Stefani and Snoop Dogg joined Pharrell on stage, Chance The Rapper brought out Justin Bieber, and we finally got to see Outkast back together, who themselves were joined by Janelle Monae and Future. RH favorites Disclosure was not going to be left behind as they also brought out some of their special friends to one of the best sets from the festival, bringing out Sam Smith, Mary J.Blige, and Aluna Francis (of Aluna George) to the stage during their featured songs. The UK brothers have been killing it since they dropped their debut album Settle last year and haven't looked back as they've been performing non-stop and appearing on talks shows and award shows all over the world.
Settle was pretty much on everyone's top albums list of 2013 (including ours), and with good reason. I pretty much had it on repeat for six months, and like many others, I couldn't get enough of their infectious production. I was lucky to be able to catch them during their tour stop in Austin this past January (check out the photos). I've seen a lot of DJ/producer sets, and Disclosure is definitely on the top of my list after seeing them live. If you are a fan or have yet to see them, check out their full set at Coachella below and don't be afraid when you end up dancing around your desk.
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NAS: "Illmatic XX" Stream and Documentary Trailer
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Nassir Jones' classic Hip-Hop album Illmatic. Today, Nas drops Illmatic XX, the 20th anniversary edition of the '94 debut of one of the most prolific rappers of our generation. Nas not only dropped a classic album, but changed hip hop as a whole with his gritty poetic street rhymes with a real message. Illmatic appears on best hip hop albums lists and many note the rapper as being one of the most influential rappers. This past weekend, Nas performed the classic album front to back at Coachella (video below), bringing out Hova to assist on a few tracks. That performance couldn't have been better, as you can see that no matter what, the Queensboro MC, 20 years later after dropping his debut, is still one of the most relevant hip hop artists today.
I was 11 years old when Illmatic dropped, and I remember listening to it like it was yesterday. My older brother had it on cassette, and I used to sneak into his show box of tapes while he was gone and listen to them on my Sony Walkman (remember those kids?). Not until a few years later did I really understand what Nas was rhyming about and really understand the rhymes and message he was conveying. 20 years later, the albums is still as relevant as it was in '94. Not only did he shape his career, but Nas shaped and changed hip hop culture as a whole.
To continue the celebration of the 20th anniversary, Nas will be premiere the documentary Time is Illmatic at the opening night of the Tribeca Film Festival tomorrow. If you can make the opening night, I would suggest it or just wait until it hits Netflix like the rest of us. You can buy Illmatic XX now on iTunes.
"I gave you what the streets felt like, what it tasted like, sounded like, smelled like, all on that album, and I tried to capture it like no one else could," the rapper says in the trailer.
Stream Illmatic XX and the trailer for the documentary below.
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Illmatic XX Tracklist:
Disc 1: Remastered original album
01. The Genesis
02. N.Y. State Of Mind
03. Life’s A Bitch
04. The World Is Yours
05. Halftime
06. Memory Lane (Sittin’ In Da Park)
07. One Love
08. One Time 4 Your Mind
09. Represent
10. It Ain’t Hard To Tell
Disc 2: Demos, Remixes & Live Radio
01. I’m A Villain (previously unreleased)
02. The Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show on WKCR October 28, 1993 (previously unreleased freestyle)
03. Halftime (Butcher Remix)
04. It Ain’t Hard To Tell (Remix) (promo single)
05. One Love (LG Main Mix)
06. Life’s A Bitch (Arsenal Mix) (promo single)
07. One Love (One L Main Mix)
08. The World Is Yours (Tip Mix)
09. It Ain’t Hard To Tell (The Stink Mix) (UK single)
10. It Ain’t Hard To Tell (The Laidback Remix) (UK single)
[Video] Kelis: "Jerk Ribs"
Kelis has been somewhat quiet for awhile. Since marrying Nas, the "Milkshake" singer hasn't been heard from much, save for a string of well-received but commercially disappointing albums between 2009-2012, Kelis seemed to have faded into the background after a career that garnered her two Grammy nominations, 10 top ten UK singles and tours around the world. That is, until recently when she announced her first four U.S. shows in four years with the release of her video for "Jerk Ribs" off her album, Food due out April 22. The Le Cordon Bleu-certified chef, who also announced the unveiling of a cooking show on The Food Network, "Saucy and Sweet" which premiers February 26th at 8:30 EST, lives a slice of life piece in her latest visual offering as well, with cameras following her from here to there. Along with the SXSW sets announced, Kelis plans to make her presence known in Austin this year, as she will be manning her own food truck and cooking for fans and patrons of the festival on March 13 & 14. Follow her at @IamKelis for updates on where she'll show up!
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SXSW DATES
Wednesday, March 12 - NPR @ Stubbs
Thursday, March 13 - Filter @ Clive Bar
Friday March 14 - Hype Hotel @ 505 7th St
[RH Photos] North Coast Music Festival 2013 Day 2
Photography by Geoff Henao
Day Two of North Coast Music Festival in Union Park went off much smoother than the 2013 debut a day earlier. With the sun finally shining down and the heat pounding festival-goers, things got off to a fast start. Chicago's own Porn and Chicken got things going with their 2:30 set at the Last Stand Stage, picking up where frat-dance kings Milk n' Cookies warmed up the stage earlier.
After floating through the following sets and checking out a truly inspired set from Conspirator, I found myself torn between the silky smooth tones of Aloe Blacc, the rough-edged hip hop of Flatbush Zombies and the endearing DJ sounds of Thibault. I ended up making the rounds to each briefly, unfortunately missing most of Flatbush due to simply not being able to navigate the festival properly. Between Bondax, Gramatik, Future Rock and the smattering of EDM/Dance acts on the Tent Stage, the Saturday afternoon air was soon completely inundated with the glitchy sound of digital music. Being a big fan of both Gramatik and Bondax, it was disappointing that organizers pushed so many similar acts together and brought about memories of monotonous EDM festivals of earlier months.
Emerging from the dense electronic jungle, Nas took the North Stage to close it out for the day. The New York MC showed precisely why he is one of the most decorated hip-hop acts in the history of the genre, filling his hour-long set with tracks from his entire discography. Dipping back to Illmatic for timeless hit ("The World is Yours", "Life's a Bitch", "Memory Lane") and peppering more recent work from several albums (God's Son, Stillmatic, Life is Good), Nasir Jones put on a show that won't soon be forgotten at North Coast.
EDM made it's way back to the stage in two forms to close out Saturday, with Big Gigantic and Afrojack bringing up the rear as the day's headliners. Jeremy Salken and Dominic Lalli continued their string of impressive Chicago shows by performing their instrumental take on the genre that includes live drums and saxophone, drawing one of the biggest crowds of the weekend. A meet and greet organized through Thissongissick.com kept the pair standing stage-side for hours. For his part, Afrojack held things down, giving fans a grittier dance experience from the other side of the festival grounds and closing out what was easily the biggest day at North Coast for anyone trying to dance.
J.Cole: "Let Nas Down (Made Nas Proud Remix)" (feat. Nas)
One of the most talked about tracks from J. Cole's Born Sinner was the very personal "Let Nas Down", in which Cole discussed his feelings after he heard Nas hated his single "Work Out". Yesterday, Nas gave Born Sinner the ultimate co-sign by dropping one of the best verses of 2013 and letting the NC native know how he felt too.