"How you make this beat, huh? On the wake and bake?"

This has got to be my favorite joint off of Shake's tape. Give it a listen and a download and get the mixtape if you still haven't.

"We The Greatest In The World Baby!" Why KanYe Is Hip Hop's Savior

Hip Hop's greatest has finally broken the silence. By dropping two singles off of his new album, a G.O.O.D. Music mixtape, and an epic "Power" Remix, KanYe has finally given his loyal fans the big warm and fuzzy musical hug that they have been waiting for. Both of the tracks released off of his album thus far are an exciting promise of what is to come, but also indicate a major change in KanYe's musical style and overall attitude.

The first official single "Power"marks the start of a new era of Hip Hop for KanYe. He reaches back to his roots to pull out a beat that is as powerful as the title would suggest. The Sunday morning claps laid over hard hitting "Crack Music" drums gloriously announce The King's return, but the ending features a beautifully introspective, orchestral breakdown that shows KanYe did not exit his 808's phase without learning something. The song remains just as emotionally revealing, but he doesn't hide behind auto-tuned melodies. He refuses to run away from the Taylor Swift incident, letting us know that the outburst was just a symptom of his childish arrogance by outright saying "Fuck SNL and the whole cast." Any other person would come back from an incident like that

apologetically and with a hanging head, but KanYe as always refuses to bow compromisingly as he stares straight into the camera in the ridiculously progressive moving portrait that is the "music video" for "Power." Lyrically the song is a verbal representation of the internal struggle he went through during his exile. He says, "My childlike purity, creativity, and honesty, are honestly being crowded by these grown thoughts." For KanYe, the question is and always has been should he bow to the masses or stand defiantly and let his eccentric brilliance run free. "Power," the video and the song, is a big "Fuck You" to everyone who thinks he should keep himself locked up, and it is pure artistic beauty.

His second single is the soulful "See Me Now," a song reminiscient of Late Registration's, "We Major." Kanye uses his first half of the song as an unstructured canvas to show off his new and ever-improving flow. He also creates a soulfully optimistic playground of a beat for Beyonce and Charlie Wilson to showcase both of their respective superior vocal talents. The fearless juxtaposition of overused and cliched 808 hi hats and drum rolls with the pure instrumental originality of the rest of the beat is classic KanYe as he daringly interjects elements of Hip Hop culture into unexpected places (see his shoes, the Louis Vuitton Dons, that he designed for Louis Vuitton), reminding us that though he has entered a new artistic realm, he doesn't lose sight of his Hip Hop roots.

This is what KanYe does best. He justifies the ways Hip Hop to the greater world of art. He is currently Hip Hop's greatest hope of becoming a widely recognized art form. Simply put, he is Hip Hop's savior. His upcoming album has the potential to launch Hip Hop into that tier of music, and I have no doubt that it will. He has mastered Hip Hop to a degree that he is free to use it as his tool. He could easily turn his back on Hip Hop as he becomes more and more artistically involved in visual art and fashion, but he boldly refuses to hide what's inside him. That's what Hip Hop has always been about, and weather he is throwing a hissy fit on a stage at an award show, rocking Jordans at Paris Fashion Week, or laying hard drums over orchestral samples, KanYe has always been a pure embodiment of that spirit. Look out for his new album, its gonna be a game changer, and if you're not too busy hating him, it will undoubtedly change your view of Hip Hop as well.

Back On The Grind

I realize its been a minute since I have posted anything, and to compensate, I'm gonna step my shit up. You can now expect much more frequent posting from me (idk about Ric b/c he's a douche.) I will be posting less in depth posts that will be comprised mostly of links to things which I find worthy of sharing along with a small tidbit of thought from me, but I will also be shooting to give a more in depth and analytical post whenever I find something deserving, hopefully around once a week. The start of my college career has brought me more free time than I know what to do with, so I've decided to give some of that time to writing in the form of this blog. So, be on the look out for a bunch of new posts for your entertainment starting tomorrow with an explanation of why I suck KanYe's dick so much so yeah... Please read it I'm tired of telling you assholes. Peace.