WHEN IS YOUR CAREER OVER? // TheStereovision Podcast Ep. 62

We're back! In todays episode we discuss albums turn 10 this year, Drake's retirement, and out thoughts on the new generation of Twitch content creators

 

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What’s Drake’s Best Song? // TheStereoVision Podcast Ep. 53

Welcome back to The StereoVision Podcast. First and foremost prayers to Takeoff's family. A true legend in the culture. In today's episode, we discuss all new music from Smino's "Luv 4 Rent" album to the new Drake and 21 Savage album "Her Loss". We also get into what have been some of the highlights of Drakes career and how we view the current situation with Kyrie Irving in the NBA


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DRAKE x 21 SAVAGE // HER LOSS REACTION x REVIEW

Three weeks ago, the dynamic duo made up of Drake and 21 Savage announced they would be taking their collaborator status to the next level with a joint project titled "HER LOSS". The surprise project is now here and the expectations are through the roof. Watch Miles and Spencer listen and give their first reactions to songs like "Circo Loco", "Pussy & Millions", "Middle of the Ocean", and more!


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The Curious Case of Drake: In Defense of “Honestly, Nevermind”


by Luke Modugno

Before the release of the Toronto-native’s seventh studio album Honestly, Nevermind, Drake’s career was in a peculiar place. 

A talent tailor-made for rap music stardom, Drizzy has been the most famous act in contemporary hip-hop for the past ten years. While being a consistent force in the sphere of rap and one of the most prominent artists in the world regardless of the constraint of genre, Drake has chronically struggled to identify, locate and pursue a singular musical style or concept. That’s not to say Drake hasn’t produced moments of brilliance throughout his tenured and prestigious career. However, to call records like Views, More Life, and even Nothing Was The Same sonically focused would simply be incorrect. 

Plagued with multifaceted talent, Drake has watered down his sound on a multitude of occasions to simply serve his wide target audience. Drake’s 2021 effort Certified Lover Boy was an amalgamation of the issue. Seldomly honing in on visceral trap bangers like “Knife Talk” with 21 Savage, rarely revisiting the silky R&B production and warm Drake vocals on “Love All,” and abandoning the streaks of afrobeat influence on “Fountains,” Drizzy has continually shown he isn’t willing to fully commit to a singular, specific sonic theme and what it has to offer. 

Sure, it’d a valid claim to say Drake has had his artistic growth stunted by this unwillingness, however, why change? Drake is by far the most commercially successful rapper of this generation, sitting in second place on the highest selling rappers of all time. Utilizing a few genres attracts more fans than concentrating on attempting to master just one.

However, Drake clearly doesn’t tend to think that way. Drake’s 2022 record Honestly, Nevermind is a bold declaration of a divergence from a formula. A nearly hour long dance record featuring a lone distinctly overt rap song, Honestly, Nevermind is obviously not your average Drake album. Ironically enough, that’s what makes it a special landmark in his career.

While he’s present on every song, Honestly, Nevermind features by far the least amount of Drake’s voice out of his whole discography. At times, Drake’s contributions are drawn back to the point of a short hook before the production leads the way for the rest of the track, characteristic of traditional house music structure. 

Behind the boards, Honestly, Nevermind is a fully-fledged exploration of house music and a historical appreciation and homage to the sporadic frequency in which Drake chose to work with dancehall and house on previous records. While tracks like “Massive,” “A Keeper” and “Calling My Name” marry Drake’s inherent capacity for optimal song structure and vocal delivery talents with bouncy house production gorgeously, Drake’s latest entry has some of his most catastrophically poor songs to date. 

“Currents” characterized by a bed-squeaking sample is essentially laughable and production akin to infomercial ambient background music on “Down Hill,” Honestly, Nevermind will likely be remembered for its highest highs and its lowest lows. 

Still, the music itself isn’t what makes Honestly, Nevermind a commendable piece of music. This record shows a dedication to forward-thinking art, one that wasn’t always evident on Drake’s previous records. Honestly, Nevermind is simultaneously an astronomical risk and an artistic flex. 

Deviating from the usual mixed bag of genres, vocal ranges and production choices that define nearly the entirety of Drake’s catalog, Drizzy has finally dedicated the proper amount of time, care and attention to detail his knack for creating dancehall music deserves. Although Honestly, Nevermind reminds us that this genre is evidently not Drake’s strong suit, it’s far more artistically compelling than his previous unwavering dedication to creating TikTok anthems (“Too Sexy,” “Toosie Slide”). No, Honestly, Nevermind is not the best house record of all time. Would it rank in the top ten of afrobeat albums released in this year alone? Probably not. Despite that, is it an impressive effort by an artist who has clearly shown his artistic forte is that of mainstream rap music, not house? Of course it is.

Drake’s vicious flow and stone cold delivery has shown he would be capable of making a darker, experimental trap record that would be phenomenal. Considering portions of Take Care are home to some of the most iconic R&B records of the 2010’s, a fully fledged project dedicated to showcasing Drake’s exceptional singing voice would hold great potential. Following the shedding of the sonic shackles that have encased Drake’s career since Views, all of these records are now a reasonable possibility.

In other words, when people think Drake is going right, he has religiously gone right. Honestly, Nevermind feels like the first time that Drake is going left instead of right. Whatever sonic direction Drake chooses to pursue will certainly be met with a spot in Billboard Hot 100 no matter the circumstance. Using the privilege of that guaranteed commercial success to create music with apparent direction is far more intriguing than creating the fifth remix of Views. Now, all we can hope is that Drizzy chooses to continue being intriguing. 


Luke Modugno is the editor-in-chief.


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Drake // Honestly, Nevermind Reaction x Review

Drake surprise drop. Not much else needs to be said. "Honestly, Nevermind" is here!

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Planes and Hot Sauce // TheStereoVision Podcast Ep. 31

Hot sauce in condoms? YSL NOT on their private jet? What has this world come to? Welcome back to TheStereoVision podcast, in today's episode Miles and Spencer discuss new music from Earl Sweatshirt, the latest gossip around Drake and YSL, how long it takes for an album to be considered a classic, and the influence of NWA.

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DRAKE X GUNNA // P power Reaction & Review

How P are you??? In today's video, Miles and Spencer sit down to listen to the new Drake and Gunna collab, "P power".

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2021 YEAR END SPECIAL!!! // TheStereoVision Podcast Ep. 29

In today's episode, Miles and Spencer discuss some of the top music and events of 2021. Thank you everyone for a great year, and we have much more in store in 2022!

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Breaking Down Kanye West vs. Drake // TheStereoVision Podcast Ep. 24

Welcome back to StereoVision! In today's episode of TheStereoVision Podcast Miles and Spencer break down the bubbling beef between superstars Kanye West and Drake

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Drake x Smiley - Over The Top Reaction/Review

Hello and welcome back to StereoVision! In today's episode, Spencer and Miles sit down to listen to Smiley's new song "Over The Top" which features Drake

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Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell Takeaways, Scary Hours II, & Verzuz x Triller

Have you seen Netflix's 'Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell'? If so, what did you think? If not you got to watch it! In today's episode of TheStereoVision Podcast Miles and Spencer discuss their main takeaways from the documentary as well as what impact 'Certified Lover Boy' has on the music industry's release schedule

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Scary Hours 2 Reaction/Review

NEW DRAKE ALERT! In today's video Miles and Spencer react to Scary Hours 2 which features Lil Baby and Rick Ross

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The Summer of the 6 God: ‘Dark Lane Demo Tapes’ Mixtape Review

Drake, photo courtesy of Republic Records

Drake, photo courtesy of Republic Records

Rap’s biggest commercial superstar, Drizzy Drake, has been making lots of noise in 2020 as he prepares for the release of his 6th commercial album this summer. While hip-hop fans alike were aware of Drake’s recent spike in activity due to the viral hit “Toosie Slide” as well as recent SoundCloud freebies like “Chicago Freestyle” and “War,” no one was quite expecting Champagne Papi to announce the release of a surprise mixtape of leaks and throw-aways that would be available on all streaming platforms less than 24 hours after the announcement post.

Drake released Dark Lane Demo Tapes on May 1st, 2020 through OVO Records. The mixtape contains 14 songs with features from Playboi Carti, Young Thug, Future, Chris Brown and others.

Before diving into the music, it’s important to note where each track came from so we can conclude what this tape tells us about Drake’s sixth album. Four of the 14 tracks (“When To Say When”, “Chicago Freestyle”, “Desire”, & “War”) were released on SoundCloud over the past six months well one track was officially released by Drake on Spotify (“Toosie Slide”). Tracks “Deep Pockets” and “From Florida with Love” were initially recorded for Drake’s 2018 album Scorpion but didn’t make the final album and were eventually leaked in April 2020. Besides the two aforementioned tracks, we have every reason to believe that the rest of the music on Dark Lane Demo Tapes was recording for lucky album number six giving us a glimpse into what to expect this summer.

The first major takeaway from Dark Lane Demo Tapes is that Drake sounds hungrier than he has in recent memory. Something about Drake’s delivery sounds more urgent than it has in years - a welcomed deviation from the slew of complacent mid that he packed on 2018’s Scorpion. He displays this new drive on tracks like “When To Say When”, “Landed”, & “Losses” while also reminding us why we use to refer to Drake as a great rapper and not just a popstar. It seems like Drake is bringing back his long-winded, freestyle-esque tracks where verses are separated by brief pauses in the reflective bars if they’re separated at all. These instances where Drake accepts the challenge of bodying an entire song with no hook truly showcase Drizzy at his best as we remember that most of Drake’s most impressive tracks over the course of his career normally throw conventional song structure to the wind.

Photo: Splash News

Photo: Splash News

Although Drake reminds us why he’s a great rapper through this tape of demos, he makes sure not to neglect his R&B fans on Dark Lane Demo Tapes. “Not You Too” features Chris Brown and showcases the two A-list artists trading sensual melodies over smooth ambient instrumental that are aided by a breath-taking synth slide halfway through the track. The song is classic singing Drake and is going to be played in idle cars with foggy windows for years to come. Drake doesn’t only make R&B for the bedroom though as the 7th track “Time Flies” sounds primed to be his next melodic hit and has the same addictive qualities as his 2018 viral smash “In My Feelings” without being half as obnoxious (please don’t turn this song into a viral trend).

Besides a very underwhelming Playboi Carti appearance, features pull their weight on Dark Lane Demo Tapes and even out perform Drizzy on certain songs, the first of which is the haunting “Chicago Freestyle”. On the track Drake calls on R&B’s next superstar Giveon who delivers a chilling hook that steals the spotlight and sets the tone for the track. Drake doesn’t go down without a fight though as the track showcases some of his most captivating writing and fascinating melodies. Every time I press play on “D4L” my day is made by Future’s “money counter” sound effects. “D4L” sounds like it was so much fun to record and the energy shines through making it one of the most infectious tracks on the tape. Fivo Foreign and Sosa Geek pop in for awesome guest verses on “Demons” adding something to the track that Drake simply couldn’t: Grit.

One of the most promising signs from Dark Lane Demo Tapes are the producers Drizzy chose to work with on the project. One of my biggest issues with Scorpion was boring production from Drake’s favorite in-house producer Noah “40” Shebib. Gone was the magic that the two shared during the Take Care days and all that was left was bland instrumentals that Drake tried to make work. It seems like Drake is taking a different approach to album number six as Dark Lane Demo Tapes has production credits from some of the most innovative producers in the game including Pi’erre Bourne, Southside, Cardogotwings, and OZ. The variation of production styles really seems to bring Drake’s music back to life in ways that I haven’t heard before. Hopefully Drake also embraced this collaborative attitude on album six, utilizing the surplus of gifted producers he has in his network to help lift him out of critical mediocrity and elevate back to the level he was on during the first half of his career.

It would be impossible to talk about producers on Dark Lane Demo Tapes without shining a light on veteran producer OZ who is having a moment in 2020. The beat maker already has three number one songs this year (“Life Is Good”, “Toosie Slide”, & “The Scotts”) and produced some of the best tracks on this new mixtape (“Time Flies” & “Losses”). OZ’s signature is a dreamy instrumental anchored by extensive hi-hat use, a style that gives Drake ample room to explore ear-worm melodies (“Time Flies”) or rattle off an emotional verse dripping in disdain (“Losses”). Oz’s outro on “Time Flies” is transcendent and gives the song a beautiful cherry on top that solidifies it as one of the best tracks on the mixtape.

The last two tracks on the mixtape house Drake flexing his versatility as he kills 6-minutes of UK inspired hip-hop that he’s dabbled with in the past but never fully dove into. As Drake successfully interpolates a European accent on “War” it’s hard not to see the potential for UK-Drake to become the multi-dimensional artist's third persona.

For being a mixtape full of loose freebies, Dark Lane Demo Tapes flows extremely well. Drake opens with three songs that flex his pen game and aim to intrigue fans of Drake the rapper before going into a four-song R&B run. Using “Time Flies” to fade back into rap, Drake then hits us with classic Drake bangers for the next five tracks before concluding the tape with his take on UK rap. Everything about the sequencing is perfect leading to Dark Lane Demo Tapes being more cohesive than the average mixtape.

Overall, Dark Lane Demo Tapes is a win for Drake fans everywhere. Not only did the six god gift us with a bunch of great new music to hold us over until his new album comes out, but even our favorite song on the project was consciously left off the album communicating that we should see an uptick in quality from this mixtape to the upcoming album. It’s hard for me to picture an album where songs like “D4L”, “Time Flies”, and “Demons”, are tossed to the side in favor of other tracks but believe me, that’s an album I’m VERY excited for.

Favorite TRacks

Chicago Freestyle (Feat. Giveon)

Time Flies

D4L (Feat. Future & Young Thug)

Rating: 8

Stream Dark Lane Demo Tapes here:

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2020 Preview: A Look Ahead at What Could Be a Legendary Year in Hip-Hop

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With 2010’s coming to a close last month, we leave behind a legendary 10 years of hip-hop. The genre grew leaps and bounds, becoming arguably the biggest category of music in the world. As we embark on the new journey of the next decade, 2020 seems to be shaping up as one of the best years in the recent history of hip-hop. Here are the albums we’re looking forward to, speculating about, dreaming of, and practically begging for.

Coming Soon: 

Drake 

For the first time since 2014, Drake had a relatively slow year, neglecting to release a new album in 2019. But Drizzy fans weren’t completely deprived. Day-one fans were treated to Care Package, a compilation of the 6 God’s greatest hits not on streaming platforms, and a two song EP titled The Best In The World Pack, celebrating the Toronto Raptors’ NBA championship. Last year, Drake appeared to hint at an album slated for 2020 a few times. The first time was last April, when Drake revealed to his crowd in London that he aimed to return to England with new music in 2020. Additionally, in December, Drake made a surprise appearance at DaBaby’s show in Toronto, telling his hometown that 2020 was a target year for new music, “I’m going to go back to the crib and try to finish this album up so we can turn up in 2020,” Drake told the crowd before he exited the stage. On top of that, Drake and Future have been heavily teasing a follow up to their legendary joint project What a Time to be Alive. Last month, the duo released a new track titled “Life is Good,” with the pair emulating the success and chemistry they’ve formed over the years. And considering Drake was booed off stage at Camp Flog Gnaw 2019, we have to believe the Toronto native has something to say this year. It’s an exciting year to be a Drake fan, I’m expecting both a solo project and another collaboration album with Future in 2020. 

J. Cole

The head-honcho of Dreamville had a remarkable year in 2019, continuing his legendary run of features and exceeding expectations with the Dreamville compilation album Revenge of the Dreamers III. Back in November of last year, Cole previewed a trailer for his upcoming project titled The Fall Off at Day N Vegas. The video, styled like a political campaign ad, shows Cole as the savior of America, during “these turbulent times,” and schedules the album to drop sometime in 2020. Considering the final track on Cole’s 2018 effort KOD was titled “1985 (Intro to ‘The Fall Off’),” the album is being speculated as a direct follow-up. The teaser for The Fall Off doesn’t feature the serious introspection featured on KOD, so Cole may be looking to go in a completely different direction for this project.

A$AP Rocky

2019 was a genuinely scary year for A$AP Rocky. After being arrested and accused of assault, at the time, it was unclear if Rocky would be coming home anytime soon. The situation caught the attention of President Donald Trump, as he stepped in and influenced Rocky’s release and return home. 2020 has been a positive contrast to last year for Rocky, as he seems in a good place. The New York native announced late last year that his album All Smiles is on the way. All Smiles will be Rocky’s first solo album since his 2018 LP Testing. As the title suggests, Testing was certainly an experimental venture, which split fans and critics alike on the quality of the project. Rocky released two new singles in 2018 and 2019, “Sundress” and “Babushka Boi,” it is unclear if either will make the album. It will be intriguing to see if Rocky continues his sonic tinkering, or if he reverts back to his old sound established in his earlier albums. Expect new music sometime in the first half of 2020. 


Joey Bada$$

Besides a group project with East Coast collective Beast Coast, Joey has been relatively quiet since the release of his second studio album ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$. Following the release of his classic debut mixtape 1999, rap fans have hung on Joey’s every word. Joey has shown a lot of maturity and development as an MC since then, developing his sound and subject matters to become a fairly undisputed top five rapper in the game at the moment. Last month, Joey confirmed new music is on the way, “JUST GETTIN’ A FEW MORE DUCKS LINED UP FO I START BUCKING THESE N****Z. WORLD NEED NEW BADA$$ & ITZ COMING#LP3.” During the Beast Coast tour in 2019, the Brooklyn rapper released a series of vlogs and on the first episode, Joey tells A$AP Rocky, “New album, almost done bro.” He further hinted at a new project in an Instagram post, “Might be a few album snippets in there,” referring to the vlog series. Expect new tunes from Joey very soon. 

Hopefuls (fingers crossed): 

Kendrick Lamar

We last heard the crowned king of West Coast hip-hop in 2018, when he curated and produced tracks for the Black Panther movie soundtrack. Since then, it’s been radio static on Kendrick’s end, with no singles, few features and no concrete plans for a new album. The good news: Kdot performed his last DAMN. show at Day N Vegas in November of last year, and with Kendrick headlining 12 festivals across Europe starting in June(Lollapalooza Stockholm, NOS Alive, etc.), there’s a good chance new music is on the way. Multiple reports have speculated that the album may have a heavy rock influence, something we saw glimpses of on DAMN. Former Billboard editorial director Bill Werde added fuel to the fire last month when he tweeted, “Did anyone not named Beyonce release better, more meaningful back-to-back albums last decade than Kendrick Lamar? Are you interested to know that I hear from several friends that recording on the new album may finally be done? And that he’s pulling in more rock sounds this time?” With 1,041 days passing since the release of DAMN.,this has been the longest running wait for a Kendrick album since the time between good kid, m.A.A.d city and To Pimp a Butterfly, making it seem like a lock that Kendrick drops in 2020.

JID

Cole’s label partner at Dreamville has been making some noise the past two years. After impressing listeners with lightning quick raps and witty punchlines with his debut album The Never Story and turning heads in 2018 with his sophomore album DiCaprio 2, JID has as much potential as any rapper in the game. JID has tweeted multiple times over the past few months hinting at a new album this year, however in an interview with Revolt, the 28-year-old spoke on his recent writers block, “My grandmother just passed,” J.I.D told REVOLT TV. “I haven’t been able to write a verse since. Everything has been blank, which is weird.” Legendary producer NO I.D. is reportedly a large part of the album. Considering it's been 2 years since a solo project from JID, I see it likely we will get an album from him later in the year.

Lil Uzi Vert 

Perhaps one of the most anticipated artists in 2020, Uzi has kept fans waiting for almost two years for his upcoming project titled Eternal Atake. From threatening to quit music to making a diss track against his own label Generation Now, Lil Uzi had a very trying year in 2019. However, Uzi has been positive on Twitter as of late. After releasing a single from the album, “Futsal Shuffle 2020,” Uzi has been teasing Eternal Atake heavily, suggesting it’s 16 songs, saying it “slaps way harder” than Luv is Rage and hinting at Tyler, The Creator’s production involvement on the album. In addition, Uzi has constantly compared 2020 to his break out year of 2016, saying it will be “2016 part 2.” During that year, Uzi was a XXL freshman, gave one of the most iconic freestyle cyphers, and dropped two albums in Lil Uzi Vert Vs. The World and The Perfect LUV Tape. Considering the delays on the album, the expectations for Eternal Atake are sky high. If we learned anything from last year, we know Uzi is a terribly unpredictable artist, so nothing is really concrete until the album arrives on streaming services. 

Playboi Carti

Incredibly, Playboi Carti has had more songs leaked than songs in the entirety of his discography (125 leaked, 34 released). Despite this, Carti’s supposedly upcoming album Whole Lotta Red is still one of the most coveted potential drops of 2020. In October of last year, Carti posted on Instagram, captioning the post “red incoming.” Since the announcement, heaps of leaks have surfaced, including songs, potential tracklists, album artwork and some possible features. Even Drake posted about the album on Instagram, captioning the post “Nobody:   Me: Somebody play Whole Lotta Red.” Considering it's been nearly two years since Die Lit, Carti will most likely feel the pressure to drop this year. Whether he will or not, is still a mystery. 

Pipe Dreams: 

Kanye West

The past few years have been a rollercoaster ride for Ye. From his constant donning of the MAGA hat and his head scratching slavery comments in 2018, to a steady batch of delays on his now released album JESUS IS KING, Kanye was back to being one the most hated figures in pop culture. Although JESUS IS KING got very mixed reviews, Kanye is supposedly planning a JESUS IS KING sequel. Last November, Ye tweeted a picture of him and Dr. Dre in the studio with the caption, “Ye and Dre Jesus is King Part II coming soon.” Before you get too excited, let's pump the brakes on the hype train for Jesus is King Part II. Kanye and Dre are infamously known for torturing their fans with delays, postponements and scrapping albums all together. Dr. Dre’s highly anticipated solo album Detox has been delayed for nearly two decades. Kanye has a slew of unreleased projects that were scrapped and later leaked, including Yandhi, So Help Me God, TurboGrafx16, Donda’s Boy and more. Don’t expect this album anytime soon. 

Isaiah Rashad

It’s been 1,265 painful days since the release of Isaiah Rashad’s last solo LP The Sun’s Tirade. With two terrific projects under his belt, TDE’s most reserved member has potential to be a household name in hip-hop. In June of last year, Isaiah took to an Instagram livestream where he announced the title of his upcoming album to be The House is Burning. He also claimed the album will be “as tight as Aquemini.” Since then, there has been no update on a release date of any kind. With Zay constantly previewing new music on his Instagram (Including songs with JID and Zacari), an album is presumably coming this year. TDE tends to spread out the release dates of their albums, and with Reason, ScHoolboy Q and possibly Kendrick Lamar dropping this year, we could possibly expect The House is Burning in the second half of 2020. But due to how tight-lipped TDE is about their upcoming projects, we can’t be sure new Zay music is coming this year. 


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Songs of the Week: June 16th

 
JID x Jcole.jpg

Welcome to “Songs of the Week” a weekly segment where I highlight three of the best new songs released the week prior. To stay up to date on all new music, follow our playlist “Hot 30” on Apple Music and Spotify. “Hot 30” is updated daily to always include the freshest new music. Always 30 songs, hottest always at the top. Stream it here:

A playlist updated weekly by team members at StereoVision with the hottest new rap and hip-hop music. Always 30 songs with the hottest tracks at the top.

Songs of the Week:

“Down Bad” by Dreamville

Down Bad (feat. JID, Bas, J. Cole, EARTHGANG & Young Nudy), a song by Dreamville, JID, Bas, J. Cole, EARTHGANG, Young Nudy on Spotify

J. Cole’s powerhouse label “Dreamville” has been teasing their third collaborative album “Revenge of the Dreamers III” for awhile now and last Wednesday we finally got a taste of what they’ve been working on. While both songs on their EP “1-800-88-DREAM” were very good, “Down Bad” is already one of my favorite songs of the year. JID, Bas, J. Cole, and Johnny Venus, all deliver excellent verses to the point where it’s hard to pick a favorite. If I had to pick, I think JID’s verse barley edges out the other three but it is very close. This song is so fun and succeeded in adding to the excitement for the forthcoming album.

I had to tighten the fuck up, but I’m here for the crown
Board of Education vs. Brown
I was bored of education, left the town
Fuck a résumé and fuck a cap and gown
Fuck a background check back ‘round when I get the check
Nigga, that’s now
— JID "Down Bad"

“Time” by Free Nationals (Feat. Mac Miller & Kali Uchis)

Time, a song by Free Nationals, Mac Miller, Kali Uchis on Spotify

Ten months after his passing, Mac Miller’s first posthumous verse has arrived, and it’s nothing short of perfect. The track is titled “Time” and released by Anderson .Paak’s band, Free Nationals. Kali Uchis is called upon for the first verse and hook and sounds angelic over the groovy soundscape provided by Free Nationals. One minute and thirty seconds into the record, Mac smoothly makes his presence known and spits a reflective verse about the benefits of letting time run its course in a relationship. He utilizes the same flow and style that was very present in Swimming allowing every introspective bar to resonate. We miss you Mac, rest in peace.

Well, I don’t trip, but I slip, I fall
Sleep all day, maybe miss your calls
Like I been missing you
Still, I continue, tied up and tripping up
I’m making the wrong decisions and you sick of it all
— Mac Miller "Time"

“Money In The Grave” by Drake (Feat. Rick Ross)

Money In The Grave (Drake ft. Rick Ross), a song by Drake, Rick Ross on Spotify

Thursday night the Toronto Raptors won their first ever NBA championship meaning that their biggest fan and spokesperson, Drake, would be dropping new music in celebration before the weekend was over. On Friday night, the Canadian rapper dropped a two song EP titled The Best In The World Pack. The second track “Money In The Grave”  features Rick Ross, reuniting the dynamic “I’m On One/Lord Knows” duo. While the song has nothing to do with the Raptors, it’s a classic Drake freebie which always seem to go especially hard. The song features the two decorated emcees rapping about their success and how people will continue to try and feed off their image even after death.

When I die, put my money in the grave
I really gotta put a couple niggas in they place
Really just lapped every nigga in the race
I really might tat “Realest Nigga” on my face
— Drake "Money In The Grave"

Thanks for reading, check back in next week for three new songs of the week. Make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter to get notified when we post:

 

Songs of the Week: Feb 3rd

 
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Welcome to “Songs of the Week” a weekly segment where I highlight three of the best new songs released the week prior along with one throwback song of the week. To stay up to date on all new music, follow my Spotify playlist “What I’m Feeling” which is updated weekly to always include the freshest new music. Always 30 songs, hottest always at the top. Stream it here:

A playlist updated weekly with whatever new songs I'm feeling at the time. Always 30 songs and in order with what I'm feeling the most at the top.

New Songs of the Week:

“Child’s Play” By A$AP Twelvyy

Child's Play, a song by A$AP Twelvyy on Spotify

This week A$AP Twelvyy returned to streaming services with his first major release since debut album dropped in 2017. This fast-paced cut about Twelvvy’s childhood is encompassed by an eerie bell riff which gives the song a somewhat threatening nature. This song is multidimensional, full of context, and flexes some of the most complex rhyme schemes we’ve heard this year. With “Child’s Play” being the lead single it’s impossible to not be excited for whatever Twelvyy drops.

Lie to Genesis, Resident Evil: Nemesis
Pissin’ on the premises, pissin’ off the tenements
Baby boy invented this, I used to run the syndicate
Side-to-side, Stretch Armstrong, new ventriloquist
— A$AP Twelvyy “Child’s Play”

“Locationship” By YBN Cordae

Locationships, a song by YBN Cordae on Spotify

On YBN Cordae’s newest single “Locationships” he pays homage to Jay-Z’s legendary “Girls, Girls, Girls.” In true Hov fashion, Cordae bounces back and forth between short descriptions of all his side chicks across the country. These excerpts are hilarious and are executed precisely making this bouncy bop super entertaining. Throughout his young career, my biggest concern about Cordae has been his ability to write hooks. This issue is nonexistent on “Locationships” as Cordae serves up an addicting chorus that you won’t be able to get out of your head. Lastly, the groovy S1 instrumental ties everything together and gives the song the desired mood.

I got this one chick from the Bay who always bump Mac Dre
I give her constant dick, her consciousness won’t go that way
— YBN Cordae “Locationships”

“BigStuff” By TROSSTHEGIANT

BigStuff, a song by TROSSTHEGIANT on Spotify

Here at StereoVision, we know little about SoCal rapper TROSSTHEGIANT. What we do know is that his new single “BigStuff” is one of the most fun releases of the year. This energetic beach-cut seems to instantly transport me to a sunny day on the water whenever I hit play. TROSS’s earnest confidence is palpable throughout the infectious track and it feels so good. After “BigStuff” TROSSTHEGIANT certainly has my attention and he should have yours too.

A grey check make my rep go and plummet
I break bread in Kobe’s, I’m so lovely
Hit 100k checklist, done it
Never tripped on plays, they rays kept bugging
— TROSSTHEGIANT “BigStuff”

Throwback Song of the Week:

“Lord Knows” By Drake (Feat. Rick Ross)

Lord Knows, a song by Drake, Rick Ross on Spotify

Drake’s three-minute verse at the beginning of his classic Take Care cut “Lord Knows” is the best he’s rapped in his entire career. Drizzy snaps like crazy floating between impactful two-liners which are overtly cocky in the most enjoyable way. The only way to describe this explosion of bars is Drake on his king shit. Rick Ross pulls through to deliver an always welcomed feature and the Just Blaze instrumental is just as epic as the braggadocious bars. If you like Drake, make sure you know this classic cut.

I know of all the things that I hear they be poking fun at
Never the flow though, they know I run that
Fuck you all, I claim that whenever
I changed rap forever, the game back together
— Drake “Lord Knows”

Check back in next week for three new hot songs and one new throwback! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram to get updated when we post:

 
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