Not often do original motion picture soundtracks break the mold of mediocrity, but the RZA-directed “The Man With The Iron Fists” soundtrack certainly turns heads thanks to features and production from Kanye West, the RZA himself (accompanied by Wu-Tang Clan), Talib Kweli, and others. This may be one of the few scores that actually cements itself as a top five hip-hop album in any given year. Listen below:
I’m not gonna lie, I’m not feeling this song as much as others out there. Kanye’s “Theraflu” (to me) screams mediocrity by Ye’s standards. The beat is basic as can be, and Ye doesn’t really spit any sort of genius other than what everyone is talking about: his shout out to Wiz Khalifa and his love for Kim Kardashian. Also, how much cash did DJ Khaled have to pay to have his appalling voice on this joint? I would gladly pay a dollar to download a Khaled-less version of this song.
Click here to download “Theraflu”.
The Human Stick Figure aka Wiz Khalifa dropped the song/video combo for the debut song off of his upcoming mixtape Taylor Allderdice, which refers to the high schools that Wiz himself and fellow Pittsburgh rapper Mac Miller attended.
Recently I was thinking about how NBA players and the rap game go hand-in-hand. Lots of players are friends with rappers and some players even try their darn hardest to earn respect in the rap game. This got me wondering which NBA players are comparable to current rappers in today’s modern era. Here are my thoughts on who is who:
Jay-Z is Kobe Bryant
This has to be the easiest analogy one could make about the rap game/NBA. Both are living legends who are still active in their respective industries. Jay-Z and Kobe are both “winners”, as Jay has 11 “rings” (platinum albums) while Kobe has five NBA Championship rings. Oh, both are married to bangin’ chicks as well.
Kanye West is Lebron James
This one might come under fire by hip-hop and Ye fans, but the similarities are striking. It’s no lie when you say that both are disliked people by the general public. Kanye had his moment(s), Lebron has had his. However, both have proven their worth in their industries and are extremely important to both of their games. Both men have single-handedly altered each of their games in someway both for the positive and negative. It’s also important to think of both as “all-around players”. Lebron can do just about everything on both ends of the court, while Kanye can produce, rap, write, and (try to) sing.
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Young Money’s Tyga dropped his much anticipated sequel to Well Done, titled Well Done 2. Tyga keeps it simple once again and goes over hip-hop’s hottest beats. You can hear his rendition of songs like Tyler, the Creator’s “Yonkers”, Wiz Khalifa’s “On My Level”, DJ Khaled’s “I’m On One”, and many more.
Click here to download Well Done 2.
As soon as I hit play in my Itunes and heard Wiz Khalifa’s opening track to Rolling Papers, titled “When I’m Gone”, I was immediately drawn in by the “All of the Lights-esque” piano. After about a minute the beat and Wiz’s voice finally hit. The song was very reminiscent of the classic Wiz track “This Plane” and proved to be just as catchy. A good first impression for the album, I’d say. But did the rest of the album hold up to the immense hype that has been following Wiz ever since he dropped the hit single “Black and Yellow”?
In a sense, the album as a whole does live up to the hype created by Wiz. Rolling Papers has enough backbone to hold its own amongst hardcore Taylor Gang fans and radio heads alike. Hardcore fans will roll one up to songs like “On My Level”, “The Race” and “Rooftops” while casual music fans will vibe with songs like “Roll Up”, “Fly Solo” and “Cameras”. My only gripe is that most of the best songs have been leaked/released already. Hardcore fans will likely find a bunch of “placeholder” tracks next to the bangers like “Black and Yellow” and “On My Level”.
In another sense, the album fails miserably at showcasing the talent and growth of Wiz Khalifa since the days of Deal or No Deal. After hearing mixtapes Kush and Orange Juice and Cabin Fever, Rolling Papers initial listen leaves you thinking “Wiz can do better”. You can thank the record label and/or Wiz himself for this. Songs like “Roll Up” and “Fly Solo” just have a “commercial” sound and feel to them. On the other hand, Wiz shines on songs like “On My Level” and “Rooftops” simply because he’s doing him and not catering to the charts. These bass-heavy tracks allow Wiz to spit his melodic, marijuana-induced flow that we all know and love. I’m not knocking Wiz’s singing, because there’s no doubt that he can sing. It’s just some songs are notably forced seemingly in order to get play on the radio.
Wiz’s lyrics this time around are nothing special. After all, when has Wiz spit anything relatively complex or socially conscious? He’s no Lupe Fiasco or Nas, everyone knows that. If you’re strictly fan of rappers like Lupe or Nas, then you should stay far away from Rolling Papers. You won’t find many memorable verses here. With Wiz you get the same old, same old: women, weed and money. Wiz’s versatility allows him to inject any or all of these themes over any type of beat, while also keeping catchiness and a smooth flow intact. His ability to spread these limited themes as far as he has is what impresses me the most about Wiz.
Overall, Rolling Papers falls into the mediocre category in my book. While there are some bright spots, the much of the album sounds like a failed attempt at cracking the Billboard charts. However, Wiz Khalifa knows how to make music, and that’s what matters. There is no doubt that he’ll be a mainstay in the mainstream for years to come.
FINAL VERDICT:
Lyrics – 2/5
Beats – 4/5
Catchiness – 3/5
Overall – 3/5
Chi Side of Chambana 