Rapped Gifts

                                                       Cali Sun Shine

Schoolboy Q has been getting a lot of shine lately. I heard him for the first time on a Kendrick Lamar track sometime ago. He did his thing on his verse and I remember asking “Who is this?”. I didnt do my homework then but after he MURDERED his verse on A$AP Rocky’s “Brand New Guys”, i was forced to do my homework.

Biggie and Nas put they ass in a blender….sprinkle some 50 and out came this nigga

Everytime a rapper starts blowing up everyone assumes that he is “new” or that it happened over night. Q isnt exactly new. He’s been putting tapes out since ‘08 and aside from his solo projects, he is apart of Black Hippy with fellow westcoast rappers Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, and Ab-Soul. Q recently released his second independent album on itunes entitled Habits & Contradictions. Everyone i know who has given it a listen has been hooked, including myself.

prayin up to God just hopin that he hear a nigga….i know the world got more problems and its much bigger, but i figure….id get some shit up off my chest

Habits & Contradictions boast features from Curren$y, Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, and A$AP Rocky (to name a few). The project also has great production from Alchemist, Lex Luger, A$AP Ty Beats and more. Habits & Contradictions is definitely “hardcore” rap but that usually comes with a negative connotation, if anything id say its real. In this project you can tell that Q wanted his listeners to know his story and wasnt afraid to give it 100% raw. There is no song on this project that you could say was aimed for girls to request in the clubs or dance too in their cars. This made me like Habits & Contradictions even more because all though the subject matter of most of the songs could be considered rough or hardcore, he wasnt afraid to put his artistic vision out there to the public and not sugar coat it for mass appeal. 

We see it, we need it, we want it, we get it….its stormin, or snowin or floodin…we still out here thuggin

One thing that i cannot stand is when people dont listen to what the artist is saying or trying to communicate in their music. I understand that every message in the music isnt a positive one but that isnt a realistic expectation for an artist trying to paint a picture of their life experiences. This happens all the time when people listen to rap because upon the first listen all they hear is the negative. You wouldnt skim through a paragraph and read every 15th word and actually think that you understand what the writer was communicating. So why do that when listening to music? A listener should take multiple listens when reviewing an artist’s work because whether you are listenin to a rapper with more of a street background like Schoolboy Q or to a rapper with less street appeal like a Drake, there is a message in the music. They still are trying to communicate their stories using the great art of hip-hop.

Hands On The Wheel ft. A$AP Rocky posted above and purchase Habits & Contradictions here! http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/habits-contradictions/id495258117

                                                  Emotion From A King

In case you have been under a rock and didnt know. Jay-Z and Beyonce had their first child together. They named her Blue Ivy Carter. When I heard the news I thought to myself, “oh well we wont be hearing any music from Jay for a while”. I should of known better. An artist like Jay truly gives himself to his fans. So why wouldnt he make a track to describe the best moment of his life. The birth of his baby girl.

The most amazin feelin i feel, words cant describe what im feelin for real…Baby id paint the sky Blue….my greatest creation was you

Jay pours out his heart on this song. He talks about everything from the previous miscarriage, his fears of failing as a father, and the death of his father. This song reminds me a lot of Jay’s verse on This Cant Be Life (Kanye’s first beat for Jay) off of his Roc La Familia album. In this song Jay talks about his fears of failing as a man, harsh living environments, and the heart break of a miscarriage.

It gets worse, baby momma water burts…baby came out still born, still i gotta move on, though my hearts still torn…light gone from her womb, dont worry if it was meant to be, itl be…..soon

I see This Cant Be Life as Part 1 and Glory as the ending. It almost plays like a movie when you listen to them in order. Although we immortalize Jay as an icon, he (just like everyone) suffers from pain, insecurities, and let downs. Glory is all of the pain expressed in This Cant Be Life being healed.

False alarms and false starts, all made better by the sound of your heart….all the pain of the last time…i prayed so hard it was the last time

Songs like this are why i love hip-hop. There is just so many emotions expressed in the music and so many great messages.

Listen to This Cant Be Life here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ-tqRzenPQ and Glory is posted above.

                                       What Means The World To You?

In this segment entitled “What Means The World To You?“  I will be interviewing various people who live hip-hop. These people will be of different ages, backgrounds, and professions. What will tie them all together is their passion/ appreciation for hip-hop music. So without further ado, I introduce the first participant in What Means The World To You?…..

                                                  Bryce Hay-Sus Savoy

                 Age:19  Hometown: Oakland, CA  Occupation: Student/Rapper 

                                       Rapped Gifts= RG   Hay-Sus= HS

RG- Thanks man…I truly appreciate your time, lets get it!

RG- What means the world to you? (significance of hip-hop in your life)

HS- Hip-hop (to me) is the ultimate outlet to relay a message. It is an opportunity to understand where people come from and an opportunity to learn. There are so many lessons that can be learned from hip-hop.

RG-I cant argue with that all. Is there a specific time or mood you have to be in to listen to hip-hop?

HS- Thats why hip-hop is so special. There are songs for every mood, whether im stressing, happy, or sad.

RG- Yea, i feel it. Its just finding the right artists for the right mood. What are some songs that are in rotation for you right now?

HS- Well some of my favorite songs right now are:

“Letter To A Star” off of my mixtape Now or Never. Mainly because i feel that it shows where I am in life currently and also my determination to get where I want to be.

“New Day” off of Watch The Throne also because I love how honest both Jay and Kanye are on that track. Especially Kanye when he talks about his struggles in the media.

and id never let him hit the telethon, even if people dyin and the world ends…see i just want him to have an easy life…not like yeezy life, just want him to be someone people like- Kanye West “New Day”

The last song id say is “Break Down” by J.Cole. I say this song because of the insight he gives about his personal life. He gave the fans a look into who he really is.

RG- All great songs..so now, i have to ask…who is your favorite rapper right now?

HS- Uhhh man, Id have to say right now its Rick Ross. I have to give it to him because his music is always quality. Its about the music and hes shown progression through out every project.

RG- So with you being from the Bay Area but now going to school out in D.C. What are some of the difference that you see in the music or culture. How are the listeners different?

HS- I feel like everyone has their own musical preferences. The Bay is a lot more diverse than it gets credit for. Its not just hyphy, we are into a lot of different forms of rap. So id say not too much of a difference, or at least you might expect more of a difference.

RG- So what do you hope listeners get from your music in particular?

HS- The insight of Oakland and I really want people to be able to apply my music to their lives. I want people to hear a way out.

RG- Nice, well there is something else i gotta know…you told us your favorite songs and your favorite rapper currently but.. what is your favorite hip-hop track of all time?

HS- MAN!…you gotta give me a second……….Id have to say “One Mic” by Nas..Id say that song because of the detail he uses. I could invision myself in that position.

On one knee, i ducked, could it be my time is up?…but to my luck i got up…the cop shot again, bus stop glass burts, a feen drops his Heiniken, ricochetin between the spots that im hidin in…blackin out, i shoot back…fuck gettin hit! - Nas “One Mic”

RG- That song is definitely a classic. The last question im gonna ask you is…What has hip-hop done for you?

HS- Man, i feel like it gave me a foundation and taught values. Ive learned and had the opportunity to decipher fiction from reality. Hip-hop is very important to me.

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A HUGE thanks to Hay-Sus for his time and hip-hop insight. I feel like its important for everyone to see that hip-hop is diverse. It doesnt matter where you are from or what economic class you are in. Hip-Hop has something for everyone and what people love about the genre never is the same. I love that everyone has a different opinion. I will be interviewing more and more people from totally different backgrounds to demonstrate the diversity of the hip-hop audience.  So what means the world to you?

ALSO… everyone make sure to download the Now or Never mixtape by Hay-Sus. http://hulkshare.com/eywvvhifvehx and make sure that you follow him on twitter @haysus510 ….

One of my favorite tracks off the mixtape (Letter To A Star) is posted above!