Rap Compendium Vol. 1

Well I'm not really suppose to do this, but I haven't posted in forever, so I figure I'll give everyone something a little special. And while I probably won't do this again, I don't know how constantly I'll update, so I'm leaving room for Vol. 2 if need be.

First up, is the one of the newer pretty boys getting a lot of attention. I present Chris Brown's "Exclusive"

Now Chris Brown's "Exclusive" is a great blend of fast, energetic rap as well as some good slow songs to take to the bedroom, and his voice is soft, a stark contrast to many of the rappers out there who sound like fuckin' chain smokers. Anyway, some of the more notable songs are "Kiss Kiss", "Wall to Wall", and "Take You Down". The first two are on the quicker side, heavy beats with smooth lyrics, while "Take You Down" features slow rhythm and steady, hypnotizing drums in the background. "Exclusive" offers a great variety, and is a great buy.

Next on the list, is Lupe Fiasco's "The Cool"


Lupe Fiasco's "The Cool" is just an amazing juxtaposition of popular hip hop concepts, as well as the reality behind them. Two songs in mind emphasize this so clearly. The first is "Gold Watch", which seems a satire to the lifestyles portrayed by rappers. "Got my gold watch and my gold chain/with my fancy car and my diamond ring." It overemphasizes the importance of materialism (Baba Says Cool For Thought "Check your ingredients before you overdose on the cool") The next is "Dumb it Down", referring to the lyrics of rap songs. In the semi-chorus, the lyrics go "We aint graduate from school nigga (Dumb it down)/those big words aint cool nigga (Dumb it down). These two lines speak volumes about newer rap, if even other rappers view some rappers like this. A MUST buy for hip hop lovers.

And the finale for my compendium, Mos Def's "Black on Both Sides"
"They say the goodness in life belongs to those who believe, so, I believe."- Mos Def, "Love"

Mos Def is definitely not a new player to the game, being one of the few rappers on the forefront of underground hip hop in the 90's. His songs are deep, yet still appeal to those simply interested in a good song. Most of all, he has been an endearing departure from "Gangsta Rap". Some of hi songs include strong focus upon the black community, such as "Got", while songs like "New World Water" are geared more toward global issues. Not much can really be said for this album, but listen to it and you won't be disappointed. A definite must.

Well, this concludes Rap Compendium Vol. 1, I hope you all enjoy these albums, and look forward to posting more sometime soon.

Chris Brown- Exclusive
Lupe Fiasco- The Cool
Mos Def- Black on Both Sides