#drill music in zion

[thisaintascenereviews]

Lupe Fiasco - Samurai

I recently reviewed Eminem’s latest album, The Death Of Slim Shady, and to be blunt, it’s a bad album. It’s nothing but a 51-year-old man being a bully and constantly using slurs and offensive language to make himself feel better about never growing up and being as corny as he’s always been. I say all that because the sad reality is that for a lot of people, that’s the only rap album they’ll listen to all year. I’m not going to pretend that I’m a connoisseur of rap, but I listen to some every now and again. An album that caught my attention recently, literally a week or so before Em’s new dumpster fire came out, was the new Lupe Fiasco album, Samurai, and I would recommend this album a thousand times more than The Death Of Slim Shady.

I’ve been a fan of Lupe for a long time now, ever since I listened to him in 2015 when Tetsuo & Youth came out, although he’s been around for much longer than that. His career is weirdly opposite that of Eminem’s, and part of why I wanted to mention his new album, because while Eminem is still really popular, the majority of the underground really doesn’t care about him, whereas the mainstream doesn’t care much about Lupe anymore (not really his doing, though, unfortunately), he thrives in the underground. Lupe Fiasco is an incredibly talented, ambitious, and visionary rapper that can also sing really well, and has a lot of lyrics that are socially aware and/or deeper than you’d expect.

I don’t usually like a lot of pretentious and self-indulgent music, whether it’s rap, rock, or whatever it may be, but Lupe’s music has always been a great mix of unique and accessible. Despite his flows being spitfire, and his lyrics having a lot of meaning behind them, there are some great hooks within the tracks. Samurai is the first time I’ve listened to him since 2017, but this album caught my attention for two key reasons — it’s only a half hour long, and it’s a loose concept album about Amy Winehouse being what she called a “samurai battle rapper.” She said something to her longtime producer in a documentary about her that she was writing music that made her feel like that, and Lupe ran with it, resulting in this.

You don’t necessarily need to know this is a concept album, though, because it’s incredibly loose. What you do need to know, however, is that this album is one of the best albums of the year, and if you listen to one rap album this year, make it this one. This record is a half hour burst of some energetic, catchy, and fun jazz-rap that’s also poignant and well-written. It just shows yet again that Lupe is one of the most talented and versatile rappers, even almost 20 years after his debut. It may not change the game in any way, shape, or form, but not all albums need to. If anything, this just cements his status as a legend, and he isn’t relying on a tired and dated shtick to remain relevant.

At only a half hour, it breezes by, but I want to listen to it again as soon as it’s over, because of its replay factor. Songs like the title track, “Cake,” and “No. 1 Headband” are so much fun, and show off his voice nicely. Lupe’s the first rapper I think of who can “rap fast,” but also be good, as well as refrain from being pretentious and self-indulgent. He also just showcases his lyrical dexterity, too; he can switch his flow at a moment’s notice, whether it’s to another style or a sung hook, and he sounds great. The hooks on here shouldn’t be understated, they’re really good. His sense of melody hasn’t been lost, either, but his knack for being accessible and catchy, just as much as being able to rap in a spitfire way, is just as important.

This record is easily in my top five of the year; I’ll find a handful of records every year that I can’t stop listening to, and this is one of them. It’s just been on rotation constantly, but it’s so catchy, fun, and energetic. There’s just so much to love within this record, and I can’t get enough of it. Like I said, if you listen to one rap album this year, make it this one. Samurai is a killer album, despite its crazy concept, but the concept doesn’t quite matter, since it doesn’t directly tie into the album, anyway, so you can listen to it without knowing anything about it. It still holds up, regardless, but it’s absolutely fantastic in every single way.

[cato-of-blamesociety]

Lupe Fiasco x Ms. Mural | remix | snippet | Cato x 32 weeks

Continuing in the process,

Observing all that rises,

feeling what is to felt, while seeking/expressing gratitude.

[agoodsongeveryday]

Day Nine Hundred and Ninety Two

Why buy a tub when they bayou'll flood? Better buy you a sub How you gon' survive in the club? You gon' kayak it 'cause when it rise up above And the waves come in push and the tidals'll shove What's an infrared dot to a whole dot gov?

[afrotumble]

DRILL MUSIC IN ZION

[holdenreviews]

Precious Things - Lupe Fiasco

[defjux]

100 of my favorite Hip Hop Albums of 2022 Might be excessive but there was simply just a ton of music this year that I enjoyed and found myself going back to, and I believe each of them is worth checking out.  Each of the album titles here also links to either a bandcamp page or stream where you can listen to the project. Hopefully you’ll at least find one new album that you enjoy here, and as always feel free to reply with what you enjoyed and connected with the most this year. I’d love to know, and any other recommendations are definitely appreciated. This was an incredible year for new releases, not just for hip hop but for music in general which is why i’ll be posting another top 100 list for all of the non hip hop stuff I enjoyed from this year, hopefully in the next few days.  Peace. Chart w/ titles included 2022 Hip Hop Spotify Playlist 1. Billy Woods & Preservation - Aethiopes 2. Avantdale Bowling Club - TREES 3. Cities Aviv - Working Title For The Album Secret Waters 4. MIKE - Beware of the Monkey 5. ELUCID - I Told Bessie 6. AKAI SOLO - Spirit Roaming 7. Teddy Faley - Teddy Brown Brown 8. Defcee & BoatHouse - For All Debts Public and Private [IMPORT EDITION] 9. Ka - Woeful Studies / Languish Arts 10. J.I.D - The Forever Story 11. Open Mike Eagle - Component System with the Auto Reverse 12. billy woods x Messiah Musik - Church 13. Danger Mouse & Black Thought - Cheat Codes 14. ShrapKnel - Metal Lung 15. SolarFive & Iceberg Theory - Momento Mori 16. Moor Mother - Jazz Codes 17. Serengeti & Child Actor - Ajai 2 18. Infinity Knives & Brian Ennals - King Cobra 19. Joshua Virtue - RAMA 20. Zilla Rocca & andrew - Don't Wait For Me to Leave 21. Fly Anakin - Frank 22. Cities Aviv - MAN PLAYS THE HORN 23. KILLVONGARD - I Think I've Lost It. 24. R.A.P. Ferreira - 5 to the Eye with Stars 25. Illogic - The Transition 26. Quelle Chris - DEATHFAME 27. Bloodmoney Perez - Curses 28. Fatboi Sharif & Noface - Preaching In Havana 29. Ockham's Blazer - Ockham's Blazer 30. Little Simz - NO THANK YOU 31. Theravada - Strange Voice 32. amani & robalu - I'll Be Right Black 33. Jam Baxter – Fetch The Poison 34. OKnice - Have You Tried Being Happy? 35. Davis & Foule Monk - Plum Whisky

36. Noveliss - Vagabond 37. SHIRT & Jack Splash - I Turned Myself Into Myself 38. Moses Rockwell - Until You Run out of Cake 39. Ja'king the Divine - 手术: BLACK SUN TZU 40. Archibald SLIM - Worldly Ways 41. NNAMDÏ - Please Have A Seat 42. YUNGMORPHEUS & Theravada - Up Against the Wall; a Degree of Lunacy 43. Roc Marciano & The Alchemist - The Elephant Man's Bones 44. Nas - King's Disease III 45. Lord Kayso - MOOR CHORES 46. Ace Cannons & MIGHTYHEALTHY - Mightycannons 47. Rich Jones & Iceberg Theory - Smoke Detector 48. Lukah - Raw Extractions 49. Nicholas Craven & Boldy James - Fair Exchange No Robbery 50. Ghais Guevara - There Will Be No Super-Slave 51. Lupe Fiasco - DRILL MUSIC IN ZION 52. Milc & Televangel - Neutral Milc Motel 53. ILL Conscious x Mute Won - Acres of Diamonds 54. L'Orange & Solemn Brigham - Marlowe 3 55. $ilkMoney - I Don't Give a Fuck About This Rap Shit 56. Teller Bank$ & Ed Glorious - The I & I 57. Wiki & Subjxct 5 - Cold Cuts 58. Love, Ulysses - 61​,​265​,​147 59. Vic Spencer & August Fanon - Psychological Cheat Sheet 3 60. Stik Figa x August Fanon - Heresy 61. Raz Fresco & Nicholas Craven - Boulangerie 62. QThree - U Be Ight 63. Wrecking Crew - Sedale Threat 64. eLZhi & Georgia Anne Muldrow - Zhigeist 65. Apollo Brown & Philmore Greene - Cost of Living 66. miles cooke - i used to feel things 67. Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire - I Love Y.O.U cuz Y.O.U Ugly Vol.1 68. demahjiae - Angels Wear Black 69. AJ Suede & Televangel - Metatron's Cube 70. Sacco & Vanzetti - It's Not Paranoia If They're Really Out To Get You 71. Mavi - Laughing so Hard, it Hurts 72. Rhys Langston - Grapefruit Radio 73. Steel Tipped Dove & Aloe Vera - Days Pass Strange 74. PENPALS - Dimensions of Dialogue 75. Malachi. Whitman - Happy Place 76. Denzel Curry - Melt My Eyez See Your Future (Extended) 77. Lungs/LoneSword, Phiik & Cise Greeny - Where Are The Bugs!? 78. Pink Siifu & Real Bad Man - Real Bad Flights 79. Andrew - The Rain Knows What It's Doing 80. Mattic & Parental - Down In The Rabbit Hole 81. Boldy James & Futurewave - Mr. Ten08 82. Ransom & V Don - Chaos Is My Ladder 83. Torito & Small Professor - Soiled 84. Jermiside & The Expert - The Overview Effect 85. big kahuna og & graymatter - METAL GEAR SOLID 86. Duncecap & Hajino - Go Climb A Tree 87. Earl Sweatshirt - Sick! 88. Deca - Smoking Gun 89. Freddie Gibbs - Soul Sold Separately 90. Mickey Diamond & Big Ghost Ltd - Gucci Ghost 91. Rome Streetz - KISS THE RING 92. Redveil - learn 2 swim 93. Daniel Son - The Bush Doctor 94. Dälek - Precipice 95. Jesse the Tree - Pigeon Man 96. Jason Griff - Fireside Chats 2 97. Benny the Butcher - Tana Talk 4 98. Killah Priest - Mother 99. Lord jaH-Monte Ogbon & Sadhugold - The Black Möbius 100. Kipp Stone - Room 109

[thelensofyashunews]

Lupe Fiasco Sharpens His Pen on 'Samurai,' His 9th Studio Album Out Now via 1st & 15th

With over two decades of tenure in the rap game, Lupe Fiasco is a savvy veteran of hip-hop, but that doesn't mean he doesn't take the time to hone and perfect his craft at every turn. Today, the Chicago MC unveils his latest album Samurai, a smooth, yet cerebral, 8-track album brimming with ideas, that radiates Lupe’s pure love for the art of emceeing and committing himself as a servant of the rap game. “The word ‘samurai’ means to serve,” Lupe says on the album’s title. “My relationship to that word has always meant that you need to be at the service of other people, either in the overall community, or in this instance, the rap community at large that I’ve been a part of for years."

Samurai, Lupe's ninth studio album, is produced in full by Soundtrakk, making it their second full album collaboration following 2022's DRILL MUSIC IN ZION, and the first album that Lupe and Soundtrakk worked on with their longtime manager, and 1st & 15th co-CEO Charles "Chill" Patton, since 2007's The Cool. Patton also serves as executive producer on the album. It's home to recent singles such as the title track, "Samurai," praised by Rolling Stone, Complex, Billboard, HYPEBEAST, Clash, The Needle Drop, and more, plus the lyrical beatdown, "Cake," which shows off Lupe's supreme ability to attack the beat with poetic and energetic bars.

Lupe's ninth full-length to date opens with aforementioned title track, "Samurai" and is a loose and soulful record that gently lopes along with a prominent drumbeat and a lilting soprano sax lick, as Lupe dons his battle rap persona, attempting to draw a crowd with his poetic devices. While the chorus imitates a busker or carnival barker's call for attention, the verses dig deeper. The first verse analyzes the awkward relationship between hip-hop culture and high culture. The second verse tells the story of a struggling artist, contrasting her glamorous dreams with her gritty reality, but brimming with her unbroken spirit.

Lupe takes the listener on an introspective journey but also utilizes different eras of hip hop to tell the stories that lay within each individual track. From experimental melodies infused within hip hop beats that carry ‘90s twang like “Mumble Rap”, or paired down, sentimental percussions and keys as found in “Palaces,” and the orchestral, street freestyle-esque “No. 1 Headband,” Lupe weaves the many faces of hip hop, along with the many lives he has lived within the industry, into the narrative of his project.

On Samurai, Lupe retreats inward to deliver fans one of his most personal albums to date. “I sometimes get tagged by my fans as not doing personal records,” Lupe says, “but I always tell people there's me in there if you listen closely enough. This album is one of my more personal records to date. It's not a full biography, but my personal experiences are tied up in all of my music. A lot of the records are me. Some are from the POV of a character. and some are me. The album weaves things from my life as an artist, touching on things other artists go through.”

Samurai is Lupe's first new album since 2022's DRILL MUSIC IN ZION, which earned critical acclaim from NPR, Complex, The FADER, and many others, including Vinyl Me Please, who wrote "At their best, Lupe’s bars are as visually and phonetically pleasing as popped bubble wrap." The product of a burst of thoughtful spontaneity, Lupe created DRILL MUSIC IN ZION over a short period, diving into a folder of beats sent by Soundtrakk and emerging with a fully-realized album in just three days. In 2023, Lupe kept busy by releasing tracks like "Wild Child (Remix)," a new version of his 2017 track created in collaboration with Chicago house luminary Vince Lawrence, and "Out There," an archival track from the 1st & 15th vault. The iconic Chicago native also settled into his position as a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he teaches "Rap Theory and Practice." Beyond music, Lupe continues to focus on the community organizations he founded, including We Are M.U.R.A.L, The Neighborhood Start-Up Fund, Society of Spoken Art, and his cross-cultural content venture, Studio SV.

Along with Samurai’s release, Lupe also dropped the accompanying video for “No. 1 Headband” where we see the Chicago native driving around his hometown reflecting on his surroundings, his early life and lyrically slicing through any one who dares to think they can match his ability. Lupe paints a soulful scene in an otherwise ordinary industrial suburban landscape. Shot in black and white, joined by beautiful back up singers, and featuring visual cuts of a saxophone player's hands tickling the instruments' keys when the jazz-heavy chorus of the track kicks in, the viewer has the opportunity to ride around the rapper's hometown and listen to him share his personal anecdotes. The video represents a return to home that pairs well with the themes found in the track's lyrics and the entire album as a whole.

Samurai is available to stream all platforms via 1st & 15th.

[roovetmusic]

The Rise of Jacksonville Drill: How Yungeen Ace and Foolio Turned Their Feud into Viral Hits

Jacksonville, Florida, is not a city that is usually associated with hip hop, let alone drill music. But in recent years, two of its local rappers, Yungeen Ace and Foolio, have been making waves in the rap scene with their catchy songs and controversial videos. However, behind their viral fame lies a deadly feud that has claimed the lives of several of their friends and relatives.

Yungeen Ace and Foolio are the leaders of two rival gangs, ATK and KTA, respectively. ATK stands for Ace to Kill, while KTA stands for Kill Them All. The two groups have been at war for years, but the conflict escalated in May 2017, when Zion Brown, Foolio’s cousin, was killed in a drive-by shooting. Yungeen Ace was suspected of being involved in the murder, but he was never charged.

A year later, Yungeen Ace was the target of a retaliation attack that left him wounded and three of his companions dead. One of them was his brother, Roy’ale. Foolio mocked the tragedy on social media, even wearing a t-shirt with the faces of the deceased. He also released a song called “Voodoo”, in which he claimed to have put a curse on Yungeen Ace and his crew.

The beef continued to escalate, with both sides releasing diss tracks and taunting each other online. In February 2019, Foolio’s younger brother, Bibby, who was also a rapper, was shot and killed at an apartment complex. Another ATK rapper, Ksoo, was later arrested for the murder. He had previously bragged about “smoking Bibby” on his album cover and in his songs.

[lboogie1906]

Wasalu Muhammad Jaco (born February 16, 1982) known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco is a rapper, singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to fame in 2006 following the success of his debut album, Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor. He performs as the frontman of the rock band Japanese Cartoon under his real name. As an entrepreneur, he was the chief executive officer of 1st and 15th Entertainment.

Raised in Chicago, he developed an interest in hip-hop after disliking the genre for its use of vulgarity and misogyny. After adopting the name Lupe Fiasco and recording songs in his father’s basement, he joined a group called Da Pak. The group disbanded shortly after its inception, and he soon met rapper Jay-Z who helped him sign a record deal with Atlantic Records. In September 2006, he released his debut album Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor on the label, which received three Grammy nominations. He released his second album, Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool, in December 2007. The lead single “Superstar” became his first top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. After a two-year delay, his third album, Lasers, was released in May 2011 to mixed reviews, it became his first album to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200. The album was preceded by his highest charting single, “The Show Goes On”, which peaked at #9. His latest album, Drill Music in Zion, was released in June 2022.

He has pursued other business ventures, including fashion. He runs two clothing lines, Righteous Kung-Fu and Trilly & Truly; he has designed sneakers for Reebok. He has been involved with charitable activities, including the Summit on the Summit expedition, and in 2010 he recorded a benefit single for victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. He is noted for his anti-establishment views, which he has expressed in both interviews and his music. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[dabomdiggy]

Drill Musc In Zion, Lupe Fiasco (2022)

1. "The Lion's Deen" (featuring Ayesha Jaco)

2. "Ghoti"

3. "Autoboto" (featuring Nayirah)

4. "Precious Things" (featuring Nayirah)

5. "Kiosk"

6. "Ms. Mural"

7. "Naomi"

8. "Drill Music in Zion"

9. "Seattle" (featuring Nayirah)

10. "On Faux Nem"

[zionsakuri]

Client Name: Zion Sakuri

Client Age: 29

Client FC: Zayn Malik

Kinks: Breath play, Edging, Masochism, Exhibitionism, Bondage, Voyeurism, BDSM, Impact play, Restraints, … and many more.

Anti Kinks: Urophilia/Scat, Objectification, Emetophilia, and Somnophilia.

BIO

Zion Tarik Sakuri was born in Bradford, England on November 13th along with his twin brother Gael who unfortunately passed away at the very sad age of 17.

Zion and his brother were extremely close as they were growing up. But when they entered high school it seemed like the two of them were heading down two very different roads. Zion was always into types of creative arts. Music, drawing, dancing. He was a creator in every sense of the word. But his brother, he was intrigued by the more dangerous things in life. Ultimately leading to his accidental death at their senior year graduation party. Zion still blames himself for this every day. If only he would have been there more, or got more involved with his brother? Maybe then he would still be here. He doesn’t really like to talk about it though. In fact, he never even mentions that he ever had a brother. Maybe then people can’t judge him for being such a terrible one. Of course his death wasn’t really Zion’s fault at all. But according to his parents it most certainly is. He has an okay relationship with them. But every time he catches them looking at him, he can still see the blame in their eyes. That’s why he decided to move clear out of the country at the age of 18 and into New York City. That’s were he ultimately made a name for himself. He owns three of New Yorks most influential tattoo shops. Drilling ink into celebrities as well as anyone who can make their way onto the client list. His work is very much in demand.

BASICS

Birth Name: Zion Tarik Sakuri

Nickname(s): Z, Zi

Age: 30

Date Of Birth: November 13th.

Zodiac: Scorpio.

Hometown: Bradford, England.

Residency: NYC.

Occupation: Tattoo Artist / Business Owner.

Pronouns: He/His

Height: 5’11

Weight: 160lbs.

Eye Color: Hazel

Hair Color+Style: Black, Long-ish and Shaved Underneath.

Dominant Hand: Left

Accent+Intensity: Exacly Like FC.

Piercings: Nose, Ears, and Tongue.

Spoken Languages: English, Arabic, Urdu.

Sexual Orientation: Pansexual.

Romantic Orientation: Panromantic.

Position: Switch.

[gregthecoolnerd]

Top 15 Rap Albums of 2022

(This is in order of release this year. Otherwise, I love them all the same.)

Sick! by Earl Sweatshirt

Lost Lands Vol. 1 by Jasiah

Analog Horror Core by DIRTYBUTT

Attica by $atori Zoom

Melt My Eyez See Your Future by Denzel Curry

2 High 2 Die by Sosmula

American Wasteland by Nascar Aloe

Scared? by Death Tour

Drill Music in Zion by Lupe Fiasco

Las Ruinas by Rico Nasty

Sing Me a Lullaby, Sweet Temptation by $uicideboy$

Wicked Witch of Da West by BigKlit

RUFFS by Kenny Mason

Gangsta Grillz: I Still Got It by Snoop Dogg and DJ Drama

SPIDER GANG IS OVER by Spider Gang

Runners-Up:

(These aren’t quite as good as the others, but still worth mentioning.)

From a Bird’s Eye View by Cordae

The Forever Story by JID

Etiquette555 by Triple777

Beautiful Mind by Rod Wave

No Stylist by Destroy Lonely

[volumehypeplay]

Favorite songs of 2023

With the speechless list already out, I want to close out my end of year lists with my favorite songs of 2022. Some expected artists pop-up (with unexpected songs?) and some wild cards thrown in for good measure. So rather than wasting your time, get started below.

↓

Ms. Mural

When Lupe Fiasco announced he would write and record an album in 24 hours, even as a huge fan of his work, I wasn't exactly expecting much. What felt like years later, we had a name 'Drill Music in Zion' (goat album name?) then a few months later a single 'AUTOBOTO'. A good track, but nothing out of the ordinary for Lupe; a song he could make in autopilot, yet still lyrically dropping gems 'What's an infrared dot to a whole dot gov?'.

What really had me excited though was finding out DMIZ would house the next in the Mural series, this time Ms. Mural was taking center stage. It does not dissapoint. Hearing Lupe rap over some classic Soundtrakk production, while narrating the song from the perspective of a painter and his patron (as well as the painting itself?); is the kind of mind-blowing goodness I anticipate from the Chicago emcee. The are bars, on bars in this song that I could point out, but from;

Man does not become superior 'cause you connect him to a cape, Nor does become inferior because you connect him to a ape,

we get a masterclass in subject switching (gender roles, ethics etc) while tying it into the artistic narrative of a song. Like every Fiasco song, this one will take months to unpack, so why not join me and help me understand?

Sistanem

J.I.D, for years has been on the verge of achieving his final form. Clearly, incredibly talented, with easily the most interesting flow in the game, ferociously adaptable and having an innate ability to find THE pocket in any beat. The thing that was missing was always the album that would focus his potential, the ability to cohesively tell a story while standing out like the always does. In 'The Forever Story', he thankfully delivered on his years of promise. in a short, dense 12 track album.

J.I.D spent a chunks of the album doing what he was already excellent at (Surround Sound, Raydar, Lauder too) but better, as well as introducing us to sides of him that were not as obvious. I couldn't decide between Crack Sandwich, Kody Blu 31 or Sistanem for a long time as the highlight of the album, but the latter seemingly mixes what the former do fantastically but in one 6-minute track.

Produced by James Blake, Sistanem is the perfect amount dark and brooding as it is comforting and melodic. The drums are quiet, delicate and subdued, perfectly complimented by J.I.D's more graceful than usual delivery.

His sing-songy delivery of:

Back on the road, gone with the wind blows Packin' the shows, hoes and the nymphos, platinum and gold You know how this shit go when family's gone You don't know what you here for, uh

is the soundbite of the song.

Blake, cleverly adds instruments as the story of the family / sisterly squables evolve (adding to the animosity) - as J.I.D experctly adds tired inflections to his voice, helping sell the ongoing turmoil being re-told.

If you have any interest in modern hip-hop I would definetly give this song and the album a listen.

Survivors Guilt

It's been a long, long time since a Joey Bada$$ song hit me the way Survivors Guilt has. The death of Capital STEEZ has been hanging on Pro Era and Bada$$ for years now, never entirely being addressed (definetly not like this). On Survivors Guilt, Bada$$ pulls back the curtain and burns it down; revealing a much more vulnerable side to him, I wasn't aware he was willing to put on record. With the final verse from Joey and the outro from Ab-Soul (especially after HERBERT) closing the song at an incredibly emotional crescendo.

This is the best Joey Bada$$ has sounded to me in years and I hope what he managed to achieve with this track, specifically on this 1999 leaning production that Rahki produced — we'll be seeing more of this Joey, more often.

Drugstore

London born, US based IDK has been growing on me these past few years. With tracks like Just Like Martin, Once Upon A Time and Black Sheep / White Dover; I've been seeing a much more confident artist taking form, constantly diversifying his features, production and delivery.

When I heard IDK was partnering with the incredible KAYTRANADA on an EP, I had a feeling it could be special. Spoiler alert, I was not dissapointed. KAYTRANADA wild' out on every song, creating the sort of grooves I would have just loved to see Smino over, but thankfully IDK took on the challenge and delivered such a good collection of songs, I couldn't imagine anyone else rapping over these beats so well. Drugstore is the EPs standout; over a bouncy, ever-evolving beat IDK delivers a tour-de-force, that when the song ends you'll be pressing the replay button without even realising. Would love to know what others think of this one.

Please Do Not Lean

It's been so over half a decade since the release of the timeless Freudian. Since then he's been much quieter than I had hoped, with odd loosies here and there, but thankfully 2022 delivered a song worthy of his name. Produced by the ever-great BBNG, Daniel spends the next 3 minutes (or so) letting us in on his confession — the unstable and trying relationship of his with his bride to be.

Singing:

Just how long will you stand next to me? For we both know, it's more than a load For you to bear / It'd break my heart, but I'd understand if you'd Leave me for another man with a little Less on his mind, less on his plate Less in his brain,"

The intimate nature of the lyrics is only magnified by the stripped back, acoustic production pieced together. Supposedly Please Do Not Lean is the introduction to his next album, which hopefully arrives sooner rather than later.

An Interlude 'Circus'

I was unfortunately whelmed by Saba's most recent album A Few Good Things. The fault lied with me, expecting Saba to keep his incredible streak going after the excellent CARE FOR ME; but it wasn't to be. That's not to say everything is doom and gloom with this LP providing another few outstanding tracks in the chicago born rappers repetoir.

An Interlude 'Circus' commited the cardinal sin, of a fantastic song being simply way too short. Clocking in at little over 60seconds, Circus is a beautiful, perfect for a summers day, quiet storm musical concotion, that only Saba could deliver with that unique cadance of his. I really hope eventually we get a longer version of Circus, but for now at least I can appreciate the fact I can run this track 3 times before your typical Abba song finishes.

Dark Hearted

I've always had a love / hate relationship with Freddie Gibbs. More often than not, his particular brand of modern gangsta rap rubs me the wrong way; skewing too far to the right for me to really appreciate. Yet, once every while, Gibbs delivers a song so good I can't help but pay attention; that's where Dark Hearted comes in.

Found on his latest album $oul $old $eparately, this is a level above anything Gibbs has come with i the past. Thanks to the once again ridiculous work behind the boards of James Blake, Gibbs has the dark and forebodding tapestry his carefully slick lyrics demand.

A relentless display by Gibbs, completely contrasting the moody production in the background running through his troubles moving from the streets to stardom. With the song really being tied together by Gibbs delivery; his innate ability to combine his dark lyricism with a much more accessible melodic delivery over this kind of beat results in a stand out song of 2022.

Hoping for more of this from Freddie Gibbs in 2023.

[bboyplankton]

Hip-Hop/Rap Albums 2022

1. Conway the Machine – God Don’t Make Mistakes

2. Lupe Fiasco – Drill Music in Zion

3. Nas – King’s Disease III

4. A Boogie wit da Hoodie – Me Vs. Myself

5. Saba – A Few Good Things

6. Westside Boogie – More Black Superheroes

7. Freddie Gibbs – $oul $old $eperately (Bonus Edition)

8. JID – The Forever Story

9. Boldy James & Cuns – Be That As It May

10. Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers

11. Ab-Soul – Herbert

12. Method Man – Meth Lab Season 3: The Rehab

13. Nick Grant – Welcome to Loveland

14. Burna Boy – Love, Damini

15. Vince Staples – Ramona Park Broke My Heart

16. Jeezy & DJ Drama – Snofall

17. Westside Gunn – 10

18. Larry June – Spaceships on the Blade

19. Danger Mouse & Black Thought – Cheat Codes

20. Lloyd Banks – The Course of the Inevitable 2

21. YG – I Got Issues

22. Joey Bada$$ – 2000

23. Cordae – From A Bird’s Eye View

24. Apollo Brown & Philmore Greene – Cost of Living

25. Megan Thee Stallion – Traumatize

26. Wiz Khalifa, Big K.R.I.T., Smoke DZA, & Girl Talk – Full Court Press

27. Denzel Curry – Melt My Eyez See Your Future

28. Dizzy Wright & DJ Hoppa – Dizzyland

29. Royce Da 5’9” – The Heaven Experience Vol.

30. Snoop Dogg – BODR

31. The Musalini & 9th Wonder – The Don & Eye

32. Pusha T – It’s Almost Dry

33. Jalen Santoy – Without Hesitation

34. Drake – Honestly, Nevermind

35. Symba & DJ Drama – Results Take Time

36. Jack Harlow – Come Home the Kids Miss You

37. Bun B & Statik Selektah – Trillstatik 2

38. Key Glock – PRE5L – EP

39. EarthGang – Ghetto Gods

40. Young Dolph – Paper Route Frank

41. Kid Cudi – Entergalactic

42. Smino – Love 4 Rent

43. Drake & 21 Savage – Her Loss

44. Brockhampton – The Family

45. Tobi Lou – Non-Perishable

46. The Cool Kids – Baby Oil Staircase/ Chillout

47. Doe Boy – Oh Really

48. Dave East, Buda & Grandz, & DJ Drama – Book of David

49. Smoke DZA – 10,000 Hrs

50. Nigo – I Know Nigo!

51. Busta Rhymes – The Fuse Is Lit – EP

52. Wiz Khalifa – Multiverse

53. Ransom – Pain & Glory

54. Tee Grizzley – Chapters of the Trenches

55. Sy Ari Da Kid – The Shadow In the Shade 2

56. Roc Marciano & The Alchemist – The Elephant Man’s Bones

57. Mozzy – Survivor’s Guilt

58. Armani Caesar – The Liz 2

59. Action Bronson – Crocodilo Turbo

60. Earl Sweatshirt – Sick!

61. CyHi – EGOT the EP

62. Dreezy – HitGirl

63. Juicy J & Wiz Khalifa – Stoner’s Night

64. Logic – Vinyl Days

65. DJ Premier – Hip- Hop 50: Vol. 1 – EP

66. Paul Wall & Termanology – Start 2 Finish

67. Casey Veggies – Since Ya’ll Forgot – EP

68. 38 Spesh & Harry Fraud – Beyond Belief

69. Jay Worthy & Harry Fraud – You Take the Credit, We’ll Take the Check

70. The Cool Kids – Before Shit Got Weird

71. Boldy James & Real Bad Man – Killing Nothing

72. Dreamville & J. Cole – D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape

73. Juicy J, Lex Luger & Trap-A-Holics – Crypto Business

74. Buddy – Superghetto

75. The Game – DRILLMATIC Heart Vs. Mind

76. Snoop Dogg & DJ Drama – Gangsta Grillz: I Still Got It

77. Future – I Never Liked You

78. Duke Deuce – CRUNKSTAR

79. Prodigy – The Hegelian Dialectic 2: The Book of Heroine

80. Payroll Giovanni – Back 2 The Ba$ics

81. Yo Gotti, Moneybagg Yo, & CMG The Label – Gangsta Art

82. Duke Deuce – Memphis Massacre II

83. Latto – 777

84. Metro Boomin – Heroes & Villains

85. RZA & DJ Scratch – Saturday Afternoon Kung Fu Theater

86. Cappadonna & Stu Bangas – 3rd Chamber Grail Bars

87. Mickey Factz & Ayo Shamir – It’s Only Us Here

88. Hodgy – Everyday People Change Into Someone

89. 38 Spesh – 7 Shots

90. Smoke DZA, Nym Lo, & 183rd – Driplomatic Immunity

91. Jay Worthy, Larry June, & LNDN Drugs – 2 P’z In A Pod

92. DJ Khaled – God Did

93. Casey Veggies – Crypto Veggies

94. Quavo & Takeoff – Only Built for Infinity Links

95. RZA & Bobby Digital – RZA Presents: Bobby Digital & the Pit of Snakes

96. Curren$y & Fuse – Spring Clean 2

97. Boldy James & Futurewave – Mr. Ten08

98. Westside Gunn – Peace “Fly” God

99. Mt. Westmore – Snoop Cube 40 $hort

100. Apollo Brown – This Must Be The Place

101. BigWalkDog – Trick City

102. Bas – [Bump] Pick Me Up – EP

103. Cam’ron & A-Trak – U Wasn’t There

104. Onyx – Onyx Versus Everybody

105. Blac Youngsta – 4Life

106. Leikeli47 – Shape Up

107. Tsu Surf – Disparu

108. Finesse2Tymes – 90 Days

109. 42 Dugg & EST Gee – Last Ones Left

110. Coi Leray – Trendsetter

111. EST Gee – I Never Felt Nun

112. Rico Nasty – Las Ruinas

113. TyFontaine – B4BMG: The Experience – EP

114. BlocBoy JB – Bacc 2 Da Bloc

115. Gucci Mane – So Icy Boyz 22

116. Lil Baby – It’s On Me

117. Post Malone – Twelve Carat Toothache

118. Gucci Mane – So Icy Gang: The ReUp

119. Vory – Lost Souls

120. Glorilla – Anyways, Life’s Great

[team-reasonable]

So, anyway. I didn't technically close up shop here until June. I had already listened to so many records by then. It would be a shame not to drop (at least) one more year end list. The funny thing is that I have listened to more records this year than I have in recent years. All told, I ended up listening to around 125 new releases this year. I kept pretty detailed notes about most of them. I could have easily turned that into reviews or content. I would have stopped listening to new records had I done that though. Turning my enjoyment of music into a thing was a mistake. Anyway. Here is the list. It's 40 records. A good amount of these are jazz. Just be aware. If you're looking for dope punk rock records, this probably won't be the list for you.

In alphabetical(ish) order:

Alice Sandahl - "Bright & Blue"

Alison Shearer - "View From Above"

Alvvays - "Blue Rev"

Angel Olsen - "Big Time"

Anthony Coleman & Brian Chase - "Arcades"

Barrie - "Barbara"

The Beths - "Expert In A Dying Field"

The Bogie Band & Joe Russo - "The Prophets In The City"

Camilla George - "Ibio-Ibio"

Chicago Soul Jazz Collective - "On The Way To Be Free"

Dave Gisler Trio - "See You Out There"

David Hillyard & The Rocksteady 7 - "Plague Doctor"

Georgia Harmer - "Stay In Touch

High Alpine Hut Network - "727 / 16 EP"

Jeanines - "Don’t Wait For A Sign"

Jobber - "Hell In A Cell EP"

Julieta Eugenio - "Jump"

Kate Bollinger - "Look At It In The Light"

Kit Downes, Petter Eldh, James Maddren - "Vermillion"

Kristine Leschper - "The Opening, Or Closing Of A Door"

Lisa Ullén, Elsa Bergman, & Anna Lund - "Space"

Little Low - "Reasons To Grow"

Lupe Fiasco - "Drill Music In Zion"

Marta Sanchez - "SAAM (Spanish American Art Museum)"

Mary Halvorson - "Amaryllis" / "Belladonna"

Melissa Aldana - "12 Stars"

Nectar - "No Shadow"

The New York Second - "Music At Night"

ORD - "Hemligheter På Vägen"

Otoboke Beaver - "Super Champon"

Perennial - "In The Midnight Hours"

Potsa Lotsa XL & Youjin Sung - "Gaya"

Quelle Chris - "Deathfame"

R.A.P. Ferreira - "5 To The Eye With Stars"

Renata Zeiguer - "Picnic In The Dark"

Tender Slit - "Tender Slit"

Tomberlin - "I Don't Know Who Needs To Hear This..."

Walking Cliché Sextet - "Micro-Nap"

Westbound Train - "Dedication"

Widowspeak - "The Jacket"

I've included that Spotify playlist. It has stuff from most of these records, and some other stuff. Maybe I'll throw something up in 2023? Who knows. It's what it's

[thelensofyashunews]

Lupe Fiasco Shows Off His Unmatched Pen in "Cake" Single From Upcoming 'Samurai'

Assembling assonant syllables into sumptuous literary stanzas, Lupe Fiasco has built a his reputation off the strength of his pen game. Proving that few emcees can touch him even 20 years into his storied career, Lupe shares "Cake," his new single. Over a head-spinning instrumental from Soundtrakk, Lupe flexes like only he can, putting together intricate internal rhymes and off-kilter metaphors to assert an important message: nobody has bars like him. Locking in with Soundtrakk's swirling melodies and satisfyingly old school percussion, the Chicago rapper asserts that he's colder than a Siberian winter, with the pen game of Kurt Vonnegut and a vocabulary large enough to make a computer lose memory. He spits: "Ain't no domino in my dominance, when I'm droppin' this/Janis Jop-a-lin drop-a-lets, it sound like the apocalypse/Mixed with Christopher Wallace's topics, on top a obelisk/This a cobbleous novelist, inside of my esophagus/Rhyme as primin' as Optimus and this sh*t tastes like chocolate cake." The single arrives with a stylish, stripped-down music video directed by Chris and Blaq of IMPAKT STUDIO, which finds Lu flexing on a soundstage as he spits his verse amidst the commotion of production staff around him.

"Cake" is the second single from Samurai, Lupe's ninth studio album and one of the most personal of his career to date. The upcoming album is produced in full by Soundtrakk, making it their second full album collaboration following 2022's DRILL MUSIC IN ZION, and the first album that Lupe and Soundtrakk worked on with their longtime manager, and 1st & 15th co-CEO Charley "Chill" Patton, since 2007's The Cool. The 8-track album is smooth, yet cerebral, brimming with ideas, but always radiating Lupe’s pure love for the art of emceeing and committing himself as a servant of the rap game. Last week, Lupe introduced the album by sharing the single and music video for its title track, "Samurai," praised by Rolling Stone, Complex, Billboard, HYPEBEAST, Clash, The Needle Drop, and more. Now available to pre-save and pre-order on vinyl, Samurai arrives in both physical and digital formats on June 28th via 1st & 15th.

The upcoming Samurai is Lupe's first new album since 2022's DRILL MUSIC IN ZION, which earned critical acclaim from NPR, Complex, The FADER, and many others, including Vinyl Me Please, who wrote "At their best, Lupe’s bars are as visually and phonetically pleasing as popped bubble wrap." The product of a burst of thoughtful spontaneity, Lupe created DRILL MUSIC IN ZION over a short period, diving into a folder of beats sent by Soundtrakk and emerging with a fully-realized album in just three days. In 2023, Lupe kept busy by releasing tracks like "Wild Child (Remix)," a new version of his 2017 track created in collaboration with Chicago house luminary Vince Lawrence, and "Out There," an archival track from the 1st & 15th vault. The iconic Chicago native also settled into his position as a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he teaches "Rap Theory and Practice." Beyond music, Lupe continues to focus on the community organizations he founded, including We Are M.U.R.A.L, The Neighborhood Start-Up Fund, Society of Spoken Art, and his cross-cultural content venture, Studio SV.

Stay tuned for more announcements about Lupe Fiasco and Samurai in the coming weeks.