Week of 5/15: SoundClick.com Hip-Hop Top 5

Have I mentioned I love hip hop lately? I think artists, myself included, spend a lot of time complaining about the state of hip hop, but what I like an appreciate about the music is that it has a lot of different aspect and sub-genres, styles and messages, all which offer something different while at the same time being enjoyable. With that, I present a very interesting top 5 for the week.

Boss Game - It's All G
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10606189

Mike Game Music - Get Down
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10649603

Valo the Inovata - Storyteller
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=8330651

Mod D - Still Ridin' Clean
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10593425

He Man Huff - Watch What U Say (f/ Thuggy Fresh)
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10643355

This week, Boss Game "SLAP!"s you in the face (play the track, you'll get it) with a banging track titled "It's All G." Frankly, it's not different than anything I've heard before, but I think that the beat, lyrics, and flow actually present a *feeling* that represents what the song is talking about. The "it" factor plays a role in here garnering the #1 spot. It really reminds me of something I'd hear Paul Wall (big Paul, not skinny Paul) rapping about, and if you've listened to him, you know he's really hit or miss. This track is on the good side of that. Finally, the actual composure of the track is well done, in terms of the mixing of both the hook and the verses. This attention to details makes for not just a good track, but a complete song, which you don't always find on Soundclick, so you have to appreciate the time put into the work.

Follow that up with "Get Down," presented by Mike Game Music. This track has a nice bounce to it with some aggressive lyrics to complement. The third verse shines for me with some nice rhymes and is an overall thumbs up track. I think the hook should have had actual words over the sample, though, but it's not bad as-is. Wordplay here was also interesting, but the filler lacked a bit of substance which sort of gave off a "why am I listening to this" feel. That's where the third verse comes in and brings back some much-needed focus to the song and probably the best verse lyrically. Overall, this assault with a barrage of lyrics that stands tall in the top 5, but a slight lull in the middle & a craving for a hook has me asking for a bit more.

"StoryTeller" by Valo the Inovata is a strong track that, as the name suggests, tells a story -- or two. My first gripe here is the mix quality. This track would be a lot stronger with better quality, and I feel that attention to detail is necessary for a track like this. The second verse sounded (quality-wise) better than the first, so if you could sync that up, this would be even better. Despite that, the stories are strong and clear. One thing I noticed was the lyrics were a bit overly simple for me. I understand that with stories, clarity trumps being lyrical, but at the same time, it was a bit too "club to the head" for me. I think some details could have been fleshed out more. One thing people tend to do when telling stories when they are inexperienced with it is skip out on details that they themselves are fully aware of. Your audience at least needs some backdrop and information about these personal stories in order to become invested and relate to the track. That said, it's still a powerful track, if nothing else, for a magnificent backdrop provided by the beat, and even with the flaws, it still shines.

Mod D's "Still Ridin' Clean" was originally slated to round out the top 5 this week, but after another listen, I bumped it up to #4. For me, this was the most disappointing track in the list, but not for the obvious reasons. The song itself is pretty much (mercifully) 32 bars and a hook about getting head, not obvious from the song title. If you thought Royce da 5'9" talked about his manhood a lot, well ... you haven't heard anything yet. The disappointing thing for me here is that the lyrics and especially the flow are actually on-point, interesting rhymes and some wordplay here and there actually keep the song interesting throughout, despite the subject matter. It makes me want to hear this rapper actually rap about something. I feel like he has a talent and a chance to break out and shine based on his work here, and I challenge him to take on a broader range of topics that do more than scratch the surface and review topics we've heard a thousand times. Maybe I'm wrong, but I feel like he has a lot more to offer than we were shown with this outing. That said, the song, though something I've heard before, works well and has a smooth feel to it; I feel like the artist accomplished what he set out to do with the track, so that earns points. Again, this track just gives me a "tip of the iceburg" feeling that makes me demand more.

He Man Huff & Thuggy Fresh present a T.I.-esque warning with "Watch What You Say" to round out the top 5. A laconic, but fitting, hook does the warning, interluding verses going into further discussion of specifics. The first verse stands out at the best of this track but the second Thuggy Fresh hops on the mic, I kind of lose patience. Keep in mind, the mix here was distracting already, so the ice was already thin. The reason, for me, is because the lyrics were exact lines I've heard time and time again, and the mix make him sound a bit goofy; it's too offsetting against the other verse & hook for me. Regardless, while this song is not my particular cup of tea, I think that the target audience will feel it after a bit of attention to the mixing. As-is, it lacks the replay value and originality to make it bang.

Overall, as I said at the beginning, hip hop has always been about expression and diversity, and I think the top 5 delivers on that, from tracks based on lyrical assault to riding anthems, from stories to hood rap, I think there is room for it all when it is done well. The goal is really to represent and relate to your audience, and despite the flaws in some of the tracks, I think everyone does a good job in that aspect. Of course, there is room for improvement everywhere, but as a listener, I can appreciate the work and applaud the entrants.

Look forward to next week!

N. Talekt