Armageddon All Stars

Since the end of the world is obviously going to occur this year, I thought it would be pleasant to bring you some artists that will hopefully provide the soundtrack to man's great demise and what a way to go it would be. So without further ado, here are my Armageddon All Stars for 2012.

Frank Ocean

Nowadays, the term R&B doesn’t hold all that much meaning to it. The Rhythm and Blues has been replaced by an excessively produced hook with the occasional bit of rapping thrown in the mixer –pop for the ‘urban’ generation. With this in mind, it is incredible to hear somebody like Frank Ocean entering the charts and taking back this once-meaningful genre. His first mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra showcases mature lyrics, soulful rhythms and a voice that holds a ridiculous amount of passion. In fact, the mixtape was so impressive it was re-released as a purchasable album almost 4 months after being given away for free! I really cannot wait to hear Frank crooning his way through 2012.   

A$AP Rocky

A surprise inclusion on BBC’s sound of 2012 list, A$AP Rocky seems to have come out of nowhere with his very own entourage of ASAP (Always Strive And Prosper) producers. It’s no wonder then, that his latest mixtape, ‘LiveLoveAsap’ is crammed full of with fresh beats and, in his words, is “better than most people’s albums”. Despite being a New-Yorker, Rocky’s style is not what you would expect from the Harlem-born youngster; the combination of southern-inspired flows and aggressive delivery make tracks distinguishable from most east-coast emcees whilst maintaining an incredible sense of conviction. Although his debut may be quite some time away, bangers such as ‘Peso’ are sure to keep the blood pumping through your veins. 

Labrinth

Had more of a guest role in 2011 but after the release of the massive ‘Earthquake’, there is no doubt that Lab will be making the transition to standalone artist this year.  With collaborations involving the likes of Chase and Status, Tinie Tempah and Devlin under his belt there is no question that Lab can mix it with the big boys of British urban music. His debut album, ‘Electric Earth’ is sure to include the cream of UK talent and once complimented by Labrith’s signature singing style and immaculate production skills it could easily be a contender for debut album of the year. 

Azealia Banks

It’s no secret that hip-hop is predominantly a man’s game, I’m not trying to start a gender thing here this is just a fact; the majority of good emcees are men. The great thing about this though is that it makes it all the more exciting when a decent female breaks onto the scene. Since she dropped ‘212’ a couple of months back, hype machines have been going crazy for the girl, and rightly so. In short, Banks is a fast-paced, fire breather and in my opinion no female rapper is even close to Azealia at the moment. Foul-mouthed and chocked full of attitude, Banks is sure to snatch the crown for best female rapper from anyone who dares try and claim it.

Maverick Sabre

If I was slightly shocked to be including a female rapper on this year’s list, you can imagine my surprise at the inclusion of an Irish hip-hop star. His groany singing style could be compared to the sounds of Paulo Nutini whereas his Hackney-inspired rhyming style is both charming and coherent. The ease in which Mav switches from singing to rapping makes tracks flow brilliantly - think of a less aggressive Plan B and you're somewhere on the way . Sabre’s unique tones have a recognisable edge to them which means that he really stands out in collaborations, as efforts with Chase & Status and Pro Green have already proven. 

Stalley

A good friend put me on to Stalley and I must admit, with him being signed to Maybach Music I was kind of sceptical about the type of rapper he was going to sound like. I really shouldn’t be so judgemental because not only are his bars impeccable but he is one of wittiest, most conscious emcees I have listened to in a long time. His fresh perspective definitely broke the Maybach mould and I must say that although Rick Ross sucks dick, he certainly has an ear for talent.  His mixtape, Lincoln Way Nights is packed full of dope rhyming and elegant beats, illustrating just how much potential Stalley has to offer in our final year on earth. 

And hey, if the world doesn't end...At least we've got a Stars of 2013 to look forward to.

Peace.

Fashawn - Higher Learning Vol. 2

Ok, so I realised I’ve kinda missed the bus on this one by about 3 months but it was just too good to not to review. Before I start, I just wanna say how cool Fashawn and Higher Learning 2 is; from the flyest front cover I’ve seen in a long time, all the way through to the freshest skits, this mixtape is straight ice cold.

Having listened to a lot of mixtapes in the last 6 months, one thing has become clear...even ‘good’ mixtapes have some awful tracks on them purely because the track lists are usually so big. Higher Learning 2 doesn’t. As I keep listening I find myself waiting for that average track or pointless filler but it just doesn’t come. The mixtape is perfect. There isn’t a single track I don’t thoroughly enjoy.

I’ll start with the beats and producers Fashawn uses. The tracks are ridiculously diverse - from smooth anthems such as “For the G’s” to fast-paced bangers like “Do What I Gotta Do” as well as a cheeky Queen remix thrown in for good measure, the men behind the boys have done an incredible job. Even when borrowing beats from the likes of J Dilla and Kanye, Fashawn still manages to make it his own...I almost forgot what the originals sounded like. Very rarely do remixes of a track seem like some of the standout tracks on a mixtape. It is this consistency combined with such diversity that stands out for me and stays with me throughout; Fashawn's delivery is so coherent you practically feel every syllable, it’s almost spine tingling.

In addition to plenty of guest producers, the collaboration tracks are also a delight, particularly the recruitment of the ridiculously talented J. Cole who kills it on the beat as well as in the booth. Every track with J. Cole could easily be a standout track but that would be selling the rest of the mixtape short. Additional appearances from G.O.O.D Music veterans Common and John Legend top of a guestlist that puts My Beautiful Twisted Fantasy to shame.

Being such a pessimist, I had to find something wrong with Higher Learning and my only complaint is the ridiculous shoutouts in some of the tracks that makes it almost seem bootlegged. Given that this is the only fault I could find, I think you may have realised how good Higher Learning 2 actually is.

Because of the quality, It was so hard to pick the standout tracks for this. I love the collab with Common and John Legend in “Strange Fruit”; which has a deeper feel to it than the majority of the tracks. I could have picked any all of the J Cole work but for me it has to be “Relaxation”; the deep bass and fast paced delivery are the perfect compliments that has left me wearing out my replay button.  Finally, “Going Home” is a brilliant close to the mixtape; the beat is a certified head-bopper and it was refreshing to hear Fashawn going it alone, spitting fire in the process.

For a mixtape with no less than 22 tracks, Higher Learning 2 is nothing short of genius, Fashawn has obviously took a lot of time with this mixtape. Instead of just throwing all his material together on one project, Shawn manages to stick to the Higher Learning theme - something that is a rareity on many albums let alone a mixtape. I really can’t stress how much I love Higher Learning 2; the diversity of both the beats and delivery combined with a consistency that could put plenty of veterans to shame, this is easily the best mixtape if not thing I’ve heard in 2011, seriously why are you even still reading? GO AND GET IT!

                                            Higher Learning Vol 2 - Download.

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (Roc-A-Fella Records)

Mr Ego returns with his 5th album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and while 808’s and Heartbreaks was considered a flop by many hip-hop purists, there was a silver lining; the D.O.A (Death of Auto tune) was called for by self-styled ‘big brother’ Jay-Z. Kanye took heed and this album reveals a new side of Chicago’s favourite rapper, exhibiting raw lyrical talent and elements of aggression previously not seen.

For many ‘Yeezy’ fans awaiting the album, Mr West provided some solace by releasing collaborative material via his website, known as The G.O.O.D. Friday project. Kanye seemed to be better than ever, combining his undeniable production skills with verses full of passion and versatility; displaying the kind lyricism that most fell in love with. The G.O.O.D. Friday project had purpose.

With this in mind I was expecting the album to be raw hip-hop, full of energy, beat-driven and most importantly strength in depth – a characteristic every great hip-hop album shares and one which I expected My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy to possess. Disappointingly, I was wrong.

This is not to say the album isn’t good. There are elements of the album whereby Kanye moves beyond his best and (albeit briefly) puts himself amongst the hip-hop illuminati he is so desperate to be part of. For me, Devil in a New Dress is undoubtedly Kanye’s masterpiece of the album, think Jay-Z’s The Blueprint and your half way there. This is hip-hop at its finest, seamless flow and a track that compliments it beautifully – one of the best hip-hop tracks Kanye has ever graced us with. Gorgeous featuring Kid CuDi follows suit in terms of hip-hop – stripped down to a guitar riff and a vintage rapping style, leaving the listeners with a track they can’t help but bop their head to.

Power is almost self explanatory and provides both the fire and aggression many were craving. The same goes for Monster which features an impressive cameo from Nicki Minaj, making both Jay-Z and Kanye look amateur; this girl will be massive in 2011. Meanwhile, Blame Game and Runaway replicate a beautiful sadness – held together with melodic perfection, proving that 808’s and Heartbreak wasn’t a complete waste of time.

This, to me, is the problem – the contrasting themes mean that the listener can often get lost in the album and not in a good way. For me, the hip-hop quota is not met with this album; Kanye is able to illustrate his potential to make a timeless track, satisfying both the masses and the purists. In spite of this, West’s work, at times, seems almost lazy, allowing the likes of Devil in a New Dress to brush shoulders with the suspiciously familiar Hell of a Life. The album is able to somewhat display an artistic beauty and does have some brilliant elements of darkness to it however the passion associated with such darkness is, for the most part, a fantasy.

Verdict: 4 / 5