Theo Martins Turn It Up Video

As you may have read I reviewed Theo Martins' project Sincerely Yours, The Dance Floor and here is the video for the opening track "Turn It Up" Check it out!

 

Oh and don't forget to check out his project Sincerely Yours, The Dance Floor if you haven't already!

Check out Jon Hope

Jon Hope is a rapper from Providence, Rhode Island who is quietly making moves. Jon has music with artists such as Reks, Skyzoo, Torae, Theo Martins & Sha Stimulah. He is definitely an artist that I listen to for my own leisure and he has great subject matter. I never had an opportunity to give an album review for his new project which is called "Words From A Fairview" but let me tell you that this is a great EP. This dude has a whole song about Law and Order the TV show. Originality is something that is hard to come by and this man definitely is original.
Check out Jon Hope's Words From A Fairview on his bandcamp site: http://jonhope.bandcamp.com/



Oh and apparently he's good at basketball. My skills are declining but lets see if  I will see him at a court this summer!

Theo Martins Sincerely Yours, The Dance Floor Album Review

 

What can I say about Theo Martins? He’s an upcoming musician from Providence, Rhode Island. I have yet to meet him but I do have frequent twitter conversations with the man. He has released several incredible projects; most notably “You Can’t Do That On Television” which was an absolute masterpiece and all the tracks get play in my iTunes daily. Theo is a rapper in the sense of the way he speaks on a track but you can’t put Mr. Martins into a specific genre. Sincerely Yours, The Dance Floor is a prime example of a genre bending project. This album seamlessly meshes hip hop/rap elements with the dance/pop genre. The result is a refreshing and extremely out of the box collection of art. Let’s get into this review!

Track 1. Turn It Up feat. Plan B

 Turn It Up starts out like a movie and I can see that camera shot of someone walking towards the camera with smoke all around them. The track progresses with Plan B singing and then turns into this intense techno sounding beat. I wish I knew the producer and I will eventually but I don’t know at the moment. Theo starts the album off by saying “Welcome to the Terrordome, where your friends and loved ones never ever roam.” Theo is very sharp lyrically on this joint. The punchlines are just crazy on this track and it fits the aggressiveness of the production. Turn It Up is the perfect Intro for an album like this and also it’s one of my favorites on the album.

9/10

Track 2. One More Time

One More Time is a Kris Fame production and it utilizes the “One More Time” Daft Punk sample. This beat is incredible and Theo isn’t bad either. Theo sings a little on this and while the singing isn’t bad it also isn’t Theo’s strongest point. This track is definitely club ready and as you listen you can clearly pick out the different elements that lie within the composition of this song. This is definitely a refreshing song.

6/10

Track 3. Take You There

Take You There is another Kris Fame production. I’ve listened to this song since it came out in early 2010 and it’s one of my all-time favorite Theo Martins songs. This beat is gold and Theo is saying he can take you anywhere you want. I suggest everyone should listen to this song because it is an incredible song and I can’t really describe it. Nonetheless,

10/10

Track 4. Just Can’t Get Enough feat. Depeche Mode

I’ve never heard of Depeche Mode until I heard this song. This song screams get out on the dance floor and it’s guaranteed to make you dance until you sweat. Theo lays down some braggadocious lyrics and it works for this track. He has some great verses which give way to the Depeche Mode chorus which assures you that you will be dancing to this track.

7/10

Track 5. Power

Power is produced by Party Supplies and is a perfect dance remix to the Kanye West “Power” also with the Snap “I’ve got the Power” sample included. Theo has just one verse on this but it’s quite alright because the beat is so crazy. I really wish Theo would’ve thrown my verse on this track but I won’t hold it against him because this track is so great. Oh and I listen to this track at least once a day.

9/10

Track 6. Slow It Down

Slow It Down does exactly what the title states. It is a slower paced song but it fits the project perfectly. The song is about another person, perhaps a love interest and how he may be being misled by a woman. Slow it Down is a nice pace changer and Theo provides us with a great story to listen to. I like this song and I think a lot of people can relate to what he’s saying on here.

7/10

Track 7. Cult Logic feat. Miike Snow

Cult Logic picks up from where Slow It Down left off. A nice production and this track starts with Theo speaking about a dilemma and how he’s been let down to say the least. Listening to this track and Slow it Down back to back it’s like a relationship that started up and then ended in 5 minutes. I like the chorus from Miike Snow which also fits the song perfectly. Theo’s trust for this woman has clearly been taken from him and he’s just getting his thoughts out wondering if he should give up or not. Once again another solid track.

7/10

Track 8. White Friends feat. Gordon Voidwell

I don’t even need to listen to this song to like it. I’m White and I’m a twitter friend of the guy (I think.) Anyways Gordon Voidwell has a great chorus to start out the song and Theo provides a short but sweet first verse. This song has a nice pace to it and kind of reminds me of a classic dance track which is exactly what the intention was. I really like this song and I’m loving this project right now.

7/10

Track 9. Final Fantasy feat. Starf*cker

Now I’ve heard this track before and even though I wanted to wait until the whole project came out I couldn’t wait. Complete with a Starf*cker chorus this track is another late night rave type track. I really dig what Theo is saying on this track too. Every time I hear this song I can picture the incredible music video that was made for this. Final Fantasy is another one of my favorite tracks on SYTDF.

8/10

Track 10. Up & Away

The last song on the album and it’s produced by the talented Vodka & Milk. By listening to the beat I have that “This is the last track on the album feel” and it’s very bittersweet. I love the feel of the track and it definitely has that outro feeling but I don’t want the project to end yet. One thing that I’ve learned about Theo is that the last track on his past projects are usually the deepest tracks. This may not be the deepest track on the album but it is definitely one of them. I can see this song being the last song played at a club to kind of wind everyone down from the crazy amount of dancing they just did. Once again another great track

8/10

Sincerely Yours, The Dance Floor is a cohesive, genre shattering album. While Theo is essentially a rapper he does sing on the tracks and he captures the dance element perfectly on this album. SYTDF is the example of how a risk should be executed. Theo clearly thought way outside of the box on this project and while you hip hop heads might not go crazy over the punchlines or beats you will appreciate the calculated risks that Theo takes on this. The best part about SYTDF is that Theo remains true to who he is. The only thing that I have to say is a negative which is true with most Theo Martins projects is that the album is too short. There are only 10 songs on SYTDF and while that isn’t a bad thing it’s just we are left savoring the tracks we’ve heard and salivating for more material. Nonetheless, tip your cap Mr. Martins you have an amazing album that you can be proud of.

8/10

P.S. even though I am partially biased to automatically liking his music, don’t let that fool you because this is a great album.

Reks Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme Album Review

Reks is a rapper from Massachusetts who is quietly making great music. Backed by DJ Statik Selektah and a plethora of veteran rappers such as Lil Fame of M.O.P. and Styles P, Reks brings us Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme. Personally I’m familiar with some of his work, such as Grey Hairs which was a very complete album, so I can’t wait to listen and review this album. Mind you I haven’t listened to that album in a while so this review should be unbiased. Let’s get to it!

Track 1. 25^th Hour

The album starts off with some sparse keys and a little skit and then gets into a classic DJ Premier beat. Reks hits the beat with some aggressiveness. Reks is on his “Gotta get before it’s now or never” flow. His wordplay and his flow is top notch in this track. This is the first listen and the only track I’ve heard but I can tell that this will be a standout track on the album.

9/10

Track 2. Thin Line

This is a Pete Rock beat and Reks definitely has a good concept for the track. The thin line title is prevalent with the lyrics and how there are thin lines between decisions that people make. Reks says “I’m my best when I tell it how it is” and that couldn’t be more true. Oh and I love the Jay-z Friend or Foe sample in the chorus. Also it’s good to hear rappers rap about something that isn’t one of the usual topics.

7/10

Track 3. Limelight

A Nottz production is the next endeavor for Reks and he starts off with some potential shots at Nicki Minaj. He asks her why she hasn’t heard of Rakim. I didn’t think that I would like this song with the chorus, but I like that he speaks on how he’s sharing the stage with all these popular acts such as Taylor Swift. He also shouts out J. Cole on this track. Lyrically the track is there and it actually gets better as the song progresses.

6/10

Track 4. Kill Em

This is that Murder Mass music. He starts out the track saying how he will kill rappers such as Termanology and other underground artists. This is definitely a modern day 50 Cent “How to Rob” but he’s killing the underground artists. It’s a very clever concept and the Sean C & LV beat hits hard. Another good track from Reks keeps this album moving.

7/10

Track 5. This or That

This beat is hard! Statik Selektah provides Reks with a great beat to compare this or that. Reks has done a lot of name dropping on this album up to this point and he doesn’t stop on this track. This is another track that calls out the mainstream music industry. To me the beat is carrying this track; however he does kind of call out Kanye and Wayne in consecutive bars. Nonetheless it’s a decent track and it gets a 6 for the beat alone

6/10

Track 6. Why Cry feat. Styles P

Another banger from Alchemist and this one features Styles P. Reks has a decent first verse and Styles hits the second verse with his trademark flow and he has some pretty good lines. This is exactly the type of verse I expected from Styles and that’s a good thing. Styles P provides a solid feature and this is a good track despite it only being 2 verses.

7/10

Track 7. Face Off feat. Termanology

A Sha Money XL beat which is not something I’d expect on this album because of the other producers. Nonetheless this is a good beat and Reks has a solid first verse. This sounds like a battle type track. Termanology is on the second verse and he starts off the verse with a non-stop flow and switches the flow up throughout his verse. Another very solid guest verse. Oh wait Term has 2 verses, actually Term and Reks both rap the third verse and switch up after every 4-8 bars or so. This is a typical Massachusetts rap track which is good if you like straight lyricism of gritty beats. I do.

7/10

Track 8. The Wonder Years

This beat starts off like something I could hear 2005-06 Eminem rapping on even though Hi-Tek produced it. This is another hard hitting beat and Reks does it justice. This is called Wonder Years but his wonder years are his “come up” years and how he was brought up. This is a lyrical from rags to riches type track but a little better. Another decent track, Reks isn’t disappointing on this album.

7/10

Track 9. This is Me feat. DJ Corbet

I’m assuming the guy “singing” on the hook is DJ Corbet but I didn’t know DJs sang unless those are like initials or something. Whatever; this is another track about his past and how it defines him. This is produced by unknown (to me at least) Mike Frey. This is a nice production with some keys and the beat really allows Reks to do some storytelling. A solid track once again.

7/10

Track 10. Mr. Nobody

First of all I have no idea who this girl singing on the chorus is and I don’t know who the guy singing is either. Statik Selektah provides another great beat and Reks has another vivid story for us to listen to. Verse-wise this is the way to tell a great story. He speaks on how he was brought up and how his family made things work with the death of his father and the lack of money. I like this track also. The last 3 tracks have been similar but they’ve all been consistent.

7/10

Track 11. The Underdog

This particularly track starts off with a hard hitting kick and Blaze P provides Reks with another great production to rap on. For the hook Reks states that he’s “The rapper no one’s heard about.” This could be true but lyrically he’s been better on the other tracks on this album and this is not my favorite track on the album.

5/10

Track 12. U Know feat. Freeway

Hi-Tek on the beat and I can definitely tell it is. Nice intro verse for Reks and he always has something to say about his past and this time it’s about him drug dealing and his life on the streets. He also says he’s “Never seen Santa till Kool Moe Dee rapped in Christmas image.” This is another “in the hood” track. Freeway is on his gangster flow for the third verse and provides a decent but not a show stealing feature. The beat carries this track in my opinion.

5/10

Track 13. Cigarettes feat. Lil Fame & Atticbarz

This is a Fizzy Womack production with Atticbarz on the hook (I think.) A decent first verse by Reks and Lil Fame starts off the second verse by proclaiming that he probably smokes more weed than Snoop Dogg. This isn’t the type of track I’d expect Lil Fame to be on but I’m used to the “Ante Up” Lil Fame who is high energy and very loud. Regardless this is a nice verse from Fame. I didn’t really listen to the third verse in depth and maybe that’s because I’ve heard it all already on the album’s story telling tracks.

5/10

Track 14. Mascara (The Ugly Truth)

This is the first of the last 3 Statik Selektah productions. It seems like Reks is at his best over Statik’s beats. This track has a nice concept on how women are portrayed on what the general population sees as opposed to how they really are. This is a great track and I really like the underlying message behind it. Also the drums are incredible on this.

7/10

Track 15. Like A Star

A very nice transition from the last beat into this one and this sounds like another story telling track. This is one of those sit back in your seat and just listen type of tracks. I like the Nas sample on the hook and it fits the track perfectly. Reks has some great lyrics on this track and I think this is another stand out track on the album and I’m not even done listening to the track yet.

8/10

Track 16. Self Titled (Bonus)

When this beat first started I didn’t think I would like it but this IS Statik Selektah and he always delivers. Reks takes a few lines from Biggie’s Juicy and it sounds like another Nas sample on the chorus. Statik must’ve been listening to a bunch of Nas when he was producing this batch of music. Enough about the beat and more about the lyrics. Reks is his usual self on the beat with some solid lyrics and this is a nice way to close out the album.

6/10

Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme by Reks is a nice effort from the Massachusetts emcee. While none of the songs were horrible on the album I found that some tracks were very similar in subject matter. I also feel like the production carried the album somewhat. Although Reks never disappoints with his lyricism but honestly I can see why he hasn’t blown up into a huge rapper yet. I’m not knocking his skills one bit but there are definitely some things that could be improved moving forward. The 25^th Hour is by far my favorite track on the album. With all that being said this is a solid album but to be honest it’ll probably sit in my iTunes until that one day when I’m browsing through searching for something to listen to.

6/10

Bulls Cement 3 Matching Fitted

If you're really into matching then I suggest you get this hat if you have the Cement 3's. I know that I'm probably grabbing this hat myself.

Just Some Fitteds

If someone wants to get me one of these fitteds in 7 1/8 I would probably be your best friend. Thanks

Lupe Fiasco LASERS Review

Lupe Fiasco has been one of the few socially conscious rappers that have made an impact on the rap community. Since bursting on the scene with Kanye West’s “Touch the Sky” he has made 2 albums (Food & Liquor & The Cool.) Both albums were special in their own sense with hits such as “Kick, Push”, “I Gotcha”, “Superstar”, & “Dumb It Down.” LASERS is Lupe’s next endeavor. This album almost did not come out, but through fan protests the album was reworked and has a release date of March 8^th, 2011. With that being said let’s get to the review.

Track 1. Letting Go feat. Sarah Green

This starts off as a serious sounding song. Good production by whoever produced it (There’s been different producers rumored to have produced on this particular track.) Lupe talks about how the music business is tiring him and how he’s losing his motivation. I think its Lupe singing the chorus with some lines by Sarah Green. I personally think it’s a great song and a good way to start the album off.

7/10

Track 2. Words I Never Said feat. Skylar Grey

If you’re a Lupe fan then I’m sure you’ve heard this before. Alex Da Kid’s trademark production and Skylar Grey’s chorus really makes this track have some mass appeal. Lupe gets very political on this track. It’s a typical rebellious type track. This song has been out for a while and I’m surprised it hasn’t been as controversial as it should be. Definitely one of the best tracks on the album. I love the Limbaugh and Glenn Beck are racist lines, it shows that he’s not afraid to say what’s on his mind.

9/10

Track 3. Till I Get There

This is a different sounding Needlz production but it’s good in its own way. Lupe talks about how the album was put on hold and how he’s not famous enough yet. Chorus tells you exactly how he feels with lines like “I’m a keep it cool and I’m a do me, it is what it is and that’s how its gunna be.” This is definitely another good track. Lupe is starting this album off pretty well.

9/10

Track 4. I Don’t Wanna Care Right Now feat. MDMA

This track starts off sounding like a quick paced clubby kinda track produced by The Audibles. It works for Lupe as he raps with a faster flow. Lupe is very lyrical on this and it’s complete with an MDMA autotuned poppy hook. It seems like Lupe is trying to capture the essence of a mainstream poppy, dance type track but the lyrics may be a little too lyrical for the masses to absorb. I personally like this track from a lyrical stand point but I’m not sure if I like the song as a whole. I’m giving it a 6 for the lyricism alone

6/10

Track 5. Out Of My Head feat. Trey Songz

Ok, Trey Songz is on this track so this is definitely Lupe’s/Atlantic’s version of a “hit” song. The track is produced by relatively unknown Miykal Snoddy and it’s not a bad production but it’s definitely mainstream sounding. Song comes complete with a Trey Songz bridge and is about how he can’t get this girl out of his head. Kind of exactly what kind of song you’d expect from Trey but not Lupe. This is an OK track. If I’m listening to the album I’ll listen to this track but I’ll probably skip it any other time.

5/10

Track 6. The Show Goes On

Now we’ve all heard this song. Kane Beatz on the production and this is one of the tracks Atlantic records forced Lupe to do. He definitely makes the most of this track. The hook is definitely forced and probably was already on the track when Lupe received it. Nonetheless I love Lupe’s lyrics on this song and it definitely has some mass appeal. It’s done well on the charts and I can see why.

7/10

Track 7. Beautiful Lasers (2 Ways) feat. MDMA

This one sounds like your typical Lupe track. MDMA is on the chorus again with an autotuned hook. This hook sounds better and the track kind of reminds me of Lupe’s “Shining Down.” To me this is one of the better tracks on the album. A dramatic beat gives way to Lupe’s lyricism and this is definitely an introspective track. Another one of my favorite tracks on the album even if the hook is autotuned.

8/10

Track 8. Coming Up feat. MDMA

This sounds like one of those 90’s R&B tracks. Lupe is speaking to a woman and telling her to not worry about anything and “Get her dance on.” MDMA is on the hook again, however this time he does it without any autotune.  I don’t think the track is bad but it’s definitely a track made specifically for the mainstream.

5/10

Track 9. State Run Radio feat. Matt Mahaffey

This is another trademark Lupe Fiasco, “I’m more political than you” track. Lupe talks about how the radio plays the same songs over and over. He also talks about how musicians dumb down music for the masses and how those tracks are the tracks are getting constant airplay rather than the thought provoking music that Lupe and some other conscious musicians make. One of the best tracks on the album but not one of my absolute personal favorites.

7/10

Track 10. Break The Chain feat. Eric Turner & Sway

This track sounds serious! Amazing beat by British producer (?) iSHi. This is definitely some heat. I’ve heard this song countless times on ESPN and it made me really want to listen to this one. British rapper Sway provides a short but sweet verse to this. Eric Turner provides a great sung hook to this track and Lupe absolutely kills it with the flow. This track kind of reminds me of Lupe’s “Blackout” which is one of my favorite Lupe tracks. This is by far my favorite track on the album and I’ve countlessly played it over and over since I downloaded the album. Did I mention that the beat is crazy?

10/10

Track 11. All Black Everything

This song is produced by the Buchannans who brought you “What More Can I Say” by Jay-z. Looking at the title of this track you would automatically think this is the type of track where you brag about how your car is all black. This is far from that and this is actually one of the most political tracks. Lupe is talking about slavery and projects here. This track is a fantasy of his and how everything was black racially. A great concept for a track and this is definitely one of Lupe’s better visualization tracks as you can almost see exactly what he’s rapping about.

8/10

Track 12. Never Forget You feat. John Legend

This is another track that Atlantic made Lupe rap over and once again he makes it work. John Legend sings the hook on this but John doesn’t sound as passionate as he does on Kanye West’s “Blame Game” This would be a great chorus for anyone else but this is just good for John Legend because he sets the bar so high when he sings. Lupe talks about moving forward but to never forget what you have done and where you came from. This is a reminiscing type song but “not relive them, just to remind you.” Overall this is a good track and a nice peaceful way to close the album.

6/10

Overall LASERS is a solid album. Personally I’m just happy this actually came out. With this being my first album review I may have been a little lenient on the track ratings but whatever, like I said it’s my review. You can tell that Atlantic records had an influence on this album and you can feel the tracks where Lupe is out of his comfort zone a little. To me this is not his best album but that’s because Lupe set the bar so high with his first 2 albums. However this is a good album and I recommend that you listen to the whole album before you purchase it. You wouldn’t want to be disappointed now. I’m giving it a 7 out of 10 because the highs on the album outweigh the lows just enough to make this album worthy of multiple plays.

LASERS 7/10

A Quick Hello

If you've stumbled upon this blog, thank you! I am a 21 year old from Rhode Island. A couple things about me; I love rap music and I even make my own music. This blog will showcase rap music through posting actual songs to album reviews and just about any other thing that ties into music. Also I will post whatever else I want to because frankly it's my blog and I can do that. So this is obviously the first post of hopefully many and I will just say thank you once again and enjoy The Degre Blog!