We’re back this week, with a remix of last week’s remix, of the same song. Additionally, a highly-respected producer that’s called East Coast and West Coast home and a rising emcee came together to make one of the first-heard jewels from what very well may be, a breakthrough album in a veteran’s catalog. Also featured as another artist with ties to East and West that dropped a freestyle that called back to his reign of lyrical terror from 20 years ago. Hip Hop hits hard, especially in this week’s heatwave. Here’s three burners you might have missed:
M.I.A. featuring Missy Elliott and Azealia Banks – “Bad Girls Remix”
So last week I chose the other “Bad Girls Remix,” which featured Missy Elliott again and Rye Rye. This time, though it’s the remix with Azealia Banks tacked on (no Rye Rye). Granted, this song did slightly better in listens on the site (probably because of the Azealia fans out), but it was still “Slept-On” by our standards. This version was produced by N.A.R.S., and is a more traditional take beatwise on the original cut, where Switch’s version last week was more spacy and psychotropic. There’s some of that on this version too, but nowhere nearly as oddball. That’s a good thing though, given the lineup on this particular version. While Missy’s bars stay the same (though her true vocals are preserved here, where they were sped up on the previous mix), they had a whole new dimension to the song. So does Azealia Banks’ part, graphic as it may be. Their combined elements make this sound more like a Hip Hop track than an electro-dubby-not-really-hip-hop-but-people-are-rapping song like most of what we keep hearing these days. It’s a welcome change for sure, and shout out to M.I.A. for continuing to reinvent the remix wheel. – Kathy Iandoli (@kath3000)
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Listen to “Bad Girls Remix” by M.I.A. featuring Missy Elliott and Azealia Banks
Kurupt – “LA Leakers Freestyle”
Kurupt in general, is often slept-on. Sure, the Cali-from-Philly transplant has put his name on a lot of songs and projects that weren’t probably in his best interest or up to his level of skill. However, when he puts his energies fully into something, Kurupt is one of the most resilient emcees of the last 20 years, with multiple jewels in his catalog. In fairness, it’s been a minute since Kurupt has forced me to rewind a verse as many times as this freestyle (probably DJ Crazy Toones’ “Gang Bang Music”), but this LA Leakers freestyle reminded me of “Nuthin’ But A G Thang (Freestyle Remix),” “Stranded On Death Row” and “Puffin’ On Blunts And Drankin’ Tanqueray,” when Kurupt The Kingpin stole shows from high-profile label-mates. When he puts his energy and piss-and-vinegar attitude into something, Kurupt can get amazing results – and I actually would bet this is a true freestyle, an endangered species to 2012. With great production and this type of demeanor, I firmly believe Kurupt has another great, must-have solo album in him, to go with Streetz Iz A Mutha. – Jake Paine (@Citizen__Paine)
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Listen to “LA Leakers Freestyle” by Kurupt
The Alchemist featuring Meyhem Lauren – “Crushed Kremlin”
After two solid solo albums, a steady stream of collaborative projects and dozens of beats showing up on records from artists that run the gamut from Lil Wayne and Fabolous to Roc C and Raekwon, The Alchemist has easily made it onto my Top 5 list of all time favorite producers. His work inhabits a realm of its own as it embraces cold grimy digital sounds and warm dusty analog grooves often times within the same track. But the quality that ALC shares with all the artists who have proven to be influential on my own work is that each chapter in their discography comes as a complete surprise. This holds true for Russian Roulette which is set to drop later this month. Rather than big overblown tracks that reflect his status as one of Hip Hop’s biggest producer, ALC has chosen to go with short 90 second vignettes that call to mind Dilla’s Donuts, a project that was poignant in its lo-fi improvisational appoach. 1st Infantry had guests like Nas while Chemical Warfare snagged a feature from Eminem, yet Russian Roulette seems to be bubbling right up from the pavement complementing the voices who are currently occupying the same space, Danny Brown, Willie The Kid, Schoolboy Q, Action Bronson and on tracks like “Crushed Kremlin” another Outdoorsman, Meyhem Lauren. Check it out and continue the countdown to July 17th. – Michael Sheehan
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Listen to “Crushed Kremlin” by Alchemist featuring Meyhem Lauren
