Slept-On But Very Dope Hip Hop Songs From The Week Of 10/31/2011

This was a busy week for Hip Hop releases. While one M.M.G. emcee released his sophomore, his album-less rhyme-partner made a heartfelt dedication. Out West, a Stones Throw Records veteran teamed with Madlib for what might be his best work to date, with the boldly-titled Classic. Lastly, two Detroit dope-spitters release their latest project, an under-the-radar Fat Beats release that lives up to its reputation for ruggedness.

Pill – “Why It Gotta Be Like Dis (Mama)”

I’m starting to feel like Pill is becoming the overlooked member of Maybach Music Group. With Wale‘s Ambition out, and Meek Mill constantly crafting songs that everyone wants to remake, Pill is losing the attention he once had prior to pledging allegiance to the Bawse‘s empire. On “Why It Gotta Be Like Dis,” the title sounds like nails on a chalkboard to any lexicon, but the song itself is pretty sentimental. The track is an ode to his late mother, whose birthday just passed on November 1st. He even tweeted about it, saying “Happy Birthday mama!! 11-1-53 I love u forever and always!! R.I.P.” On the track he rhymes with strong emotion. “No pain compares to the loss of your mother,” Pill says at the track’s entrance. While the song has a tinny hook sung by Pill himself, he wraps the emotional words around a pretty upbeat track. The stark contrast between the painful lyrics and poppy production is damn near brilliant, showcasing how an artist can get a message across without sacrificing the necessary evil of feeding the mainstream something “cool.” The only shameful thing about this track is that it was actually slept-on this week. Pill could rhyme about ladies and luxuries and everybody would listen. He wants to talk about his mother and it’s ears wide shut. Here’s to your mom’s memory, Pill. Hope the track isn’t slept-on any more. – Kathy Iandoli

Listen to “Why It Gotta Be Like Dis (Mama)” by Pill

M.E.D.  – “Blaxican”

People often describe California in clichéd terms of a “cultural melting pot.” But occasionally, we get songs like M.E.D.’s “Blaxican” that hint at the simmering undercurrent of the not so friendly side of the race relations in the Golden State. Madlib dials things back with a less eclectic (at least by Quasimoto standards) but still dope loop, and Medaphor opts for a historical approach as opposed to pontificating about how certain factions of Cali’s need to stop inflicting harm upon each other. Concurrent images of Luchador masks and school-age children busting down a C-Walk pretty much tell the whole story. The result is a sort of insider looking back in approach, which makes sense as M.E.D. is of both Latino and African American heritage and lost a close friend—presumably David Cameron Gonzalez—to racial violence. – Omar Burgess

Black Milk and Danny Brown – “Black & Brown”

This week, Detroit, Michigan’s Black Milk and Danny Brown released Black & Brown. The release didn’t have the mainstream appeal of Wale’s Ambition, or the underground charm of releases from Rapper Big Pooh and Torae. Instead, Black & Brown is just grimy-as-fuck Funk. Fresh off Random Axe’s release and DB’s XXX mixtape, it’s easy for this to get lost in the shuffle of the men who made it. However, the title track video captures the essence of this EP-turned-LP. As it stands, Black & Brown is on my Year End list, and this is my favorite Danny Brown (who appeared in last week’s Sunday segment) moment. As for Black Milk, he might not have actually made 2010’s “album of the year” by DX standards, but he’s one of the most versatile producers again in 2011. – Jake Paine

Last Week’s Slept-On But Dope Hip Hop Songs.