Category: Hip-Hop/Rap

[EDM Origins / Feature: MAJOR LAZER] Snoop Lion & Major Lazer – No Guns Allowed (ft. Cori B. & Drake) [Shelco Garcia, Teenwolf x Diplo RMX] // Video for Major Lazer’s “Lean On”


Today we’re featuring two great songs from the iconic EDM duo that is Major Lazer (currently Diplo and DJs Jillionaire and Walshy Fire). The first is a throwback remix of one of Lazer’s top sleeper hits, “No Guns Allowed” originally by Snoop Lion (Snoop Dogg). Featuring Snoop’s daughter Cori B. (Cori Broadus) and Drake, this remix turns the song into a dancefloor filler with a positive vibe and message with a feel of the islands and reggae music. Many have hailed the original song and it’s video as a positive message to youth and society on the harms and dangers of gunplay and firearm possession. Take a listen above and see what you think.

Next, Major Lazer‘s smash-hit single of the summer, Lean On gets a music video. Now while it is a rare find that a music video will come out and just BE EVERYTHING a fan, or the artist wanted to show/convey, the video for Lean On lands somewhere in-between “this is what I would’ve expected” and “okay, that’s cool”

Namely, I sort of expected an Indian/Desi/Bollywood/Slumdog Millionaire kind of tilt as the song undeniably has an Asian or “foreign” feel to it. Its depiction in the video comes across as both expected and unusual. This expectedness is simple, but apparent. When my mind is starting to meld into the video and take in the sights of Indian culture, I am quickly reminded I am watching an EDM music video each time I see MO singing or Diplo trying to dance. Don’t get me wrong they are both very talented but their presence in the video just feels a bit…out of place.

Nevertheless, I expected a bit more in the way of Indian dance routines, but I do like where they went with the video. You can tell everyone on the set had fun and that they probably had a chill time making it. Check it out above and let us know what you think!

[EDM Origins:] [Dance / Trance:] Stunt – Raindrops (DJ Demand Remix) // [Electronic / Hip-Hop] WZRD (Kid Cudi) – Ride 4 U (feat. Chip Tha Ripper & Far East Movement)


Hold my hand, let’s chase the sun,
we both know something’s begun
nothing feels that real without you
wanna learn so much about you…

This EDM Origins post is on the electronic, dance song “Raindrops” by Stunt, one of my personal favorites in my adolescent years. “Raindrops” channels the energetic dance music and rave scene rampant in Europe and the fledgling soon-to-be-movement in the United States. This came at a time where a few years prior and around the 2000s, it was not uncommon for American electronic producers and artists to release their music on European labels and markets due to the fact the demand was just not there in America. My, how far we’ve come. Take a listen to this pumped up club track and reminisce of those golden years with me!

Next up, from the moon man, Kid Cudi, himself is electro-inspired masterpiece, “Ride 4 U”. With back-up support from the top-notch “real hip-hop” rapper Chip Tha Ripper and the eclectic California-based electronic/rap band, Far East Movement. The beat is simply crack, produced by none other than one of Cudi’s right hand producers, Dot Da Genius. Check the song out, drift off, or simply ride out to “Ride 4 U”…

[Throwbacks][Rap:] Riff Raff – Judo Chop (Freestyle) // [Ambient / Chill EDM:] Little Jinder – Keep On Dreamin’ – Mat the Alien Remix


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THXKXotpPgs

Got two throwbacks for you today. Our first comes from the wildly popular rapper, RiFF RaFF, the Diplo label mate who got his start on MTV’s “From G’s to Gents” thug-makeover TV reality show. RiFF RaFF has since been all over the music scene, especially as he has evolved in his sound. This single, “Judo Chop” is one of his more popular songs. If you haven’t heard it, check it out above.

Keep On Dreamin’ (Mat the Alien Remix) – Little Jinder

Keep on dreaming… (you gotta)
keep on dreaming…

Keep on dreaming… (you gotta)
keep on dreaming… (it could all fall apart)

Next up is a great remix from accomplished and established Swedish electronic-dance pop singer, Little Jinder. This special remix from Mat the Alien puts a whole new chill-ambient spin on the original song and has a much more vibe-able beat and bassline. Check it out and download it for free on Mat’s Soundcloud.

[Trap / Festival Trap:] Migos & Rich The Kid – Jumpin’ Like Jordan (Kickraux, Riot Ten & Jack Bass Official Trap Remix) // [Trap] O.G. Maco – U Guessed It (Riot Ten’s NOT SO OFFICIAL Remix)


https://youtu.be/cLzAQjEEXAY

California based electronic producer KickRaux and El Paso-native hip-hop/trap producer Riot Ten and Jack Bass released a massive trap remix of Jumpin’ Like Jordan several months back. If you haven’t heard it be sure to check it out. This remix adds several layers of bass, trappiness and an even nastier twerk-inducing 4×4 rhythm than the original song, sure to tear up clubs and festivals, alike. The artists offer the song as a free download on Soundcloud.

Riot Ten also has a sick remix of O.G. Maco’s smash-hit “U Guessed It” and is one of the best remixes I have heard of the song. You can also download it for free on his Soundcloud.

[New Rap/Hip-Hop] Wiz Khalifa – The Play & [Sample] Bat for Lashes // [New Album] Gucci Mane & EDM producer Diplo to create album


The Play (Music Video)

Wiz Khalifa dropped a new rap song, “The Play” today. Produced by Harry Fraud, this is (according to Hot New Hip Hop) the second song where Wiz has sampled an indie-pop/rock song (though the sample artist is really more alternative rock/electronic) Bat for Lashes “Moon and Moon”. Wiz has released 3 songs in the past 3-4 weeks on Youtube, one a freestyle over Marvin Gaye “Good For Us” and the other, a new single, “No Permission” as Wiz continues to dominate music charts this month. Below is also a notable remix of Bat for Lashes “Daniel” the artist Wiz samples for his latest track.

No Permission (Music Video)

Daniel (Abstrakt Audio Remix) – Bat for Lashes

In other news, Atlanta rapper, ice-cream man and king of “Burr!” himself, Gucci Mane will be releasing an album produced by EDM giant, and everyone’s favorite krunk white-boi, Diplo. On Twitter, Diplo mentioned that although the album was originally billed as (and promoted by Gucci) as an EDM album, it no longer will be. It will have influences from electronic but should be something completely unique and different, Diplo says. Diplo and Mr. Guwop himself expect to have the album released this year.

Notable Guwop:
Constantly (feat. Chief Keef) – Gucci Mane

Notable Diplo:
Revolution (feat. Faustix & Imanos and Kai)

Express Yourself (Technicolor’s TEKNiTrap Booty Mix):
https://youtu.be/5FXAXLIMbBA

Express Yourself (feat. Nicky Da B) – Diplo

[New ATL Hip-Hop / Rap:] Rich Homie Quan – Flex (Ooh Ooh Ooh) // [Jersey Southern Rap:] Fetty Wap – Trap Queen (Remix feat. Azealia Banks, Gucci Mane & Quavo of the MIGOS)


Flex (Ooh Ooh Ooh) – Rich Homie Quan

Our first feature is the music video for Atlanta-based Rapper, Rich Homie Quan’s “Flex (Ooh Ooh Ooh)“, a popular rap track with a simplistic, keyboard/GameBoy sounding electric rhythm chord that repeats throughout the beat. Quan’s “ooh, ooh, ooh” he sings during the song is characteristic of Southern Hip-Hop in being catchy and authentic, and not necessarily having to be related to trapping or other illegal activities, it’s simply there for fun. Rich Homie Quan has been blowing up on the scene lately since I first heard of him through music promoter and manager of Sy Ari Da Kid and K. Camp, a fellow GSU grad, Diana Schweinbeck. She owns her own record label and promoting firm and hosts hip-hop industry mixer events at the Sledge Lounge off Buford Highway in Doraville. I attended one of the mixers when I was first starting out DJing and doing music journalism (see: article where I covered a night she hosted of indie ATL rappers; pics) NEXT UP! (BELOW!! Trap Queen Remix!!!)

Trap Queen (Remix feat. Azealia Banks, Gucci Mane & Quavo of the MIGOS)

Let me ask you something, in the past month or two can you count the number of times you have heard “HEY WASSUP HELLO?!?!” (skip paragraph to bottom for feature/to skip opinion), yeah I can’t either, regardless it’s not necessarily a bad thing, though this song is everywhere and is drilled into my and many others’ heads (a la Little Einstein’s Remix, Nasty “Freestyle”) I believe our society is getting used to a song being the hot shit and being played nonstop for a month or so, maybe that’s how it’s always been, maybe that’s how it’ll always be, who knows amirite?

Trap Queen’s remix featuring the saucy, eclectic female rapper Azalea Banks, known for rapping over a variety of styles of music, particularly electronic and dance music, as well as rap. ATL’s own Gucci Mane & Quavo of the MIGOS join Banks in a smash remix of Fetty Wap’s hit song. (more Azealia & remixes below, check it!)

Singing the “hey, wassup hello” line Banks delivers from the get-go. Gucci’s verse is not bad either and Quavo’s is also on point.

212 (feat. Lazy Jay) – Azealia Banks (Music Video)

212 (Futurist Remix featuring Lazy Jay)
https://youtu.be/pdyyMZKHHts

212 (Tommie Sunshine Remix featuring Lazy Jay)
https://youtu.be/38LZiGUO–Y

[Notable lyrics from Banks]

What you gon’ do when I appear?!
Wh-wh-when I premiere…
Bitch, the end of your lives’are there!
The shit been mine, mine!

Hey! I can be the answer
I’m ready to dance when the vamp up
And when I hit that dip, get your camera
You could see I been that bitch since the Pamper

Quavo, as well as all the members of the MIGOS, were recently arrested after a concert at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia when they were found in possession of several different drugs and firearms. They were recently featured in YouTube’s 2015 Music Awards for their single “One Time“.

Azealia Banks, another favorite songstress of mine, has several DJ-friendly cuts influenced by electronic dance music. Take Tommie Sunshine’s remix of her banger “212“ (also remixed by trap DJ, DJ Sliink as well as producer D-Bass).

[Throwbacks] [Intelligent/Meaningful Hip-Hop] Kanye West – Eyez Closed (feat. Snoop Dogg & John Legend) & Jaylib – Survival Test (J Dilla) // [Reggae / Punk / Summer:] Slightly Stoopid – The Fruits [Legalize Them]


Hey there cool kids, I’ve got some new throwbacks for ya today. First off we start in the genre of “real” meaningful hip-hop as I like to call it. You could say it’s as opposed to, whatever you think it is, everyone’s “definitions” of real hip-hop is different, regardless this soulful, never-realeased rare track from Kanye West featuring Snoop Dogg & John Legend is a perfect song to bring back for Summer2k15. With production from Kanye himself, the beat, melody and sample in the chorus are make an irresistibly groove-inducing song.

Next, though still dance-able, but much more conscious: this song could be seen as for dancers like b-boys, as a head-banger for the whip that increases your hardness as you vibe at the light and people think you’re a badass, or even just one you sit there not-moving still, taking in the rawness and lyrical prowess of Jaylib, the combination of underground hip-hop group Madlib and deceased, super-producer, J Dilla.

A tribal-sounding horn, hard beats and kicks accompanied by booming bass and a flute-like arpeggio make this a perfect listen (or beat to freestyle over, see the instrumental).

Finally to wrap up our series of summer-suitable throwbacks we have the absolutely chill, “Hey man, just be easy” relaxation inducing single “The Fruits” from Californian psychedelic rock / reggae band Slightly Stoopid. “The Fruits” is a great listen with its calming sounds that remind one of the ocean, the carefree rhythm and vocals the lead singer provides and its borderline no sensemaking, yet easily understandable lyrics emphasizing being free and happy in life. Check it out above!