Tag: wiz khalifa

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Features Music

Rap Chronicles – The Sounds of the Summer

With summer being a wash out so far, we decided you may need some fresh beats that are been dropping into speakers all over the world right now. Search through these mixtapes, videos and album reviews of what are officially Abjekt Approved and if you would like to contribute towards the next edition, then contact us.

TOP 4 MIXTAPES

Wiz Khalifa – Taylor Allderdice

Wiz Khalifa is back with a brand new mixtape, Taylor Allderdice, a nod to the name of his high school in Pittsburgh. The rapper found mainstream fame with his album Rolling Papers, but if the sugary nature of most of that album wasn’t for you, then worry not – Taylor Allderdice is a return to form, seeing Wiz vibe out again like he did on the brilliant Kush & OJ mixtape.

There are features from Juicy J and Rick Ross, production from Spaceghostpurrrp and Jake One as well as a Frank Ocean sample and plenty of weed references, of course. Sound like something you want to chill out to? Then grab it here.

Action Bronson & Party Supplies – Blue Chips

Action Bronson said he wanted to give something back to the people that have supported him over the past couple of years and what better way than some free music? The larger-than-life cook turned rapper has teamed up with producer Party Supplies for this mixtape full of references to food and women. What else was he going to rap about eh?

The beats aren’t always the most sophisticated, but they all hook you immediately and give Bronsolinho the perfect canvas to spill his guts, so to speak. You can just hear him grinning throughout the length of the mixtape and you’d be hard pressed not to do the same by the end. Get that get that.

Lute – West 1996

Lute is a new rapper on the block, coming out of Charlotte, North Carolina. Whilst it may not be the hotbed of rap talent, Lute comes out swinging, talking up his manor, proving that you don’t need to come from a coast or the dirty South to have skills. Technically, this may an album, rather than a mixtape, but either way it’s a thumbs up.

The beats are super throwback, as could have been guessed from the Nas-esque cover and that’s what makes it such a great listen. The drums snap, the samples are tight and the rapping is stellar. This might not be an instant bang-fest but give it a few listens and you’ll be sure to enjoy it. Stream it here.

Pete Rock – Portland Connection

The last offering comes from Indamix Records with the MY-G “Portland Connection” mixed by Pete Rock featuring 38 unreleased jumpoffs. Hopefully this will bring the sunshine to this rotten UK summer so far. You decide.

TOP TRACKS

El-P – The Full Retard

El-Producto is back with a new album, Cancer 4 Cure, out on Fat Possum right now. He released this and we got hyped. You should do the same as the album is amazing. Pump this shit.

Stalley – Everything New

Stalley’s latest project Savage Journey To The American Dream dropped at the end of March. Chad Hugo from The Neptunes produced this and we love it.

Yasiin Bey – Sunshine Screwface

Yeah yeah, we still call him Mos Def and he still rules. This track was produced by the always wonderful Dilla [R.I.P.] and sets us up nicely for the release of the next album, whenever that may be.

Killer Mike – Butane (Champion’s Anthem) feat. El-P

There are a few ways of getting my attention and making me love what you’re doing – one is to be affiliated with Outkast and the other is to have El-P giving you beats – Killer Mike fits the bill with both of these and as such it was with excitement that I listened to his new album, R.A.P. Music [Rebellious African People]. Read my full album review here.

VIDEOS WE LIKE

Joey Bada$$ & Capital STEEZ – Survival Tactics

Joey Bada$$ might not have the best name in the world, but considering he’s just 17, the dude has talent. He hooks up with his mate Capital STEEZ on this track where both rappers prove their worth. The video is cool, the beat is great and the MCs wrap it up nicely. Boom.

Schoolboy Q ft. Ab-Soul –Druggys With Hoes Again

Schoolboy Q’s album Habits & Contradictions has been getting some serious playbacks and this is one of the bouncier tracks, amongst the laid back, understated vibe of the majority of the record. With crew mate Ab-Soul riding alongside with him, it’s one to crank up high.

Flatbush Zombies – Thug Waffle

Likely to be next in line to win hipsters over, following in the footsteps of A$AP Rocky, Flatbush Zombies are a duo that sport gold fangs and smoke a lot of weed. Both of those things are fine with us, especially when they name tracks Thug Waffle.

Until next time…Abjekt.

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Music News

The Game drops new mixtape

Never one to rest on his laurels, The Game has dropped a new free mixtape.

Hoodmorning (No Typo) follows in the footsteps of his awesome Purp & Patron and Brake Lights mixtapes over the past year and features appearances from Wiz Khalifa, Yelawolf, Redman, Dr Dre, Snoop and Lil Wayne amongst others.

You can grab it for free here – Crossfire approved, so get clicking. Check out Uncle Otis below where Game switches up his style a million times as well as giving a nice dig to Kreayshawn. Banger.

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Live Reviews

Wiz Khalifa – Live

The Forum, London
18.05.11

With the smell of weed grappling nostrils are soon as the doors to the Forum opened, it was clear that Wiz Khalifa isn’t just all mouth about his love of green. The Pittsburgh rapper, who has shot to prominence since Crossfire last saw him live, at Soundset in 2010, has developed a large following thanks in no small part to his break-out hit Black & Yellow, as a very full Forum readied itself for a night to enjoy.

Despite his wiry frame, Wiz fills the stage thanks to his huge grin and boundless energy as he and hype man Chevy Woods took the room by the throat from the very start. Slamming out tracks from his new album Rolling Papers and recent mixtapes Cabin Fever and Kush & Orange Juice,  Khalifa interspersed his tracks with shout outs to his weed smokers, something which garnered no end of response from the crowd.

His medley of Kush & OJ tracks were a highlight, with In The Cut, Still Blazin and Waken Baken given the live treatment on a sound system that, for once, made hip hop sounds great at the Forum, a rare occurance indeed. Lex Luger produced bangers got the crowd going with Taylor Gang ramping the noise levels up another notch, the call-and-response reminding everyone why live hip hop is such a joy to be involved with.

Wrapping things up with On My Level, Roll Up and Black & Yellow, Wiz topped off a show that had far exceeded expectations. Even the tracks on the album that are essentially filler sounded great amongst the impressive light show [instructing the crowd to ROLL UP with his own-brand Wizlas] and scratch-happy DJ. I wasn’t smoking last night, but I certainly came out of the venue on a high, unlike the nerd filming half the show on his iPad!

Abjekt.

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Album Reviews Buzz Chart Reviews

The Game

The Game
Purp & Patron Mixtape
Free Download

The Game dropped one of the best mixtapes in a quite a while when he released Brake Lights last year and somehow, over the course of nearly 30 tracks here, he seems to have outdone himself again. As everyone waits for this new album R.E.D., the LA rapper chucked out Purp & Patron and served another reminder of why he should be considered amongst the current greats.

Going in hard from the very start, an early appearance from Weezy on Soo Woo features some nice brass samples after typical Pharrell production on the Snoop-guested In My 64. The standout track comes in the form of Taylor Gang with Wiz Khalifa this time on team-up duties over one of the best beats I’ve heard in a long, long time, by Che Vicious. Further guest spots include Rick Ross, Jim Jones, Clinton Sparks and even Big Daddy Kane, Doug E Fresh and KRS-One as The Game brings in as many of his mates as he can.

One criticism that’s always levelled at The Game is that he doesn’t really have his own style, he tends to mould himself around the guest rapper that he’s alongside, but this is what makes the new mixtape such a fun ride. He shows a playful side that we’ve never seen before on Children’s Story in a huge homage to Slick Rick and Biz Markie beat, a dimension which is as endearing as it is smile-creating.

Other standout moments include the Biggie-sampling Living Better Now, the DJ Skee mix of Black & Yellow, which has Game joining Snoop and the original MC of the tune Wiz Khalifa for Purp & Yellow, RZA’s guitar-led Heart Breaker and the Travis Barker, Lil Wayne, Swizz Beatz and Rick Ross mammoth Can A Drummer Get Some.

Whilst this is a long old ride, almost two hours worth of hip hop, it whizzes past and showcases Game’s ear for a beat and now undoubted vocal prowess. If this is anything to go by, R.E.D. is going to be one hell of an album.

Abjekt.

Categories
Album Reviews Buzz Chart Reviews

Erreon Lee

Erreon Lee
The Day The Game Elevated 2
Free Download

Erreon Lee won’t be a name known to most people reading this. This isn’t being said on any pretentious, we-were-here-first level, it’s just a matter of fact. The young Texan recently got signed by Wiz Khalifa to his Taylor Gang imprint and as a result a score of people have been turned onto the MC. Whether he’s known or not however, this mixtape is a great way to get into him.

A free download over at his site, the 22 track mixtape has its ups and down though the former thankfully vastly outnumber the latter. From the opening track Ignorant Shit, Lee shows his prowess over a laid back, slightly disco-infused beat before slamming down on Tear The Ground which features a deep Southern chain-gang sample on which he boldly states “I don’t need a hook on this beeeeeeeeetch”.

The standout track, Go To Hell, comes fairly only on too, with booming drums marching and skiffling hi-hats slinking along the beat as Erreon declares war on haters. Sure the subject matter might not be the most original, but the ease with which his delivery lays out the vocals is something not many rappers are able to master. The chipmunked vocal which provides the understated backbone of the track before coming to the fore in the chorus is a guaranteed winner.

There are some off moments – no-one wants to hear a remix of Bed Rock and Say Somethin’ is another Drake-a-like track skipper. But when the sunshine-in-a-bottle production of The Wrap Up and the Lady Gaga sampling [yep, you read that right and it’s GREAT] Make Her Say follow the duff tracks, it’s easy to forgive and forget.

Having Khalifa appear on a couple of tracks certainly doesn’t help either with his weed-smoking hombre killing things in his own inimitable way on Boarding Pass Remix and Superstar. Erreon Lee doesn’t come acorss over-awed or overshadowed though, which is arguably the best compliment one could give him. Similar to Wiz, this might not grab you instantly, but after a few listens you’ll be on side, no doubt about it.

Check the video for Go To Hell below and make sure to grab the mixtape, it is free after all!

Abjekt.

Categories
Music News

Watch: Wiz Khalifa G-Mix

Having tipped him for big things last year, Crossfire are happy to see Wiz dropping a video for the remix of his huge single Black And Yellow.

The G-Mix features Snoop, seemingly his new best friend as well as Juicy J and T-Pain. Yeah, we know T-Pain is awful, but look at that weird shit he has on his face throughout, it’s worth his verse just to get an eyeful of it. Anyway, Wiz kills is as per, so get the volume UP.

Categories
Music News

New Wiz Khalifa video!

Wiz Khalifa has celebrated inking a deal with Atlantic Records by releasing a new video.

The track, Never Been, is taken from his hugely popular Kush & Orange Juice mixtape and features, unsurprisingly for Wiz, weed. It’s a belting tune and has hot women in not-very-much-at-all so, y’know, press play and enjoy it.