Uggh...Nice Watch.

ASYLUM RECORDS: TWO-FER-TWO

2008-02-24T16:14:00.006-05:00

The first two great albums of the new year.

Webbie Savage Life 2
Trill Ent./Asylum
[d/l]

Shawty Lo Units In The City
D4L Records/Asylum
[d/l]

Damn, it seems the homie Todd Moscowitz might know what he's doing...Less than two months into 2008, Asylum is delivering not one but two praise-worthy albums this Tuesday.

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Trill E-N-T, but I've always been kind of indifferent about Young Webster. There was a lot I liked about Savage Life Uno, but the fact that so much of it was rehashed from the Gangsta Musik album kinda left me wondering if Webbie might be the Craig Mack of the crew. In his defense, playing Pippen to Boosie's effortless 23 of the Trill would probably marginalize most rappers. But somewhere along the way, while listen to "Independent," it occurred to me that, wait, Webbie is actually kind of a good rapper ("The stilettos, the J's, depend on how the weather look/Flip flop slippers just to show off the pedicure"). The album confirms my suspicions that Trill is truly the new Cash Money. As if Mouse's trippy, Mannie-Fresh influenced bounce tracks weren't enough, the Chubby Boy himself gets in on the party with 3 tracks (including the standout "Ya'll Ain't Makin' No Money"). This album bangs from top to bottom. Another worthy addition to Trill's rock solid catalog.

Unless you count the mediocre USDA album, last year was pretty dead in terms of that old fashioned Atlanta dope boy rap. Now, in a remarkable strike of beginners luck, Shawty Lo pops out a cohesive album full of irreseistably catchy anthems of the d-boy persuasian. It's a bit of a compilation of the best of his mixtapes, but if you don't know L-O outside of D4L and "Dey Know," you will be pleasantly surprised by the lack of filler on here. His too-cool melodic swagger is similar to Jeezy's, but he proves almost more adept than the Snowman when it comes to light-hearted, quirky club sing-alongs filled with 808s and sparse lo-fi insturmentation. "Dey Know," "Dunn, Dunn," "Foolish," "Let's Get It," "That's Shawty LO" and "Got Em 4 The L-O" are nearly flawless in their simplicity. He even gets introspective on the autobiographical "Feels Good To Be Here" and the strangely emo, Linkin Park-esque "Live My Life." For someone who wrote his first song in 2005, Lo seems preternaturally sure of his style, sound and identity compared to most of his more seasoned peers. Twinkle-twinkle...he's a stizz-ar!

HEY: REMEMBER 2007? (PART II)

2008-01-17T20:44:00.000-05:00

Excuse the delay...

Uggh...Nice Watch Presents
The Top 25 Songs Of 2007

1. Kanye West "Can't Tell Me Nothing" (Produced by DJ Toomp + Kanye West)

2. Foxx f/ Boosie & Webbie "Wipe Me Down (Remix)" (Produced by Mouse)

3. 50 Cent "I Get Money" (Produced by Apex)

4. DJ Khaled f/ T.I., Rick Ross, Akon, Fat Joe, Birdman & Lil Wayne "We Takin' Over" (Produced by Danjahandz)

5. Playaz Circle f/ Lil Wayne "Duffle Bag Boy" (Produced by M-16)

6. R. Kelly f/ T.I. "I'ma Flirt" (Produced by Lil Ronny)

7. Kanye West f/ T-Pain "The Good Life" (Produced by Kanye + DJ Toomp)

8. Huey "Pop, Lock & Drop It" (Produced by The Bakery)

9. Collie Buddz "Come Around" (Produced by Crown N Kah So-Real)

10. M.I.A. "Paper Planes" (Produced by Diplo & Switch)

11. Lloyd f/ Lil Wayne "You" (Produced by Big Reese)

12. Soulja Boy "Crank Dat (Soulja Boy)" (Produced by Soulja Boy)

13. Lil Wayne "Prostitute" (Produced by Maestro)

14. Shawty Lo "Dey Know" (Produced by Balis)

15. Keyshia Cole f/ Too $hort "Didn't I Tell You" (Produced by The Runners)

16. Alicia Keys "No One" (Produced by Krucial Keys & Dirty Harry)

17. Tiffany Evans f/ Ciara "Promise Ring" (Produced by Mr. Collipark)

18. Swizz Beatz f/ Lil Wayne, R. Kelly & Jadakiss "It's Me Bitches" (Remix) (Produced by Swizz Beatz)

19. Snoop Dogg "Sexual Eruption" (Produced by Shawty Redd)

20. Birdman f/ Lil Wayne "Championship Pop Bottles" (Produced by Steve Morales)

21. T-Pain f/ Yung Joc "Buy You A Drank (Shawty Snappin')" (Produced by T-Pain)

22. Trey Songz "Wonder Woman" (Produced by Danjahandz)

23. Statik Selektah f/ Big Shug "Punch Out" (Produced by Statik Selektah)

24. Young Buck f/ Young Jeezy "Pocket Full of Paper" (Produced by DJ Toomp)

25. Hurricane Chris "A Bay Bay" (Produced by Phunk Dawg)

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Best Rapper: Lil' Wayne
Best Producer: Kanye West
Best Female Rapper: Diamond
Best Unsigned Rapper/Producer: Juliano
Best Song That Samples A Commercial: Board Bangers "Cause The Beat's Hot"
Best Album Outtake: T.I. f/ Ciara "Goodbye My Love" (Cut from T.I. Vs. T.I.P.)
Best Song By A Fugazi Jay-Z (a.k.a. The Sacario Award): NOE f/ Jim Jones "Headlights"
Best Song That Was Ruined By Mixing: Yung Joc f/ Gorilla Zoe "Bottle Poppin'"
Best Trance-Rap Song: Wes Fif f/ B.O.B. "Haterz Everywhere"
Best Juke-Rap Song: Twista "Pimp Like Me"
Best Sade-Rap Song: Pastor Troy "Will He Come Home Tonight"
Best Prince-Rap Song: Shawty Redd f/ Big Kuntry, Pastor Troy & Daz "What's Da Deal Boo"
Best Lil' Wayne Song That Doesn't Actually Feature Lil' Wayne: Triple C's "Pill Poppin'"

Top 5 R+B Verses on Hip-Hop Remixes (No Ne-Yo):
1. R. Kelly on Fat Joe's "Make It Rain (Remix)"
2. T-Pain on DJ Unk's "2 Step (Remix)"
3. R. Kelly on Swizz Beatz's "It's Me Bitches (Remix)"
4. T-Pain on Huey's "Pop, Lock + Drop It"
5. R. Kelly on DJ Khaled's "We Takin' Over"

Top 5 Young Jeezy Songs Of 2007 (Post-Inspiration):
1. USDA "Corporate Thuggin'"
2. Slick Pulla + Young Jeezy "CTE To The Death"
3. Gorilla Zoe f/ Young Jeezy "Hood Nigga (Remix)"
4. Young Jeezy "Black Bandana"
5. DJ Drama f/ USDA "Show U What It Is"

Top 5 Tony Yayo Verses:
1. LL Cool J "Queens"
2. G-Unit "Coke Life"
3. 50 Cent "Touch The Sky"
4. G-Unit "Feel Good"
5. G-Unit "Southside"

Top 10 Carter 3 Outtakes:
1. "Prostitute"
2. "La La"
3. "I Feel Like Dying"
4. "Gossip"
5. "Comfortable" f/ Babyface
6. "I'm Me"
7. "Need Some Quiet"
8. "Zoo" f/ Mack Maine
9. "Kiss Me Baby"
10. "When They Come For Me"

Top 5 New York Rap Songs (No Hova Division):
1. 50 Cent "I Get Money"
2. Swizz Beatz "Top Down"
3. Styles P "U Ain't Ready"
4. DOE "Bottom To The Top"
5. Uncle Murda "Bullet Bullet"

Top 5 Southern California Rap Songs:
1. The Fixxers "Can U Werk Wit That"
2. Terrace Martin f/ Snoop & Problem "Ridin'"
3. Dogg Pound "They Don't Want It"
4. Down a.k.a. Kilo "Lean Like A Cholo"
5. Hot Dollar "Streetz On Lock"

10 Dope Singles For Albums That Had Their Release Dates Pushed Back To Neveruary:
1. Three 6 Mafia f/ Chamillionaire "Doe Boy Fresh"
->Missing Album: First 2 Walk
2. Mistah F.A.B. "Ghost Ride It"
->Missing Album: Da Yellow Bus Rydah
3. Brisco f/ Lil Wayne "In The Hood"
->Missing Album: Street Medicine
4. Lil Keke f/ Birdman "I'm A G"
->Missing Album: Loved By Few, Hated By Many
5. Rhymefest f/ Lil Jon "Angry Black Man On An Elevator"
->Missing Album: El Che
6. Slim Thug "Wood Grain Wheel"
->Missing Album: Boss Of All Bosses
7. Eve f/ Sean Paul "Give It To You"
->Missing Album: Here I Am
8. Stat Quo "Here We Go"
->Missing Album: Statlanta
9. Murphy Lee f/ Young Dro "Hatin'"
->Missing Album: U C Me
10. Saigon "Don't Cha Baby"
->Missing Album: The Greatest Story Never Told

HEY: REMEMBER 2007? (PART I)

2008-01-03T00:19:00.000-05:00

Clearly no one cares. I'm going in anyway. And late!

Uggh...Nice Watch Presents
The Top 25 Albums of 2007

1. Kanye West Graduation

2. Plies The Real Testament

3. Amy Winehouse Back In Black

4. Jay-Z American Gangster

5. R. Kelly Double Up

6. Lil Wayne Drought 3

7. Turf Talk West Coast Vaccine (The Cure)

8. The-Dream Love/Hate

9. UGK Underground Kingz

10. Soulja Boy Souljaboytellem.com

11. Rich Boy Rich Boy

12. Wiz Khalifa Prince of the City 2

13. M.I.A. Kala

14. Black Milk Popular Demand

15. Lloyd Street Love

16. Trill Entertainment Presents Survival Of The Trillest

17. Blu & Exile Below The Heavens

18. Birdman 5 * Stunna

19. Kia Shine Due Season

20. Trey Songz Trey Day

21. Scarface Made

22. Little Brother Getback

23. Tum Tum Eat Or Get Ate

24. Devin The Dude Waiting To Inhale

25. Baby Boy Da Prince Across The Water

Honorable Mentions:
Best DJ Album: Statik Selektah Spell My Name Right
Best EP: Cashis County Hound
Best Parody Album: Weezy Jefferson I Am On Everything
Best Album By Someone In Middle School: Keke Palmer So Uncool
Best Album Nearly Ruined By Coldplay: Swizz Beatz One Man Band Man
Best Album By An Artist I Had Completely Written Off: El-P I'll Sleep When You're Dead
Best Reissue: The Diplomats Diplomatic Immunity as Disney Channel Hits
Best White Rap Album: Lil Wyte The One And Only
Best Album By A Rapper I Never Thought I'd Like: DJ Envy & Red Café The Co-Op
Best Album That Was Better The First 2 Times He Made It: Ghostface Big Doe Rehab
Best Album I Sincerely Like In Theory But Always Fall Asleep Listening To (A.K.A. The Be Award): Prodigy Return Of The Mac

Top 10 Most Disappointing Albums:

1. T.I. T.I. Vs. T.I.P.
2. Wu-Tang Clan 8 Diagrams
3. Wyclef Carnival II: Memoirs Of An Immigrant
4. 50 Cent Curtis
5. Cam'Ron Public Enemy #1
6. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Strength & Loyalty
7. T-Pain Epiphany
8. DJ Khaled We The Best
9. Chris Brown Exclusive
10. Drama Gangsta Grillz: The Album

Coming Tomorrow: The Top 25 Singles Of 2007 (+ Bonus Tracks)

THE KING

2007-12-04T15:47:00.000-05:00

Chad Butler, 1973-2007

Rest in peace to the trillest of all time.

VHS PIMPIN'

2007-11-28T19:10:00.000-05:00

Snoop Dogg "Sensual Seduction"
from Ego Trippin' (2008)

This is easily the best thing Snoop has done since "Drop It Like It's Hot"

COMIN' OUT HARD

2007-11-26T16:14:00.000-05:00

Lil Quinn f/ Divine Joy "Children R The Future"
[ZEE-SHARE]
San Quinn Presents The Color Of Money (2007)

GAWN & CHECK EM OUT

2007-11-25T15:25:00.000-05:00

Da Volunteers f/ V-Squad "Ballin' In My J's" (2007)
ZEE-SHARE

WHY DIDN'T THEY DO THIS 6 MONTHS AGO?

2007-09-28T17:02:00.000-04:00

Boyz N Da Hood "We Ridin'"
from Back Up In The Chevy (2007)

You'd think that the first thing a group named "Boyz N Da Hood" would do to get their buzz back up would be to do a high-energy, low budget hood video on youtube, but they've kind of been taking this entire project ass backwards. After the disasterous "Everybody Know Me" failed and Gorilla Zoe completely eclipsed their project, it's good that they went back to the basics. However, I fear it might be too late to salvage this album.

SIDENOTE: This joint actually makes me kind of like Jody and Big Gee! (That's a first, especially for Jody)

YET ANOTHER REASON WHY SOULJA BOY IS A GENIUS

2007-09-28T15:15:00.000-04:00

Soulja Boy Tell 'Em White Sunglasses & White-Out Pen Set
Price: $19.99
Available exclusively at souljaboystore.com
(or for $3.99 at Duane Reade)

HIPSTERS MAKE AN ACTUAL GOOD RAP SONG

2007-09-28T14:37:00.000-04:00

The Cool Kids "Black Mags"
from The Bake Sale (2007)

BEST. SONG. EVER.

2007-09-20T01:59:00.000-04:00

Keke Palmer "Keep It Movin'"
from So UnCool (2007)

REST IN PEACE

2007-09-18T13:24:00.000-04:00

KEYSH!

2007-09-17T14:03:00.000-04:00

Keyshia Cole f/ Too $hort "Didn't I Tell You"
(Produced by The Runners)
[zshare]

Keyshia Cole "Fallin' Out"
(Produced by Soulshock)
[zshare]

The new Keyshia album Just Like You leaked...Overall, I had high expectations, so it's pretty underwhelming, but these two joints are early favorites.

STOP SLEEPING ON PLIES

2007-09-07T14:59:00.000-04:00

Plies "100 Years"
from The Real Testament (2007)

"How in the fuck can four birds get you a life sentence?
But give a cracker seven years for money laundering millions?
Shoot a nigga in the leg, they sentence you like you killed him
Cracker catch you with that iron and throw you under the buildin'
You a nigga, that mean you guilty 'til proven innocent
Money talk and bullshit walk a thousand miles
You ain't got a paid lawyer, then don't go to trial
Crackers owe each other favors, they'll swap ya out
'You give us him, we'll give you him,' know what I'm talkin' 'bout?
Nigga took thirty years on a cop out
Fuck you get 30 years for breakin' in a bitch house?
Crackers playin' a dirty game, boy this shit wild"

Please stop complaining about Southern rappers being stupid and not talking about anything of consequence. Plies made a really solid, thoughtful album and no one above the Mason Dixon seems to give a shit.

Milk Money.

2007-08-29T13:54:00.000-04:00

I Fly Like Paper, Get High Like Planes

2007-08-27T02:45:00.000-04:00

...and take your money

M.I.A. "Paper Planes" (Produced by Diplo & Switch)
[zshare laaank]
from Kala (2007)

bonus:

The Clash "Straight To Hell"
zshare!
from Combat Rock (1982)

Buckle Up, Bitches!

2007-08-19T01:57:00.000-04:00

Bow Wow & Omarion "Designated Driver"
(Produced by Jim Jonsin)
[zsharing is caring]
from Face Off (coming soon)

Totally expected to hate everything related to this project, but I can't lie...this one's a smash!

T.I. should be ashamed of himself for being upstaged by two recovering teeny-boppers on the same sample as "Help is Coming"...unless he wrote Bow Weezy's verses (doubt it...Shad Moss is clearly trying to channel Wayne these days).

Speaking of Mr. Under-21-With-A-Black-Card, it looks like he might actually keep it sober:

"Bow Wow joined Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company (Nationwide) at Sam Houston High School to encourage students to stay safe and sober during their prom festivities. During the prom weekends of 2005, 290 teenagers aged 15-20 were killed in alcohol related crashes. In light of the high death toll, MADD, has been making stops at several schools to promote safety. Bow Wow spoke on his struggle to abstain from underage drinking and drug use as a celebrity and performs singles from his album The Price of Fame." [source]

What a nice young man!

So Good Cats Ask For It By Name

2007-08-01T16:58:00.000-04:00

Board Bangers "Cause The Beat's Hot"
[Listen or Download]
from The World Ain't Ready For This (2007)

This song > Lupe Fiasco's entire catalog

THE FIXXERS: ONE-HIT-WONDERS NO MORE

2007-08-01T13:57:00.000-04:00

The Fixxers f/ Rich Boy "So Good"
[Listen or Download]
from Midnite Life, coming soon.

I didn't think that they'd be able to follow up "Can U Werk Wit That" with something equally strong, but this one's a HIT! I wonder if AMG produced this one himself too...anyone know?

JOC + ZOE = 2007 TONE LOC & YOUNG MC

2007-07-18T14:34:00.000-04:00

Block'd After Dark

Yung Joc f/ Gorilla Zoe "Bottle Poppin'" (Produced by Don P)
[listen or download]
from Hustlenomics, coming soon.

Let me preface this by saying that "Bottle Poppin'" is one of my favorite records of 2007, hands down. Their bizarre Block-Thugs-N-Harmony sing-rap routine is really like nothing I have ever heard before. Also, who knew Don P from Trillville actually had beats like that? I need to hear this shit at a club asap.

But seriously, aside from the obvious comparisons (Zoe's deep, gravelly voice actually sounds like Tone Loc), these two really are the modern version of Delicious Vinyl's pop-rap tag team. Just as Young MC and Tone Loc provided a hook-heavy, radio-friendly alternative to late ’80s gangsta rap, the Block Boys have perfected an accessible, sing-songy version of modern-day "trap rap".

BONUS CUT:
Al Fatz f/ Yung Joc & Gorilla Zoe "Came Down (Remix)" (2007)
[listen or download]

He Don't Need No Hook For This Shit!

2007-07-11T18:04:00.000-04:00

The Dream "Shawty Is Da Shit" (2007)
[Listen or Download]
from his upcoming debut on RadioKilla/Def Jam

So it looks like Terius "The Dream" Nash, the dude who wrote "Umbrella" (and married Nivea), is about to step into the spotlight with this one. Half Akon and half "I'm A Flirt"...you can't deny that it's a hit. Count it!

WE DON'T SUPERMAN NO MO

2007-07-11T17:45:00.000-04:00

We just Spiderman that hoe.

Shout-out to Maurice for the heads up on this one.

If Clyde Ruled The World

2007-06-28T13:48:00.000-04:00

Clyde Carson f/ Sean Kingston "Doin' Dat" (Produced by J.R. Rotem)
[download or listen]
from Theatre Music (Coming Soon)

All-Over-Print Video

2007-06-28T13:46:00.000-04:00

M.I.A. "Boyz"
from KALA (Coming Soon)

Uh Oh...

2007-06-18T16:59:00.000-04:00

Ja Rule f/ Lil Wayne & Young Merc "Uh Oh"
DL or Listen
from The Mirror, coming Sept. 2007