Continuing with TDE’s absolute coup d’état of the rapmosphere (Yeah I made that up), Schoolboy Q drops Habits & Contradictions, his sophomore effort and prequel to the year-old breakout debut Setbacks. Q never struck me as a great lyricist, but his charisma and flow always kept my attention and enabled him to keep up with the heavyweights in his circle. Building up to this release I noticed the almost unbelievable flip in the Hoover Crip’s lyrical abilities as he leaked tracks from HnC, the album shorthand, until it became one of my most anticipated going into the New Year. Let’s see how the Black Hippy solider holds up…

1. Sacrilegious
Produced by Tabu
A dark, barren Cowboy Western-sounding track opens up for Q to admit to his savage disregard of morality and religion. The eerie sound clips, ad-libs, and sound effects help turn this into a spazzy, suicidal confession. Lyrically, as I mentioned earlier, Schoolboy seems to have improved by leaps and bounds:

Feeling teary eyed, thinking I’ve gone too far
Ask god for forgiveness, shit I doubt he heard me at all
They say clean your hands before you eat, rest your sins with pray
But I’ve done did some things I don’t think I could ever wash away

After years of listening to Black Hippy, there’s one thing that goes unnoticed; the uncredited features are dope as hell and are proof of real chemistry between these artists. Peep Kendrick on the hook. Check the video as well. Great start and sets the mood.

2. There He Go
Produced by Sounwave
These are the tracks I really enjoy from Q. Just straight asinine, deranged, and swagged up lyrics while remaining far from simple. His voice inflections are hilarious especially as he mocks the chicks that are saying “There He Go!”. Production is a little too subtle. I was hoping the build was going to get more intense, but it didn’t. Either way I dig it.

3. Hands On The Wheel
Featuring ASAP Rocky; Produced by Best Kept Secret
The “Brand New Guys” hook up again for a “po’ up, roll up” anthem sampling Lissie’s cover of Kid Cudi “Pursuit of Happiness”. At this point, I’m willing to say Q is twice the rapper he was a year ago. His lyrics and flow have improved more than I could have asked. The A$AP boss drops a hot guest verse and sounds great next to Q (Collab tape on the way? Right after the Kendrick x Cole drops? Yeah probably not.) The beat is nice mostly because of the sick guitar riff. I will definitely be on one to this in the near future.

4. Sex Drive
Featuring Jhene Aiko; Produced by THC
Ok, first wack track of the album. I don’t even know where to start. The roadrunner beat is irritating as fuck and you can tell it’s way too fast for Schoolboy because he sounds uncomfortable. The hook is some pedestrian sex line and one of the sexiest and nicest R&B artists out right now is underused and falls flat vocally. Q’s second verse is actually dope, but by that time the experience already ruined. SKIP this nonsense.

5. Oxy Music
Produced by THC
This is straight grime. Q got a bar for just about anything you’ll see in the streets. Drugs, cops, prostitutes, money, murder, sex etc. The tone and cadence reflects and drugged out and crazed thug which is a dope feature. My problem is the boring production and lack of focus. It’s not bad at all, but nothing noteworthy.

6. My Hatin’ Joint
Produced by Mike Will Made It
I’m Sayin Doe! One of my favorite songs on the album and one of the smoothest tracks so far this year. Q proudly declares this his “hatin’ joint” and tells a chick how much better he is than her wack ass boyfriend. It’s not often that you get this side of the story out of a rapper or a male for that matter, but we’re all guilty. Standout song and two thumbs up for the Section.80 reference. “Plus yo nigga over there wit Tammy dem!”. DOPE

7. Tookie Knows
Produced by Dave Free & Tae Beast
According to the Hoover Crip himself, only Tookie knows what this mess of rambling means. I agree. It’s an interlude, so whatever…

8. Raymond 1969
Produced by Sounwave & Dave Free
Everything about this song is dope as hell. Soundwave & Dave laced up a nasty gangsta tune, complete with scratches and an ill sample, while Q drops arguably some of his best lyrics.

But they worry about Osama
Killed a bitch nigga and get his family manana
Didn’t get a coma nor a cent for the karma
Just an imaginary stripe so he can hold his head in honor
Zombie land a bunch of dead men walkin
Livin abortion they oughta raise the price on coffins
Fucking make a killing

If you had doubts about Schoolboy Q as an artist, they stop when this song ends… “ON MY MOMMA NEM!”

9. Sexting
Produced by DJ Dahi
This is an anthem for all those players out there that’s feeling themselves. If homie is going to make a song that’s about getting some, let it be this and not that bull from track 4. Q is lyrically sharp here given the subject matter. Dope rhymes and a nice bounce so drop it in the party and let it ride.

10. Grooveline, Pt 1.
Featuring Dom Kennedy & Curren$y; Produced by Lex Luger
I want to like this song a lot more than I do… The most abused producer of the past two years continues to prove he’s not a one trick pony and gives these three an absolute gem to work with. Everybody sounds just as groovy as the track implies, but the verses end up a little too laid back and end up sounding lazy. Don’t get me wrong, the song is great, but it wasn’t as fulfilling as the guest list set it up to be.

11. Gangsta In Designer (No Concept)
Produced by Willie B
Literally No Concept, just random raps. “Swallow evidence her boyfriend never had a clue” Ha! The army marching instrumental keeps this one interesting.

12. How We Feeling
Produced by Dave Free
Spaced out, drugged up interlude with Q harmonizing and trying to say something profound, but he really just geeked up and actually isn’t saying anything. Even though I don’t consider this a song, I like it. This is for the smoking playlist.

13. Druggy With Hoes Again
Featuring Ab-Soul; Produced by Nez & Rio
Sequel songs make you uneasy. They either leave you disappointed, running to put the OG on repeat or they completely shit on the original. This is a case of the latter. Black Lip Bastard & Q straight up destroy this ecstasy fueled mash-up of “Druggy Wit Hoes”, “F’d Up To The Beat”, and “#BETiSUMWEED”. A1 lyrics, beat, and delivery = BANGER.

14. Nightmare On Fig St.
Produced by A$AP Ty
The A$AP Mob strikes again this time with A$AP Ty giving Q an anthem to rep his hood and talk his usual shit. The hook is crack (BALL SO HARD- Jay voice) and the verses go in. This one of those songs that have the crowd going nuts at a show. Play this with the volume maxed out.

15. My Homie
Produced by Alchemist
Hell of a collaboration right here. Q tells a couple stories about homies turned against him after years together in the streets. The beat is minimalistic and strays from the frenzy that occupied most previous offerings which proves to be advantageous because Q’s bars and delivery are more easily appreciated. Good song.

16. Blessed
Featuring Kendrick Lamar; Produced by Dave Free
I’m pretty sure all the Kendrick stans were itching to get their grubby ass hands on this one. Well I hate to disappoint you, but Schoolboy Q fully eclipses Kendrick Lamar on one of the most epic “against all odds” songs in recent memory. Not to say Kendrick didn’t go off as usual, he did, but Q fed raw emotion into his verses and you can’t deny it. Dave crafted an unparalleled track, one unlikely to drop from my top 5 this year even though it came out in January. Ab-Soul drops in for a quick bridge to seal the deal. Best track off the album and easily my favorite song in a while.

17. NiggaHs.already.know.davers.flow
Produced by Nez & Rio
The album should have ended on the last track, but this song is still pretty good despite poor sequencing. More swagged up rhymes from Q over an average track. The hook isn’t terrible so I ain’t mad.

18. 2 Raw (Bonus Track)
Featuring Jay Rock; Produced by Tae Beast
This actually should have replaced a song on the album seeing how hard it goes. Q and Jay Rock drop some solid bars on an understated banger from Tae Beast.

Bottom Line:
I always thought Schoolboy Q was the weakest link in Black Hippy. Ab-Soul had the thought-provoking subject matter and lyrical dexterity, Kendrick Lamar was just too real not to relate to, and Jay Rock had the gangsta lifestyle down to a science. However, Q just seemed undeveloped. Well, Habits & Contradictions is his welcome into the ranks of a great rapper. If Section.80 is the voice of the documentary, Habits & Contradictions is the character the camera follows. Moving from acts of sacrilege to faith in blessings with everything encountered in between, the Hoover Crip nails every concept drawn for this album as well as making his superficial, braggadocios songs easy and enjoyable listens. From the stifled, muddled Setbacks style that hardly conveyed the message at hand to a clear and vicious depiction of his mind state, Q has evolved into a rapper just as potent and poised as his Black Hippy brethren. While retaining his Habits, Q seems to have left all criticism as Contradictions.

nappyPicks: Hands On The Wheel”, “My Hatin Joint”, “Raymond 1969”, “Blessed”

Happy New Year Hip Hop heads! The Mayans predicted 2012 to be the final year of existence. And with the Mayans having been such avid Hip Hop fans, 2012 is sure to be the genre’s peak, right? A new high for the culture…before the end-all, be-all?

Ripostes & Replays kicks off the New Year with five more new releases from the past month that didn’t receive the shine they so rightfully deserved. This month, you’ll read about new releases from a Cool Kid, a Low End Theory resident, L.A.’s latest 18-year-old threat, the newest addition to the Stones Throw roster, and one of 2011’s most celebrated come-up producers. We’ve got beat tapes, EP’s, mixtapes, and albums this month. January 2012 simply had it all. Here’s your chance to not be caught slippin’ twice so blow up the comments section with…well, comments.

Chuck Inglish – WRKNG.

Chuck Inglish, the cooler of The Cool Kids [in my opinion], dropped a beat tape at the start of the New Year that’s playability for me has lasted the entire month; a feat for any good beat tape. On WRKNG., Chuck shows how nice he is at chopping samples using heavy drum line snares (à la Pharrell), while lacing the rest of the beat with his seductive synths. The whole feel of the beat tape is very southern California—day at the beach vibes. From the tone of the beats, to the palm tree album art, and even a few song titles (“California,” “Vacation Day,” “Sunset,”) WRKNG. is SoCal embodied in beat tape form. While summertime “beachstrumentals” seems a bit off in the heart of winter, the 45-minutes of beats by Chuck knocks…and besides, it’s summer in Australia right now. WRKNG. doesn’t necessarily make me any more excited for the next Cool Kids album, but rather much more for any upcoming releases with Chuck behind the control board. Chuck Inglish is terribly slept on in the game. So go make yourself a nice summer cocktail and give WRKNG. a listen. Then, go tell a friend.

REPLAYS: Get lost vibing out to “I Was Seeing Stars” and “XXL,” which is a slight remix of Chuck’s heavily freestyled “Fat Raps” beat. “Run” would fit in perfectly on the 80’s-heavy GTA: Vice City soundtrack and “California,” which is simply Chuck showing off his producer talents (soft keys, smooth bass line, and sharp drums with some scratch samples laced throughout).

Nocando – Zero Hour EP

“If that’s cool, I don’t want to be cool…’cause that’s not cool,” says Project Blowdian and Low End Theory resident, Nocando on album opener “Sold Out.” The L.A. emcee greeted the New Year with Zero Hour, a nine-track freEP featuring production from Nosaj Thing, Mexicans With Guns, DJ Nobody, and Busdriver. Busdriver guests as both MC and producer on “Bernie,” creating their own referential dance craze, “Cool as a corpse, it’s kinda like Weekend At Bernies / Dance like an old dead white man, do the old dead white dance / Hawaiian shirt, fisherman hat, khaki cargo pants.” While Zero Hour reps L.A. like everything else No’s ever been involved in from Project Blowed to Scribble Jam, the Low End Theory host closes the EP with two best-coasters: “Westside Rentals” and “Hollywood.” These are two of the many songs Los Angelinos can be treated to every Wednesday night downtown at the Airliner. So if you live in Los Angeles and still aren’t up on “that future-retro-super-West-Coast-new-elctro-beat” shit Wednesday night’s at Low End Theory, what are you doing living in L.A.?

REPLAYS: The future-retro-super-West-Coast-new-electro-beat of “Sold Out,” Nosaj Thing’s absurdly flipped Kevin Hart sample on “Night Night,” the Weekend At Bernies goofball throwback, “Bernie,” MC No slaying the Mexicans With Guns dub-steppy beat of “You Got Me Fucked UP,” and for all the motherfuckers out there, go bump “Oedipus.”

Niko-G4 – G4TOUR

At just 18-years-old, coming out of the same ‘New L.A.’ scene that spawned such artists as Casey Veggies and Odd Future, Niko-G4 is ready to join the elite list of Los Angeles staples, turned up, every day rap stars. Enter Niko’s latest release, G4TOUR, an 11-song free album featuring Yonas Michael and Casey Veggies with production from Scumbag Tony (Crime Killz), Mainframe (New World Color), Klutch (805 Hip Hop Killer), and up-and-comers Super Miles, Ashton, Mikey Free, and Monster Yori. First single, “Fuck Wit My Bitch,” features an unforgettable chorus (“You can fuck wit my bitch, just don’t fuck wit my money”) and a scene-stealing verse from U-N-I’s Yonas Michael, not to mention a ‘New L.A.’ lyrical co-sign from fellow 18-year-old and recent Mac Miller touring mate, Casey Veggies. On G4TOUR, Niko keeps it nothin’ but real rhyming about real life shit: smoking, fucking bitches, getting money, and riding through the struggle. If you’re rollin’ with Niko, then you’re ‘Rollin’ With the Winners’ (#RWTW). G4TOUR is sure to be the first of many future releases from the young and hungry emcee so be sure to keep your ears up on this one.

REPLAYS: Parts one (incredible Joanna Newsom sample) and two of “Tell Me” are both standouts, “$pillin Champagne On My Pradas” gets swaggy, gotta love the L.A. anthem, “Remy & Roscoes,” one of Take Care’s standout samples gets re-flipped on “Drug Love,” and of course, the club banger, “Fuck Wit My Bitch.”

Homeboy Sandman – Subject: Matter

Homeboy Sandman puts it best on the album cover of his Stones Throw debut Subject: Matter, describing the release as, “Six rap songs with content no one has ever rapped about before in the history of rap music. Unfortunately, not a very difficult thing to do.” Hip Hop has missed Homeboy Sandman since the 2010 summer release of The Good Sun. But don’t get it twisted, 2011 was a big year for the UPenn grad and Hofstra Law dropout. I think no one would disagree that Homeboy signing with Stones Throw was a good look for both parties. However, 2011 wasn’t really full of new music from the lyrical litigator. But 2012 is now upon us, and with that comes Homeboy’s Stones Throw coming out party, Subject: Matter. Homeboy brings his witty conscious raps to the West coast with a remarkably bright outlook on both Hip Hop and life in general. Homeboy concludes the lengthy discourse that scrawls down the album art with the statement, “Making music is my dream and it has unlocked all the happiness in my life. I believe in the power of dreams and chasing them. My life is like a dream.” Very Martin Luther King Jr. of Homeboy, particularly just a few weeks after the civil rights leader’s national holiday. Could one argue Homeboy Sandman to be the MLK of Hip Hop? You be the judge. Listen to Subject: Matter, where subject solely matters.

REPLAYS: “The Miracle” all starts with the beat but slowly, the lyrics entrance enough to make you believe it were an a cappella. “Mine All Mine” is classic conscious Homeboy, “Canned Goods” touches on Homeboys lower-class upbringing, and my personal favorite, the poetic “ode to” closer, “Soap.”

AraabMuzik – Instrumental University

AraabMuzik, the Dipset-affiliate, MPC master, and currently one of the hottest producers in Hip Hop and dance music dropped this instrumental mixtape on the final day of January just making the cut for this month’s R&R by the hair of its chinny-chin-chin. On Instrumental University, Araab takes his listeners to school on an instrumental ride through some of his past production placements including beats from tracks for Lloyd Banks (“1,2,3 Grind”), Styles P (“Ryde On da Regular”), Jim Jones (“Blow Ya Smoke”), Cam’ron & Vado (“American Greed”), and 50 Cent (“Shady Murder”). And while this thrown-together collection of old instrumentals pales in comparison to Araab’s 2011 masterpiece, Electronic Dream, it acts not as a follow-up, but strictly as a mixtape—a victory lap for all of his accomplishments by just the young age of 22. But rest assured, the pressure is back on Araab as 2012 is expected to see the release of his collaborative EP with ‘Harlem’s New Hope,’ A$AP Rocky, as well as the proper follow-up to Electronic Dream, titled Electronic Reality. Both will be sure to top a few best or most overhyped album lists come the end of the year. We’ll just have to wait and see which they land on.

REPLAYS: “Shady Murder” could easily be confused for a Black Milk beat, Rick Ross Miami Vice vibes on “American Greed,” “Blow Ya Smoke” is a laidback beat to roll up and freestyle to rather than listening to the Jim Jones original. Here’s to hoping AraabMuzik plays “Ain’t Mad Acha” at Coachella in April and even the “Salute” instrumental brings back memories of the once desired Diplomats reunion that even Dipset fans no longer seem in favor of.

Related posts:

1. Ripostes & Replays: December 2011
2. Ripostes & Replays: November 2011
3. Ripostes & Replays: October 2011

Yo Gotti is from Memphis, Tennessee (Northside, Ridgecrest to be exact) and his name has been buzzing in the streets for a minute now. I know this because my nephews ALWAYS ask if I have that new Gotti. But when the likes of Ross, Minaj, Jadakiss, and Gucci want to make songs with you, you know you have to be hot.

Yo Gotti finally dropped his debut album Live In The Kitchen after many delays. How do you explain your lead single off the album coming out in 2009? Your label getting shutdown can do that, but somehow Gotti kept his name buzzing with a number of mixtapes and constantly touring. Let’s see what Gotti is cooking up.

1. Testimony
Produced by DJ Montay
Gotti starts the album up just like I thought he would…with some straight HOOD music. Nothing new here, Gotti got all the bases covered…drugs, women, guns, and thuggery. What more could you ask for in a song? The production on this one attacks the speakers. Good start to the album.

2. Harder
Featuring Rick Ross; Produced by Lil’ Lody
When I first heard this beat, I immediately heard Waka’s “Hard In The Paint” and you can’t lose with that beat. Again, Gotti sticks to the recipe and gives his fans what they want to hear…straight goon music. Ross was a nice addition to the song as usual.

3. Killa
Produced by Shorty Redd
I really don’t like the production of this track and I have said previously that Shawty Redd has fallen off. It hurt Gotti on this song. The beat is so bad that I don’t even want to hear what Gotti is saying on this one. I have to hit the SKIP button on this one.

4. Red, White & Blue
Featuring Jadakiss; Produced by Drumma Drama
Gotti gets “patriotic” on this song, not really, but as patriotic as a hood cat can be. That means creating jobs in the hood with work from overseas. Jadakiss seems to always show up on the real street South music. He sounds good on the beats though.

5. Single
Featuring Stuey Rock; Produced by Lil’ Lody
This that club song that Gotti had playing at all the hood spots. The production KNOCKS on this one and I know the strippers made some good money when this one came on. Gotti might have something with this one.

6. Second Chance
Featuring Lex Luger
Gotti got real with the people on this one. I know people that can relate to what he talking about in this song. Second chance in a relationships and men rarely give females that second chance. That’s just how it is. Gotti made a goon version of a love song.

7. Cases
Featuring 2 Chainz; Produced by Mike Will
This sounds like Mortal Kombat to me. I really don’t like Gotti on this type of beat. This beat sounds like some techno music. Gotti and 2 Chainz are still doing what they do, but that Mortal Kombat music is doing too much. Take that out and the song is pretty decent. 2 Chainz has been tearing the circuit up lately.

8. Letter
Produced by Lil’ Lody
You can’t be a real street nigga and don’t have a “letter to my nigga locked up” song. This one happens to be to Gotti’s older brother. You can’t really be mad about these tracks because it’s feelings on wax. RESPECT.

9. Go Girl
Featuring Big K.R.I.T, Big Sean, & Wiz Khalifa; Produced by Mike Will
Mike Will redeemed his production on this one. This one is one of those “fun” songs that the “old” Young Dro would rap to. By the names on the song, you should know that feeling is pretty big on this one. I’m starting to see the appeal of Wiz’s music. He hasn’t won me over 100%, but he’s getting closer.

10. We Can Get It On
Produced by Drumma Boy
This was Gotti’s second single that was released a while back, which had Ciara on it. The album version doesn’t have it and it comes off kind of flat for Gotti. I rather have Gotti gooning it up instead of getting all lovey dovey.

11. 5 Star (Remix)
Featuring Gucci Mane, Trina, & Nicki Minaj; Produced by Hot Rod
You know it you put a two year old song on your album, this had to be a big hit for you. If you were around when EVERY chick on the planet was a “5 Star Chick” then you know the impact that this song had on the females. Nicki ripped it just in case you didn’t know.

Bottom Line:
Gotti gave his fans the kind of music they like. Some of this music most of his fans have heard with most of it coming out on one of his mixtapes. But for the new or casual Yo Gotti fan, this was a good introduction to what kind of music that Yo Gotti makes. Will he win you over with lyrics? No, but he will give you some real life, street rhymes for you to listen to. Gotti’s music might be enjoyed better in its raw state (mixtapes) than it’s cooked up form (album).