All tagged Kanye West

Tracklisting Hinders Pusha T’s ‘It’s Almost Dry’

Tracklisting Hinders Pusha T’s ‘It’s Almost Dry’

Nate Spurlin

It’s Almost Dry isn’t necessarily contrivance free. During episode 305 of The Cap Podcast, I told my cohost, Taylor McCloud, that Pusha T’s newest album feels like a beat battle between the two most prominent producers of the album and of all time. With Pharrell Williams producing seven tracks on the twelve-track album and Kanye West producing six tracks, (track seven ‘Rock N Roll’ featuring Kid Cudi and Kanye West is produced by both Kanye and Pharrell) it’s quite noticeable which producer concocted which beat. On Monday, three days after the release of the original album and two days after Taylor and myself recorded our episode, Pusha T released two more versions of It’s Almost Dry titled It’s Almost Dry: Ye vs. Pharrell and It’s Almost Dry: Pharrell Vs. Ye. The release of these two new versions of Pusha T’s latest album confirms that the noticeable differences between production styles within the flow of the album were intentional.

Fivio Foreign Provides A Blueprint for New York Drill on ‘B.I.B.L.E.’

Fivio Foreign Provides A Blueprint for New York Drill on ‘B.I.B.L.E.’

Nate Spurlin

Two of my favorite drill tracks of all time are ‘War’ by Pop Smoke featuring Lil TJay and ‘Mannequin’ created by the same duo. Both tracks stand out in Pop Smoke’s discography as the perfect contrast with Pop Smoke’s menacing presence and Lil TJay’s melodic vocals complimenting each other. This provided a splash of diversity for a discography that felt one-dimensional at the time, serving as foreshadowing for what the next step for the subgenre should be. On B.I.B.L.E., Fivio Foreign follows the same formula with most of the features providing a contrast to the aggressive drill style while going a step further by picking beats with soft melodic foundations.

The Weekly Updating Album Album Rollout

The Weekly Updating Album Album Rollout

RJ Levychin

As music consumers in this digital generation, we love the journey and ignore the aftermath once the moment finally comes. So when considering Jack’s suggestion of a weekly updating album we need to ask would this work for all artists or just someone like Kanye? Someone like Kanye will always attract attention simply because he’s one of the most polarizing artists of modern American music. Between his outspoken nature and his prolific success in all things pop culture, the public is always keyed in on Kanye West’s next move. However, this is unique to Kanye and perhaps a few other artists in the world. Whether it be due to a genuine lack of interest in the artist, or music consumers just being a product of the fast pace “on to the next” mentality about new music it might be unlikely to expect the same level of success from lesser artists.

Hip-Hop’s Growth Isn’t Limited to Just Music

Hip-Hop’s Growth Isn’t Limited to Just Music

RJ Levychin

While many, including myself, have focused on Hip-Hop becoming the most consumed music genre in America, the Hip-Hop community has enjoyed growth in other areas as well. In the 2000s Hip-Hop artists first started becoming connected with big companies to be the faces of brands trying to appeal to the black community. It started out with rappers being in simple commercials like Wu-Tang Clan with St. Ides malt liquor and LL Cool J for GAP.

The Top 10 Rappers of the 2010s

The Top 10 Rappers of the 2010s

Nate Spurlin

This top ten list isn’t for rappers who’ve displayed dominance over just one summer, but for the rappers who on the impact of their presence and influence within Hip-Hop has molded it into the multifaceted genre that we know it to be.

The Top 15 Projects of the 2010s

The Top 15 Projects of the 2010s

RJ Levychin

Looking at the 2010s we’ve seen the best artists deliver, and new artists raise the bar. Looking forward to my picks for the best 15 projects of the decade, I consider both albums and mixtapes, focusing on a project’s overall impact, as well as sales and critical response. More importantly, uniqueness is rewarded, while many believe the genre of Hip-Hop is a bit saturated, these albums have stood out by standing the test of time, and inspiring Hip-Hop and music fans alike. Without further ado. 

Where is Kanye West's "Jesus Is King?"

Where is Kanye West's "Jesus Is King?"

RJ Levychin

While “new” Kanye fans may be surprised that the heavily teased “Jesus Is King” has yet to hit streaming platforms, anyone familiar with Kanye knows there was always a possibility that plans could be completely shifted at the last second.