First Spin
Crank That or Shank That? New Joints from Solange, EPMD, Nappy Roots & More
Now comes that part of the week where we play catch up. Today we
highlight some of the noteworthy tracks that arrived on our radar this
week via an intrepid PR rep, a close friend, or another blog. We're
doing five First Spins in one post, fam. For each track we'd like to simply know, should we CRANK THAT (turn it up and get ignant to it) or SHANK THAT (banish it to the depths of the internet never to be heard from again)? Play nice, people. Or don't. Your choice.Coming at you live and direct like a funky breakdown from a Dee-Lite song are Solange and Q-Tip with "Sandcastle Disco." Upon opening this track in iTunes, I immediately fast-forwarded to Q-Tip's part. I wouldn't have it any other way. But major props to Solange for stepping out there with her best, non-b foot forward and trying her damnedest to be fresh. I'm shankin' it in half to preserve Q-Tip.
Solange feat. Q-Tip: "Sandcastle Disco"
When
I first saw that this track was titled "Run It," all that came to mind
was "Is your man / on the floor / if he ain't / lemme know," which
nearly caused my side-eye to explode with the might of a piñata at a quinceañera. So Eric and Parrish are doing another album, huh? I must've been in a deep coma. Apparently the original dropped months ago. Again, where was I? "Richter Scale" bangs harder than this, and that song was just okay. But this is an old EPMD song, right? I was hoodwinked into posting this, right? Because let me tell you something, this sounds about ten years old.EPMD feat. KRS-1: "Run It" (Remix)
I was iffy about this "No Static" track from Nappy Roots in the beginning, but then the classic Greg Nice sample came in and set it off. This is a nice, chill track that you play when the cookout is winding down and all the adults are sitting around smoking and shooing the kids away. It's like vintage Outkast before they hooked up with E.T. and Klingons and whatnot. But, an actual Greg Nice cameo a la "No Escapin' This" would've been way more hot. Moderate crankage.Nappy Roots "featuring" Greg Nice: "No Static"
Just when we thought Hip Hop had run out of topics, we have Timbaland affiliate Izza Kizza with "Typical Maury," a track about a worthless, no-count, talk show-bound female. It comes from 88 Keys' Adam Case Files (available here), and uses Carl Carlton's "Bad Mamma Jamma." The mixtape also features Tanya Morgan, Guilty Simpson and Grafh. As for "Typical Maury," let's not and say we did.88 Keys feat. Izza Kizza: "Typical Maury"
Ok, so this is just a bunch of noise.N*E*R*D feat. Santogold & Julian Casablancas of The Strokes: "My Drive Thru"
[H/T: SPINE / FADER / OKP / SDSU]
Tags: audio, epmd, greg nice, izza kizza, krs-one, nappy roots, nerd, q-tip, santogold, solange
Comments
OK, Guess im in the minority here but I REALLY like that NERD song with Santogold.
anon | June 16, 2008 2:45 PM | PermalinkUmm, for real, what is P smoking right now? Because everything I've heard from his recent stuff sounds like hot garbage. And I KNOW Santi White is a top-notch songwriter, if for no other reason that then work she wrote for Res' debut project. So what is this mess?
Personally, I don't see myself cranking nary a tune in this list. And Solange needs to go sit down somewhere and let her big sis have the spotlight. She will nevah evah be able to come anywhere close.
Stephanie Renee | June 16, 2008 11:53 AM | PermalinkCrank Solange and Nappy Roots, Shank everything else.
Missa | June 16, 2008 8:18 AM | PermalinkI heard this N.E.R.D. collabo earlier this week, and couldn't get past the first 30 seconds of it without vomiting a little bit in the back of my throat LOL. Shank this foolishness!
Nappy Roots all day every day! Plus, I love anything by Nice and Smooth, so I'm definitely down with Greg N-I-C-E! Plus, there's still no bones in ice cream!
ill Mami | June 14, 2008 12:27 PM | PermalinkThe only song on here even worth commenting on is the Nappy Roots Joint "No static" which is getting major spins in my car and home. The NR's have been putting out hot joints for a minute, this is probably their best joint since "I'm leaving" featuring Raphael Saadiq on the hook.
stoneyisland | June 13, 2008 11:27 PM | PermalinkI kind of feel QTip verse didn't belong in the song, I still crank that though.And totally shank Nerd/Santogold/Julian track.
Sharonda | June 13, 2008 9:00 PM | Permalinkizza kizza is funny..lol....you got to listen to the words....
dankydank | June 13, 2008 4:36 PM | PermalinkI'm loving Solange right now~Q-Tip is always oh so fresh!
Barry Archie | June 13, 2008 4:00 PM | PermalinkI'm looking forward to Solange's project. What I've heard so far sounds great.
I think I'll pass on that NERD / Santogold converse commercial.
rkj | June 13, 2008 3:54 PM | PermalinkSolange: Crank
Nate | June 13, 2008 3:09 PM | PermalinkI am definitely looking forward to her new album. It sounds like very fresh stuff.
EPMD: Crank
Nappy Roots: Crank
88 Keys: Shank
N.E.R.D.: Shank... that's just a mess.
I love N.E.R.D., Santogold, and heck even The Strokes. Solange....umm yellow lipstick? Errr, okay. LOL. I'll have to comment later on the songs. :)
Madame Zenobia | June 13, 2008 2:27 PM | Permalink