Crooked I puts his own slant on "Black and Yellow"

When I first heard "Black and Yellow" by Wiz Khalifa, I really liked the beat and I have to admit, the song is catchy. I just can't get into the whole repetitive thing about it. It doesn't do it for me.

Crooked I, member of the super-group Slaughterhouse that also consists of Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, and Royce 5'9, has the solution.

In this edition from last week of a short series of freestyles of his called 'Hip Hop Weekly Reloaded,' Crooked I flows over the "Black and Yellow" beat, representing his home of Long Beach, California in place of Khalifa's Pittsburgh:

"This is how we do it in the LBC: packing metal, packing metal, packing metal, acting ghetto."

His lines are also much more personal and possess a greater storytelling quality than the original.

Check it out.

Snowgoons store up for winter with their 4th album

Snowgoons, a group of hip-hop producers from Germany, collaborate with the best underground MCs on each of their albums to create epic soundscapes from their unique place in the world of hip-hop. On Kraftwerk, their fourth that was released on Friday, they don't disappoint.

Often working with members of super-groups such as Ill Bill and Slaine of La Coka Nostra and Outerspace and Reef the Lost Cauze of Army of the Pharaohs, Snowgoons have what you would call an orchestral sound to their beats, layering complex rhythms and not sounding like anything you would hear on the radio. As can be guessed by their name, they don't aim to sound similar to poppy rap beats or imitate any West Coast styles. They put a lot of winter themes to their song and album titles and samples they use, like on the track "Iceman" featuring Cymarshall Law from their album Black Snow.

Although that may make it seem like there's a dark tinge to Snowgoons' music, alongside all of the battle-lyric verses there's a positive vibe laced in, especially in one of the tracks on A Fist in the Thought, "All in Your Mind," with uplifting lyrics from Viro the Virus.

It's the perfect mood-music rap for the winter, with gritty beats; and they talk about snow, of course.

On Kraftwerk, Snowgoons finally work with Boston MC Esoteric, featuring him on the track "Three Bullets." That's not to say they haven't done songs with Boston rappers before. Black Snow featured EDO G and Jaysaun on the track "Raining," with plenty of Beantown shout-outs.

"We Nah Play" has to be my favorite track on the new album, with up-and-coming MC Crooked I, and a little reggae-rap flavor in the beat enhanced by Beenie Man's vocals:

NaS creates playlist for Rolling Stone with "Hip-Hop's Best Lyricists"

Rolling Stone magazine's latest issue features themed playlists from 50 different artists, and they chose NaS to name hip-hop's Top Ten Best Lyricists. 

The list starts off without surprise with Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac at the first two spots, but some names further down come unexpected. 

"When I said 'hip-hop is dead' a few years ago, I felt we'd gotten away from the great wordplay and storytelling," says Nas. "There's a place for the party shit and a place for the gangster shit. I focus on the guys that are always pushing themselves forward."

Some of those guys are current artists that one wouldn't expect to receive respect from the legendary MC.  He chose a song by Rick Ross and a song by Lil Wayne, each of which resonated with him as they related to certain aspects of his life.

Here's the full list:

1. "My Downfall" - Notorious B.I.G., 1997

The lyrics are about how he's acing the shadows of death, despite all of his success, and he's giving it to you in a way that makes it seem so real.

2. "If My Homie Calls" - 2pac, 1991

He's just saying to his boys that he's going to be a friend no matter how big he gets.

3. "Road To The Riches" - Kool G. Rap & DJ Polo, 1989

The way we're rhyming now? He was already doing it then .

4. "A Bird In The Hand" - Ice Cube, 1991

5. "Paid In Full" - Eric B. & Rakim, 1987

6. "I'm Single" - Lil Wayne, 2010

I'm recently divorced, so I feel what he's saying.

7. "Tears of Joy" - Rick Ross, 2010

Ross is at the pulpit here.

8 "The Moment I Feared" - Slick Rick, 1988

It's cinematic. He's at a hip-hop show and ices this girl who played him, then he's in prison getting violated by some dude. This was unheard of.

9. "Empire State of Mind" - Jay-Z, 2009

This song is huge. It sounds like Broadway. It's New York's modern anthem.

10. "Queen Bitch" - Lil' Kim, 1996

At the time, females rappers didn't appeal to the street, but Kim came with the vulgarity, sexuality and gangster shit.