Props to Ned from Green Owl for this little Jay Electronica x Just Blaze track “Exhibit C” off Tony Touch’s Toca Tuesdays mix last month. I’ve been a fan of Jay for a while now . . . though besides his mixtape What the Fuck is a Jay Electronica, I couldn’t tell you what he’s on about. He’s from the N.O. but is as likely to be found anywhere else in the world and regularly tweets about abstract philosphies. Haven’t even been able to see him live, as he’s canceled the shows I planned on going to. He kinda reminds me of DOOM, like he’s too weird for the game and he just needs to be left alone as a talented artist who lives like a nomad-recluse-cum-Badu’s-baby-daddy. Thoughts?
The December ‘08 issue of XXL magazine gave the cover to hip-hop’s freshman class - the 10 emcees who they thought would be most influential in the coming year. In case you didn’t catch it, that was Wale, Kid Cudi, Currensy, Asher Roth, B.O.B, Blu, Ace Hood, Mickey Factz, Corey Gunz and Charles Hamilton. Six months later, I’m giving my humble opinion on the who’s holding down their new-nigga status, according to hot mixtapes, releases, and exposure. My first pick is Wale.
Wale: Mixtape About Nothing (2008), Back to the Feature (2009), Attention Defecit due out fall ‘09
As the eldest of XXL’s Freshman 10 (at age 27), DC’s Olubowale Folarin may have the most experience, but I have a feeling that even if he were a young 21 go-go getter, he would still be slangin’ enough ghetto-aristocrat swagger to stay neck and neck with heavy hitters like Jay-Z. His Seinfeld-based Mixtape About Nothing (2008) was the most sophisticated concept-release last year, and just two weeks ago he dropped his Back to the Feature mixtape (produced by 9th Wonder) with guest spots from favorites Jean Grae, Big Sean and Black Thought, to name a few. My personal favorite is Um Ricka, the African anthem collabo with Somalian emcee K’naan. So what if the release for his album Attention Defecit has been pushed back to the fall? The dude is singlehandedly holding down titles for most diverse sound (wait to hear TV on the Radio on the album), best live show (UCB band anyone?!) and coldest intellectual rhymes. Download immediately.
While you’re waiting for Cudder’s upcoming album Man on the Moon: The Guardians, check out his latest Dat Kid From Cleveland mixtape with DJ E-V. I know it’s not all fresh and shiny - we’ve already heard that weird country track with Sharam and the Buggin’ Out joint with Consequence, to name a few - [...]
