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I haven’t done a post on the hip hop song of the day, not because there hasn’t been more than worthy selections, but because I have been handling so many things at once. But I am back!

And what finer way to bring things back than with an ode to one of the most innovative artists STILL in the game – OutKast. I say artists, because while this is a dedication to hip-hop song of the day, their music transcends genre labels. Speakerboxx/The Love Below was genius! A blend of hip hop, jazz, rock, alternative…this dual album defined the individual creativity of these two. Idlewild – eclectic. Stankonia – funky. ATLiens – dope. Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik – fire. Big Boi & Dre Present…OutKast – recapitulation of what it means to be innovators in hip hop.

I mean, I would honestly even make songs such as the “You (Remix)” with Lloyd feat. Nas & Andre3000 or “Walk It Out (Remix)” with Unk feat. Andre3000 the hip hop songs of the day JUST because his opening verses are so fresh. Perhaps my favorite song comes off of Aquemini – Liberation.

This is the song that makes me miss the Dungeon Family first of all. Cee-Lo was genius (I say was because I am having a hard time accepting the Gnarls Barkley gig). It could not be a better managed pool of talent and features when they collaborated. Dungeon Family made me proud of the Atlanta music scene.

Have you ever just had one of those days, or even just felt that all of your life had been about struggling just to make ends meet or to meet the standard everyone is setting for you? That is what this song speaks to. It tells you that you have a choice in what you determine to do for yourself. It’s a mellow song we all need to hear sometimes to inspire us to “Shake that load off.”

The beat is smooth and has a funk/jazz feel to it; Liberation sets you on a path to open your mind to something deeper than just another club song, or attention grabbing beat you can nod your head to. It sits you back into your seat for a moment to vibe and to reflect. The spoken word/verse by Big Rube and the approximately 2 minutes of pure instrumental improvisation really brought home this feel.

This song is the hip hop jam of the day for its message, which showed the ability of some young men from ATL to be diverse and talk about anything on an album. It also gets this mention for being original and unique. It is a different feel, since the verses are either delivered in sing-rap delivery or in spoken word style. Perhaps my favorite verse is Badu’s. Her sound is what makes her so unique, and her ability to develop dope lyrics on a whim, and she showed her ability to deliver vocals and lyrics on her verse.

So this is that song that can be the soundtrack of hope to any struggle or bad day you may face. Just sit back, and in the words of Badu:

“…shake that load off and sing a song

Liberate the minds, then you go on home...”

It seems fitting that I have to go back to “The Roots” when we talk about a hip-hop jam of the day. Because these guys take the concept of music and art to another level – using live instrumentation as a hip-hop bound, for a smooth fusion of jazzy and eclectic style that cannot be mimicked by beat equipment. It is this collaboration of artistic talent that makes The Roots pioneers in the game, although underrated and overlooked in my opinion. Styles embodied by popular groups such as Gym Class Heroes today are a continuation of this pioneered style by the Roots.

This song is: Lyrical. Unique. Original. Dope.

The band has had members come and go such as Malik B (MC), Scott Storch (Keyboards), Josh "Rubberband Man" Abrams (Bass), Ben Kenney (Guitar), and Kyle "Scratch" Jones (beatbox). The current crew consists of Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter (MC), Amir "?uestlove(Quest-love)" Thompson (Drums), Lennard "Hub" Hubbard (Bass), James "Kamal" Gray (Keyboards), "Captain" Kirk Douglas (Guitar), Frank "Knuckles" Walker (Extra Percussion).

How can you not like the song “You Got Me”. The song speaks of an inseparable bond between two lovers, summarized in the hook sang smoothly by Erykah Badu. Of course Black Thought drops some very clean verses, but my favorite highlight in this song is the seamless collaboration of The Roots, Erykah Badu and…the First Lady of the Ruff Ryders Camp herself, Eve. It all just flows together so well. Eve’s verse is nice and showed off that female confidence that would be the staple of her own singles to come later that year such as “Love Is Blind”, “Gotta Man”, and “What Ya’ll Want”.

The song speaks volumes to their versatility as artists and their skill as musicians (the beat switch at 3:30 is some ridiculous sticking by ?uestlove).

In hip-hop, I can always find an appreciation for artists that put things together that “sound good” without knowing why but has an understanding of the musical concepts that explains why these melodies and chords and rhythms do sound good together. Knowledge of musical theory, musical composition, and musical notation is the root of all popular music. The Roots are better for it, which is why this smooth narration of a “Philadelphia love” is the track of the day.

Ok, so who doesn’t remember this throwback?

I was reading the album review Krushez did of Twista’s new release, and while listening to the tracks, I began to reminisce about Twista being fresh on the mainstream scene.

The Po’ Pimp track was a rider. I remember being in middle school recording the song off the radio onto my cassette, and then trying to memorize the rapid lyrical delivery of Belo, AK-47, and Twista. We all knew the hook sang by Johnny P though!

Like then, I will say that Twista always struck me as the guy that can make a single by being a feature, but is “too quick on the trigger” to last a whole album. And like most of his songs content-wise, there is a running theme of weed or some freaky love-making. Po’ Pimp definitely is not a song about uplifting women at all.

But the song definitely gets a U for Unique and O for original. Back when this dropped in 1996, Do or Die and Twista brought a new style of quick delivery to the game. And in this song, although I STILL have trouble understanding ALL of the words, the delivery and ability to let the rhythm of the flow be the capturing feature was enough to make this one a classic. Oh and of course, the other original piece?

P-I-M-P, OLOGY, but logically….

That’s right. The idea of switching the flow up from fast to slow with spelling lessons that couldn’t be delivered better with Hooked-On Phonics was a definite selling point for this song.

And although through the years, artists have came along with their own rendition of the “crazy flow”, Twista still reigns supreme – I mean he earned a Guinness Book of World Record spot for Fastest Rapper in the world in 1992. There is a reason he went by the name “Tung Twista” before shortening it.

Lyrically, it depends on whether listening to very suggestive lyrics about a man dominating a woman in the bedroom sexually is your cup of tea. BUT, this song definitely highlighted Twista’s unique style, and was one of his more stand-out contributions to the hip-hop game.

Put this one on, and “ride in the backseat of his caddy” lol.

If you are a fan of hip-hop and you do not know about up and coming artist Wale, then I really don’t know what you are doing with your life. Really.

He represents the DC-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) Area and in my opinion he should have been out of the “rising star” category a long time ago especially in comparison to some of the stuff that defines hip-hop on the radio today.

One song that you have to check is Nike Boots. This song is Lyrical, Original, Unique, AND Dope! This rapper is definitely versatile.

His metaphors are nice – like how he compares the real rap game to the deep football rivalry of the Redskins versus the Cowboys. Rather than people representing for the “skin’s they represent for the stars.” I mean isn’t that is a dope critique of the hip hop industry – people cheering the “stars” in the game rather than buying the records of those “artists” out there trying to make it happen. And the line about being “Lovie Smith with the vocals!?” Dope. If those of you do not know, Lovie Smith turned around the fortune of the Chicago Bears in 2005, being one of the first black coaches to make it to the Super Bowl (the other was Tony Dungy, whom he would eventually lose to in that game).

This song is an anthem for the DMV area; it is and shout-out to those out there fighting to make it; it is a song about unity through our struggles. “Goadome Nikes” are the image of unity and the remedy for all struggling. Wale made a song that you can nod your head to, can think critically about, and that you can play in the club as the “Rep Your City” song for the DMV area.

Check him out and his newest mixtape “Back to the Feature” that he did with legendary producer 9th Wonder for more lyrical ingenuity. Click the picture below for the download link.

Hip-Hop embodies many things, and it wouldn’t be right without the presence of a few deserving cocky personalities, songs, and anthems. We have called it many things throughout the evolution of hip-hop, but I imagine for now we have settled on “swagger.”

Like rap battles on the underground circuit, where many lyricists perfect their craft and gain exposure, these glorified moments of achievement and unbridled confidence is what solidifies or breaks it for many rappers. And if there ever was a song that could be an anthem – it is Young Jeezy’s “Put On” feat. Kanye West.

First, the hook – putting on for your city – is dope, because you know from the top of the song that Young Jeezy not only plans to tell you how his life and his successes is all for the glory of Atlanta, but you suspect that he will not make a claim of putting on for the city without a cocky and fresh lyrical delivery. Not necessarily complex word choice or imaginative flow in his two verses, but that isn’t what I am looking forward to in a song like this. I want every line to be hard-hitting and delivered with a side of cockiness, and Jeezy definitely makes his case.

But leave it to the King of Ego and Cockiness to grace the track with his playful and suggestive lyrics and his boastings. That’s right, Kanye West. He made this song. I think back to Kanye’s single “Slow Jams” and I listen to him now, and I must say that he has definitely grown as a rapper. He switches up the flow nicely and of course has plenty of instances to brag.

This track would get a “D”…a D for dope that is! Because hip-hop is so many things, it is great to appreciate the different sub-categories that songs embody sometimes. Young Jeezy is not one of your “conscious rappers” but he doesn’t try to be. He tells a story about his life, and still manages to diversify his material on albums to deliver songs such as “My President” featuring Nas or “Dreamin’” with Keyshia Cole.

If music is the story of our lives, then we sometimes need our anthems as well as our thought-provoking songs or our songs highlighting struggle. Our anthems are our motivation. And if after all of this, you can't see why “Put On” is a hip-hop song of the day, then simply enjoy it for the production, because the producer Drumma Boy broke his foot of in this track. I dare you not to nod your head to this dope track.

Respiration (Remix) Blackstar feat. Black Thought

What can’t you say about BlackStar? They made being “conscious” cool. This song has a very smooth vibe to it, and with phenomenal artists, that rightly could and are solo acts in their own right.

Talib pieces together his verse like a heart surgeon carefully aligning arteries, veins, and capillaries to produce an opening verse that pumps with lyrical ferocity. I seriously believe there is not a single line in his verse that does not contain a simile or metaphor. And like the hook sang with style by Mos Def, the verse seems as though he has a lot on his mind, with the fast flow and imagery.

Mos Def. What can he not do? I will just sum it up with the best line in his verse I believe – “Get yours, get it right; Get down, get paid, get ass, get around; Get on, get fly, get jig and get high; Live to get and you'll only end up getting by.” Word on that.

BlackThought brings it home with a solid performance.

People forget Hip-Hop is so many different movements – political protest, the voice of the streets, the story of struggle, the story of triumph – but the key element is that it’s story telling at its finest. Respiration (Remix) is a fine specimen of hip hop then.

Yeah it dropped in 1999 but I have to say that it’s important to throw it back every now and again. So recline, close your eyes, and vibe to this one; it’s not a banger, but it is not meant to be - rather than beating you over the head with a story, it just slowly sinks in through lyrical flourish and style.

I wanted to do a “Track of the Day” type post for a while now….but never found the time. Luckily, I found the inspiration though (and inspiration has a way of creating time). A fellow blogger, Spktruth2Pwr always posts a joint of the day on his twitter, and every time he does he reminds me of them good ole days, or the current hotness. I am collaborating with him, to serve you a daily dose of either that “old time goody”, or that “buttery-hot new new”. Check out his bio below and make sure you show him some love by visiting his blog!

These posts will be called: “L.O.U.D.” as the songs selected will either be: Lyrical/Original/Unique/Dope (funky fresh). For future reference, you can click on the link in the link list to the right to find these posts. Here is a link to the first post.

Spktruth2Pwr loves many things, but when it comes to writing, he loves music and politics. Music is the narrative for many of our lives. He writes to appreciate music and all its complexities in how it makes us feel and what message it attempts to deliver. And if he can share his appreciation for music with others, then that just makes the art form that much more powerful and important to culture. He also maintains a steady blog on all things political and social in the news. For objective analysis infused with personality, check out http://theapathyremedy.blogspot.com. Also feel free to Tweet him at www.twitter.com/MrE_Nigma