Tag: Hip-Hop

A Music Journey

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Every event has a soundtrack in my mind. After going cross country skiing in Yosemite, this past week, my mind is full of new bands, new songs and new rhymes that highlight and sum up the fun times of the trip.

Of course there’s always the classic artists that play a large role and debut on such a trip these artists include people such as Johnny Cash and Bob Marley as well as bands like The Who and The Clash. With these pastimes also come old, iconic songs such as Jolene as well as new alternative covers of these past hits.

Next comes the worst of the songs: recent pop songs. These songs are often synthesized rubbish by groups who lip synch and Hip Hop artists that try and impress by remixing old classics. These along with other cheesy artists will irritatingly stick in your head but make you laugh because of their catchiness.

Finally there comes the new music, new tastes, different sounds and great bands.

By sitting on long car journeys everyday I heard lots of different songs and artists, which is very exciting for me as a music lover.

So now that my tastes have been expanded and my pallet rejuvenated with the fresh sounds of others I am ready to get exploring on the biggest music journey now that I am home.

Plan B.

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Plan B

Yes Plan B may be a name for the morning after pill but is also the name of a great and talented young rapper.

Plan B or Benjamin Drew is a 23 year old rapper, singer and song writer as well as actor from Great Britain. A talented man, Plan B has had two debut albums, gaining great success with the help of his adoring fans in the last few years.

Plan B is primarily known for his high pitched, soulful voice and strong powerful lyrics. A man who lived a rough and troubling childhood, he is not a person who holds back when talking about his abandoning father or his feelings of being a social outcast.

Plan B released his first album in 2006 “ Who Needs Actions When You Got Words” and then went on to release “The Defamation of Strickland Banks” in 2010 which went straight to number 1 in the UK Charts.

With the release of his second album Plan B’s success really began to peak. With people singing his songs on street corners, playing them in bars and clubs as well as shops he became quickly known. This success only grew after he reached out to a new crowd with his collaborations with Drum and Bass stars Chase & Status.

He is a rapper that is absurdly easy to relate to and likable. He does not try to put on a front to conform with other hip hop artists, instead he stays true to himself and that is why I like him so much.

So if you’re not usually a big hip hop fan but fancy listening to some soulful, rap, indie rock, give Plan B a listen.

Rizzle Kicks.

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Rizzle Kicks

I find that mainstream hip-hop gets boring. In many cases artists release songs that sound identical, use similar lyrics and just do not have any flare to them. That’s why when I heard Brighton’s hip-hop duo Rizzle Kicks I couldn’t help but to love them.

Rizzle Kicks are a two-man group from Brighton, England. Consisting of Jordan Stephens and Harley Alexandar-Sule, the pair produce alternative hip-hop, pop, music.

Unlike songs by many mainstream stars, they produce music that is unique, authentic and real. Their lyrics are simple but effective, talking the truth and shedding light on everyday subjects.

Releasing their album Stereo Typical on October the 31st 2011, the band has received much admiration from the English Public with their single “Down With the Trumpets” coming #8 in the U.K charts.

Rizzle Kicks may not be for everyone, but they are worth listening to. Their catchy, upbeat songs and alternative sounds are fun and offer a change from mainstream sounds that fill many radio stations these days.

jj

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jj

jj is an alternative indie group from Sweden who has been producing music since 2009. Consisting of duo Elin Kastlander and Joakim Benon the band released their debut album jj n ° 2 in early 2009 along with their first single jj n° 1.

jj

Now signed to American label Secretly Canadian the pair released jj n° 3 in Sweden and the U.S in March 2010. Their alternative sound consists of indie pop, electronic and hip-hop among other genres, mixing them together to create great songs.The mix of sounds accompanied  with the rusty voice of female, lead singer Elin Kastlanger and powerful lyrics, the work of jj is really something you have never heard before.

Although they have released many of their own songs they are also famous for their covers of current songs, many of which appear on their mix tape Kills. Their renditions range from all sorts of genres including The XX,The Game and Akon. They really are one of a kind.

So if you feel like giving something different a listen check out jj.

This Site Is Sick

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My brother is a college freshman. He acts like one too. He goes to classes, listens to dubstep and hip-hop, and tries desperately to get into frat parties. He, being the older of us two, has always been ahead of me in most aspects of pop culture, with me trying desperately to stay as cool as my big brother. Well, when it comes to music, he managed to beat me again. He showed me a website called thissongissick.com, and it makes sense he would know about it. It’s a website that dedicates itself to finding the newest songs from dubstep and hip-hop artists that are relatively unknown, or in some cases, just really good. Wiz Khalifa has been featured on there, as well as artists like Sam Adams and Skrillex. Well worth a look, “this song is sick” has become a standard in what a lot of college and high school kids listen to.

Taylor Gang or Die…

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Wiz Khalifa. If you haven’t heard that name, you will. Cameron Jabril Thomaz (more often refered to by his stage name Wiz Khalifa) has come a long way since 2005. From his first mixtape (Prince of the City: Welcome to Pitsolvania) to his most recent single (The now infamous “Black & Yellow”) he’s had the kind of journey most rappers only dream of. Now age 23, he has released eight mixtapes and two albums as well as making two mainstream hits, the first being “Say Yeah,” the electronic hip-hop style track from 2007, and the second being “Black & Yellow,” which is currently one of the five hottest songs in America.

Wiz Khalifa lives a life of ambition and focus when it comes to his career, saying on his second album, “It’s lonely at the top, I’m tired of having company.” Well, he may not be there just yet, but he’s been rising fast. This can be attributed to many things, including time and talent, but also his clever and resourceful use of the internet and other new media. He constantly updates his twitter page, telling his fans about anything from how his new song is coming to just how flat-out drunk he is, and his fans love him for it.

As he says at the end of his first verse in Black & Yellow, “No keys, push to start.” And as it would happen, push to start seems to be exactly the case. Wiz Khalifa has started the road to mainstream success, and he seems to be loving how it looks from here.