Livelii

C4 kaboom is back with his latest album Pot to Piss ; released on November 9th on iTunes . The album explores new realms of the young artist, while delivering the classic message of experiencing poverty and growing as an artist, but also remaining yourself. The album artwork is very direct, it’s straight to the point, this allows his audience to witness some of the frustration Kaboom feels upon their listening. Although he’s yet to reach that superstar status Kaboom knows which moves he must make. The album is one of duality, on one side you have the fun, but frustrated angle that proceeds modern day party anthems. In other words, these are the catchy tunes that includes auto tune, with the potential to catch media attention. Songs like “Take a Ride” is the perfect example of a party anthem catering to his female fans. Meanwhile songs like “Superficial” is still a party anthem but on the opposite side of the spectrum. Pot to Piss is new Kaboom, who learns from the new gener...

After a lengthy legal battle with Cash MoneyRecords for ownership over YMCMB and the rights to his music, Lil Wayne finally releases The Carter V. Receiving mixed reviews from the blogs to the audience, I wasn’t sure what to expect; however after carefully listening to the album I have to give it an 8 out of 10; the album delivers in diversity, content, and overall quality. Lil Wayne has always been creative in his delivery and flow but emphasizing on his lyrical abilities is a statement to the hip hop culture. As the creator of dominating almost a decade of hip hop by featuring and releasing the most music, allowed Wayne to shape the industry. Tha Carter V not so much a farewell or a comeback, but a concrete middle between the two.  In songs like " Mona Lisa " which features Kendrick Lamar, Wayne proves that he's not afraid of a challenge; this his way of battling the head honcho of the hip hop community. The second you see the track you instantly think; can Li...

Once upon a time not so long-ago freestyles could make or break a rapper’s career. It was an unspoken requirement to freestyle during every radio show or interview, at the beginning of performance, and even as a new release. Upcoming artist could build their careers off great freestyles, without being a hit or mainstream artist, for example; Pusha T, Joe Budden, Jada Kiss etc… Today’s generation know of these artists, because of the controversy surrounding their careers, but for years these artists dominated the underground using the authentic rap style, in battle rap and cyphers. The technical structure behind the art of freestyling helped separate hip-hop from mainstream media, this component made the culture unique. Demanding every artist to develop some form of a creative technique, which eliminated the idea that anyone could be a "rapper." Freestyling added value to the culture and those who dominated were respected by all musicians, because not everyone could easily...

On February 26, 2012, a teenager by the name of Trayvon Martin, was fatally shot in small gated community outside of Orlando, FL. A middle aged Hispanic male named George Zimmerman was identified and charged as the shooter. The conflict started because the African American teen was seen walking in the community wearing a black hoodie, and without hesitation the former military man decided to take the "law" in his hands. Accusing Martin of disturbing the community led to a physical conflict which ended with the death of the teen by gunshot. The tragic murder of the innocent teen spread like wild fire exciting racial tensions throughout America. After Zimmerman was acquitted of all charges the outrage in the black community influenced the Black Lives Matters movement and protest. Since then cases all over the U.S. increased with Black people becoming victims of racially charged crimes including police gun violence, such as; Sandra Bland, Michael Brown, Stephon Clark, Kalief...

Free Life Presents MC $crill...BlackGoku  The vastly-anticipated, creative collection, Entitled   BlackGoku; [Prod. by Mr. 2-17]  is set to drop,  ON ALL STREAMING SERVICES ! Follow on  Instagram   Soundcloud   Twitter   YouTube Vimeo Before BlackGoku went Super Saiyan on “Saiyan Muzik”, our hero’s most renounced theme song would likely be "Trappin Out The Dorm Room". "Trappin Out the Dorm Room” is one of those phrases that stirs an immediate feeling of apprehension for an interpreter. For MC $crill, that apprehension was the daily life. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, this young intellectual has given East Atlanta a new title, Planet Veg (EA)ta. It’s no hiding where the influence of the BlackGoku brand stems from, but the wordplay on this album is an attempt to open the third eye. In a nation built on competition & capitalism, ”Caplanta” answers the Why? questions of a career in the trap life, rather th...

In 4 days since the release of rapper Cardi B’s debut album titled, Invasion of Privacy . Atlantic Records has already announced that the album is a certified gold, with certainty that it’ll be platinum by the end of this week.  Fans are going crazy, many saying that the album is an instant classic. Comparing the album to female rapper rivalry, Nicki Minaj debut album Pink Friday, whose numbers have remained unmatched, until now. There’s without a doubt that Cardi B have exceeded expectations throughout her career, no one ever assumed she would be this dominant in rap from her start on Love & Hip-Hop New York. Even after her hit single " Bodak Yellow ", I like others feared that her album wouldn’t maintain her popularity. I was wrong, Invasion of Privacy delivers in production, relevancy, style and overall relatable content. Cardi announces her platform as a hit making trap queen with this one. With songs that features artist like Kehlani, SZA , and Chance the R...

Arguably the most controversial rapper of the younger generation, Xxxtentacion, a Florida native with a very multicultural background, has yet again raised questions and value in the next generation with his sophomore album titled “?.” Known for expressing pain and depression in his music, it comes as no surprise that the lead single is titled “Sad.” However, what does catch audiences off guard is the implementation of his entire ethnic background, and how almost every song sounds completely different, while remaining coherent. Xxxtentacion introduces the album as an alternative project, that you can instantly hear in songs like “schizophrenia,” but I simply enjoyed the ride from beat to beat in almost every song. Although I wouldn’t completely label ? as the metal genre, because there’s songs like infinity 888, which is pure hip hop. Xxxtentacion clearly expresses that he is a multi-genre artist, and as a rebel he refuses to be attached to one specific music genre. Nice work Xxxten...

During the rise of this rap and hip-hop phenomenon were a select few of female Emcees whose name will always hold weight, when comparing the great female rappers . Of course, you have Queen Latifah, MissyElliot , MC Lyte, and even the modern Queen of rap Nicki Minaj, but like the men of hip hop, it took a few untold stories to evolve these respected acts of today. In the beginning rappers couldn’t make enough income to support themselves, because hip hop and rap was yet to be considered a music genre. So, throughout the Burroughs of New York, Emcees used battle rap as a positive outlet to express themselves, while creating a form of revenue. However, as the music evolved, so did the talent, inspiring more and more people which eventually led to 2018, where hip hop is the number 1 recording genre in the world. The rise of female Emcees As a hip-hop connoisseur , the moment I heard rumors of the legendary Roxanne Shanté biopic, I was instantly thrilled. Being a 90s baby, you ...

MO3 is a Dallas Rapper who has enjoyed success on platforms like Instagram and YouTube. The rising rapper has built tremendous buzz, as fans have locked to experience his music. He hails from the Northside of Dallas, Texas. A city of high poverty, and little opportunity to escape low income expectations. “I had to do what I had to do to get by” MO3 explains, and that “Everyday was a hustle.” The sequel to his debut, Shottaz. Reloaded, arrived at the close of 2015. The album featured “Hold Ya Tongue,” which went on to become a moderate hit for MO3, notching nearly two million streaming views in the year after release. Reloaded hit number 14 on the Billboard Rap chart, climbing to number two on the Billboard’s Heatseekers chart. His follow-up, 4 Indictments hosted by DJ Drama, also topped the Billboard’s Heatseekers chart upon release in 2016. 4 Indictments featured Louisiana artist Boosie Badazz on 2 songs entitled “What She said,” and “My Nigga”. In 2017 he released an album based...

The old saying goes "in 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue," this clever expression for decades is used to teach elementary school kids the discovery America. Although the land was already inhabited with people, Columbus was credited as Europe's first for successful voyage across the world. After the discover many began to settle in the Americas seeking gold, power, religious freedom and an overall new way of life, ultimately establishing America as "the land of the free." Now, fast forward over 500 years later, after the Atlantic Slave Trade, Jim Crow Laws, Nazi Germany, “Reganomics,” and even present day Black lives matters campaigns, America is still seen as this free country. In comparison to the Middle Eastern countries like Iran, who prohibits alcohol or practicing religions outside of Islam, I can understand why America is "free." However, the question is, are all Americans free? CNN published an article titled, “The blurring of racial ...

After a crazy 2 weeks of hearing about the record-breaking Marvel film, Black Panther, I managed to finally see what the hype is about. This box office hit managed to rack in over 700 million in global sales, while including many new faces to Hollywood. Marvel is already known for having some of the best superhero, so it came as no surprise when the Black Panther exceeded pass expectations. I loved the involvement of accurate historic references, reiterating the evidence that Africa is one of the richest nations, oppose to the stereotypical "starving African" statements. Such presentations have the power to decrease discrimination towards the African American community. While the underlying theme of this story carries more of a revolutionary tone, oppose to the average good guy verses bad guy theme. Chadwick Boseman, the actor who plays the Black Panther, dominates the role. Looking at the previews and relating to the Black panther movement, naturally I assumed the b...

Hip hop has grown into this common debate between the intellect conversation and the party anthems. Causing this riff for upcoming artist, feeling as if they have to choose a side in order to develop a solid fan base. Although it is true that an artist needs to have a steady sound to develop a loyal fan base, after listening to indie artist like Wyel Legend, you hear them finding their middle ground between party and messages. LVL3 Live Learn Excel , expresses two sides that are in unison with one personality. The introduction announces a lyricist, someone who has studied hip hop and taken both the good and bad that he has encountered with the industry and vocalizes it to a beat. So, when you listen to the lead single "Dear, Mrs. Hip Hop," you won't be caught off guard by the adoration, and can easily hear iconic influences. The flow Wyel carried rolled off his tongue with ease, as expected. What actually surprised me with the album is Wyel's ability to transition ...

For over the past 7 years, Drake have remained superior over all of the rappers. His catchy hooks and songs became number one hits instantly, and there's always a club/radio banger that everyone has stuck in their heads. I've been a Drake era advocate since I heard the song "Brand New" back in 2009, from that point on I knew singing had officially fused with mainstream hip hop. Although R&B and Hip Hop has always gone hand to hand, Drake created this strange unique but indifferent sound, that arguably carried from Lil Wayne . Basically, I'm not saying Drake started the trend of rapping and singing simultaneously, but he definitely reinvented the popularity of the sound.  So, what makes me question the end of the Drake era? Summer 2017 raised questions about  where was Drake. This was the first year in close to a decade that Drake did not dominate the summer or even the year. All eyes were on artist like Cardi B, Lil Uzi, and even Drake's leadi...

The 75 th Golden Globes aired last night, and while stars elegantly graced the red carpet, there was only one color that audiences seen, black. In support of Time’s Up movement, many of the stars decided that wearing black to speak against sexual harassment and discrimination, is more important than the “Best Dress” list. Popular actresses like Lupita Nyong'o are one of many who decided in 2017 to share her story as a victim in Hollywood’s sexual harassment scandals. Allegations that men use their positions as a power to force actresses into uncomfortable sexual positions. Host Seth Meyers attempted alleviate tensions on the subject with jokes throughout the ceremony, beginning with his opening monologue “Good evening, ladies and the remaining gentlemen.” Meyers managed to continue his comedic skit, while respecting the victims and assuring that the award show remained comfortable for all. Should entertainment and politics intertwine? The night shared several memo...

Life has its moments, that many refer to as those "do or die" experiences. Most people are content with their day to day lifestyle, but over time life forces everyone to change. As I ring in the New Year, I felt inspired to create a helpful post about, the ways I discovered in 2017 to make a little extra money. Last year I decided to move across the country from Atlanta to Los Angeles, seeking experience and more opportunity. As you can see I'm a writer, and my theory is bigger city equals more opportunity both monetarily and creative, simple right? Not so much, because yes you have more opportunity, but it's also more challenges. In LA, I like majority of the people living here had to find multiple sources of income to live comfortably.  1. Casting Calls I was introduced to Los Angeles as a city full of actors or at least aspiring actors. Meaning don't believe everything you see or hear, but realistically if you're in the entertainment or media field,...