Songs: Am I obsessed? This damsel got me in distress...

Here are two songs that I'm really feeling right now, both of which are by Donwill of the hip hop group Tanya Morgan. These two songs are the highlights of Donwill's free mixtape and his first full length solo album both provided below. Both songs are about the emotional hardships from losing that special someone. Listen and download below!

Donwill - Want You To Want Me Reprise Ft. Tanya Morgan

(right click to save & download)

--> Track 7 off Laura's Tape (Mixtape) --> Download

This song has so much emotion. The real minimalist beat really sets the tone of the song - steady background handclaps while a vocal soul sample repeats the haunting phrase "want you to want me". The distorted sample sounds muffled as if its being repeated off in the distance and the lyrics tell the tale of a lost love - "the one" that got away. This is the kind of song that makes me love hip hop for its soulfulness, complexity, and expressiveness. The song isn't long enough and can be put on repeat indefinitely.

 Donwill - Laura's Song

(right click to save & download)

--> Track 2 off Don Cusack in High Fidelity --> Download

This song has a beat that needs to be played loud on a great speaker system to be truly appreciated. The beat seems to surround you with all of its layers. The lead single off this album is dedicated to Donwill's ex-girl who he is obviously so hung up on that he titled this song and the above mixtape after her. Once again, a very emotion laden track, but this time in more of a storytelling manner recounting the tale of his loss. I love the beat on this track with the vocal sample building up to the chorus and playing out in the end of the track. With all the different sounds interacting, it's easy to get lost in the track when you close your eyes and play it loud.

Enjoy the soulful tracks.

Mixtape: Dilla Mix Vol. 2

 Tracklist + Download - Dilla Mix Vol. 2

I'm quite impressed with this mixtape compiled and mixed on the 1's and 2's by my friend Chris, one of the biggest Dilla fans you'll ever meet. He put it up on his blog (link above) a week ago and I couldn't download it until today, but my dude put together a tracklist that'll impress even the most hardcore Jay Dee fan. Staying true to the original mixtape format, this mix is one track - two hours of some of the dopest Dilla beats, verses, and instrumentals. A true testament to Dilla's incredible versatility, this mix gives the listener a good idea of how and why Dilla is considered one of the greatest producers of all time... R.I.P. J Dilla...

"It was in the wind when she said Dilla was gone, that's when I knew we'd live forever through song" ~ Common - Forever Begins

Album: Freeway & Jake One - The Stimulus Package (2010)

 

Download "The Stimulus Package" HERE

Preview Tracks 4, 9, & 15

1. Stimulus Intro (feat. Beanie Sigel)

2. Throw Your Hands Up
3. One Foot In
4. She Makes Me Feel Alright
5. Never Gonna Change
6. One Thing (feat. Raekwon)
7. Know What I Mean
8. The Product
9. Microphone Killa (feat. Young Chris)
10. Follow My Moves (feat. Birdman)
11. Sho' Nuff (feat. Bun B)
12. Freekin' The Beat (feat. Latoiya Williams)
13. Money (feat. Omilio Sparks & Mr. Porter)
14. Free People
15. Stimulus Outro

It doesn't happen often, but occasionally I listen to an album and afterwards I think to myself, "wow, this actually would have been worth buying". Sadly, I've grown so accustomed to free music that this doesn't even cross my mind most of the time. But The Stimulus Package by Freeway & Jake One is an all around solid album from start to finish with no filler tracks. You can thank Jake One's exclusive production for that. 

A native to Seattle, Jake One's beats are always dope (influenced by legends such as DJ Premier and Pete Rock) and he makes this album a consistent body of work. He has done production work for many artists, both underground & mainstream, and does a good job of showing his versatility (just listen to tracks 10 & 14 back to back to see what I mean).

Freeway, aka Philly Freezer, is a Philadelphia rapper known for being signed to Roc-A-Fella Records and his rather crazy huge beard (check video below if you don't "Know What I Mean"). Freeway is not an amazing lyricist by any means, but his delivery and intensity is on point and his rapping over Jake One's beats brings out some intriguing storytelling sessions (Preview tracks above to get a taste). This album definitely changed my feelings towards Freeway and made me respect him a lot more as an artist.

I definitely recommend you download this hotness. I've already given it 3 listens today. Enjoy!

Video for Track 7 - "Know What I Mean"

Album: Reks – In Between The Lines (2010 Mixtape)

 

Download "In Between The Lines" HERE  

Preview Tracks 2, 13, 15, & 22

1. Green Lantern Intro

2. Self Titled (off R.E.K.S. album) (produced by Statik Selektah)
3. I Don’t Play (LFHQ Dj Premier Exclusive)
4. Understand (produced by Lee Bannon)
5. Rap-a-nomics ft. Slaine & Torae (produced by Statik Selektah)
6. Count If Off ft. CurT@ins (produced by Statik Selektah)
7. 2012 (produced by Statik Selektah)
8. God Damn! ft. Freddie Gibbs (produced by Statik Selektah)
9. I Too, America (produced by Statik Selektah)
10. 7am ft. Termanology, Steven King, J-Status, & JFK (produced by Statik Selektah)
11. That’s What’s Up ft. Bossman (produced by Statik Selektah)
12. Hennessy (produced by Statik Selektah)
13. Henny @ Halftime ft. Ron artest (produced by Statik Selektah)
14. Dangerous (Showoff) ft. JFK, Statik Selektah, & Kali (produced by Statik Selektah)
15. 21st Century Rap (prod. by Anthem)
16. Banner City ft. Termanology & Easy Money (off Dj Deadeye album, prod. by MGI)
17. Diesel ft. Chi Knox & Lucky Dice (produced by Rain)
18. City Night Stories ft. Nature, Soul Theory, and G Huff (produced by Soul Theory)
19. Down Like That (Lawtown) (produced by Statik Selektah)
20. Evil That Men Do ft. JV (produced by DEMOBeats)
21. Problem ft. LMS and Saheed (prod. by OZNY)
22. In Between The Lines Freestyle (prod. by Infinite Archetype)
23. Lucky Man (produced by Statik Selektah)
24. International ft. El Da Sensei and Insight (produced by Insight)
25. Something From Nothing ft. Mr M.O.E. & B.R. (ATL) (produced by S-Type)
26. Jena Side (produced by 1914)
27. Invasion Outro

So this is a promo mixtape called In Between The Lines from the artist REKS hosted and backed by super-producers Statik Selektah & DJ Green Lantern. In anticipation of his 2010 album titled R.E.K.S. coming in March, this mixtape shows just how worthy REKS is to break out onto the rap scene. The upcoming album will have production by hip hop legends DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and Large Professor (not everyone can get these guys supporting them!).

On this mixtape here, REKS's flow is superb and his content is fueled by the "pain of being brought up on the grind". You can tell by his lyrics in track 2 "Self Titled" (preview above) just how hungry he is to make a name for himself as a lyricist/writer and as a hip hop artist. He frequently references old school hip hop and pays homage to the culture, which makes me respect him even more. Also, he has a lot of insight and explains his internal drive for rapping/writing, which makes him more three dimensional as an artist. I suggest you look up his last album More Grey Hairs if you like what you hear. That album has one of the most powerful rap songs that I've ever heard - "Dear Winter". I see a ton of future potential in REKS even though he has already proven his worth. Check for his new album coming in March. It's sure to be more hotness.

Another dope song: REKS ft. Termanology & Krumb Snatcha - Big Dreamers (Remix)


Big ups to DJ Statik Selektah and the whole Showoff Records crew, who are doing some really great work right now.

Peace.