NYS Music 202​2

Tag: Music News

  • New Notorious B.I.G. Interactive Statue in Brooklyn Pays Tribute to the Hip Hop Great

    The Notorious B.I.G.’s larger than life aura is being commemorated with an alluring statue of the hip hop legend. A nine-foot tall interactive build of the fabled rapper aptly tittled, “Sky’s the Limit in the County of Kings,” has been erected in Clumber Corner Park in DUMBO. The statue features Biggie in his trademark Coogi sweater and crown as he gazes down at the city.

    Notorious B.I.G.’s presence lives on through this new interactive sculpture

    The rock hall of fame inductee was born in BedStuy and is synonymous with the borough of Brooklyn. In turn, some of his lyrics have since taken life on their own and now serve as the borough’s mantra. The bronze, stainless steel sculpture includes speakers that play some of The Notorious B.I.G’s greatest hits. 

    The Notorious B.I.G. Sculpture up Close

    The sustainable and interactive statue is carefully curated with Bronze, Resin, Stainless Steel, Winterstone, and Wood with a a built in audio system powered by a solar energy. statue plays music on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Funded by the Downtown Brooklyn and DUMBO Public Art Fund, the statue was designed by NYC artist Sherwin Banfield — who cites Biggie as one of his early inspirations — for hip hop’s 50th anniversary in 2023. Henceforth, the statue will remain in place until October of 2023.

    One of his most famous positive lyrics is ‘Stay far from timid, only make moves when your heart’s in it, and live the phrase ‘the sky’s the limit’… he’s offering you his microphone, which is his throne, which is what helped him become the king of New York.I wanted to show that yes, you can be tough, but you can also show love, or spread love as he would say.

    – Designer, Sherwin Banfield
    NYC based artist, Sherwin Banfield, stands next to his 9-foot incarnation of the Notorious B.I.G.

    Moreover, a celebration of the Notorious B.I.G. life in the form of “Sky’s the Limit in the County of Kings” is a fitting way to commemorate one of hip hop’s greatest stars. A diverse individual, the sculpture challenges the traditions of western public sculptures. The larger than life figure represents Biggie’s African American artistry, lineage, and evolution as the “King of New York.” The crowned bust is traditionally sculpted, sitting atop an angular steel frame and supported by panels that highlight Wallace’s achievements. This reflective sculpture invites the viewer to experience the larger-than-life artistry of B.I.G.’s contributions to Brooklyn and Hip-Hop culture.

    Photo gallery by Chris De Cotis

  • SZA Announces First Arena Tour, Madison Square Garden Stop Set for March

    Superstar R&B songstress, SZA, will be embarking on her first nationwide arena tour — The S.O.S. North American Tour — in promotion of her number 1 selling album, SOS.

    The SOS Tour will see SZA perform at arenas nationwide.

    Produced by Live Nation, the exclusive 17-city tour kicks-off on February 21 at Schottenstein Center in Columbus, OH, and includes a stop at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Saturday, March 4, 2023. Along with special guest Omar Apollo, the tour will see SZA make stops in visit Chicago, Toronto, Atlanta, Seattle, Vancouver and more before wrapping up in Los Angeles at the Kia Forum. This tour marks the first time the Grammy-winning singer is playing venues of this size while debuting her critically-acclaimed album live to fans. 

    SZA’s Rise

    All in all, SZA has been an industry mainstay for nearly a decade. Her 2014 EP, Z, put her on the map with records like “Child’s Play” and “Babylon.” But, 2017 would see her reach mainstream stardom with the release of CTRL. SZA’s debut recording earned her widespread recognition, including four Grammy nomination and a spot on Rolling Stone‘s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.

    Embed from Getty Images

    SZA has continued to garner recognition since the release of Ctrl. Despite her hiatus from solo work, she received a 2022 Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Kiss Me More” with Doja Cat. She also won Billboard Music Awards’ Top R&B Female Artist, BET Awards’ Best New Artist, BET Soul Train Awards’ Best R&B/Soul Female Artist and Best New Artist, MTV Video Music Awards’ Best Visual Effects for the “All The Stars” with Kendrick Lamar, and NAACP Image Awards’ Outstanding New Artist. In 2019, she won NAACP Image Awards’ Outstanding Duo or Group for “All The Stars” with Kendrick Lamar and Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation for the Black Panther Soundtrack. SZA also received Billboard’s 2019 Women in Music Rule Breaker award.

    What to Expect From the SOS Tour

    Although a now decorated recording artist, SZA’s greatest achievement is her longstanding relationship with her fans. Not many artists can not release an album for five years and debut at number 1 on the Billboard charts. A talented artist, SZA’s vulnerability on her records leaves a lasting impact on listeners. Topics revolving around love, desires and insecurities have made her this era’s go-to R&B songstress. The addition of Grammy-nominated artist, Omar Apollo, should make for an impassioned set of performances. With about 300K in first-week sales, fans were eager for SZA’s sophomore effort and should be even more restless to see it live.

    Tickets can be purchased on the SOS Tour official website.

    THE S.O.S NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES: 

    Tue Feb 21 – Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center

    Wed Feb 22 – Chicago, IL – United Center

    Fri Feb 24 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena

    Sat Feb 25 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena

    Mon Feb 27 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena

    Tue Feb 28 – Boston, MA – TD Garden

    Thu Mar 02 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center

    Sat Mar 04 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

    Tue Mar 07 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena

    Thu Mar 09 – Austin, TX – Moody Center

    Fri Mar 10 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center

    Mon Mar 13 – San Diego, CA – Viejas Arena

    Tue Mar 14 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena

    Thu Mar 16 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena

    Sat Mar 18 – Portland, OR – Moda Center

    Sun Mar 19 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena

    Wed Mar 22 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum

  • Key Glock Announces Glockoma Tour With Performance in Queens’ Knockdown Center

    One of the brightest stars in the Southern hip-hop scene, Key Glock, has announced a U.S. tour this upcoming spring. Presented by SiriusXM’s Hip-Hop Nation and produced by Live Nation, Key Glock brings his “Glockoma” tour across the nation. The 31-date run kicks-off on March 5 at Atlanta’s Coca-Cola Roxy, and includes a stop at the Knockdown Center in Queens, NY, on Saturday, March 18, 2023.

    With support from fellow Memphis native Big Scarr, the “Russian Cream” rapper will be performing songs from his catalog, including PRE5L, the 5-song EP he released in November. Key Glock’s last solo headlining tour, “YellowTape 2022,” sold over 35,000 tickets across intimate venues. However, his upcoming tour promises even more hits. Since bursting onto the scene, the “Look at They Face” rapper has maintained an upward trajectory. With the addition of XXL Freshman and Gucci Mane signee Big Scarr, expect two of Memphis’ best to put on.

    One of the leading faces of Memphis rap, Key Glock is signed to the late Young Dolph’s Paper Route Empire. The 25-year-old rapper stays true to his roots with an emphatic midtempo flow, trunk-rattling trap beats and plenty of horns

    Embed from Getty Images

    Glock burst onto the scene with his PRE debut, Glock Season, in 2017, from which the single “On My Soul” has nearly 8 million views on YouTube. Additionally, 2018’s Glock Bond spurned the hit “Russian Cream” which sits at 16 million views. Since then, he has continued his meteoric rise with 4 solo mixtapes and Dum and Dummer, a collaborative effort with Young Dolph.

    2020’s Yellow Tape took him to a new level, peaking at #8 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop charts and #14 on the Billboard 200. March 2021’s Dum & Dummer 2 with Young Dolph debuted at #8 on the Billboard 200 and generated nearly 36k sales equivalent units across platforms and scored the fifth-biggest streaming debut on Spotify during its first week of release. October 2021’s Yellow Tape 2 debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on the Independents Charts. Currently boasting over 8 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Key Glock is breaking into the mainstream as we speak.

    Tickets go on sale Friday, December 9 at 10 a.m. at keyglock.com

    GLOCKOMA 2023 TOUR DATES

    Sun Mar 05 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy

    Thu Mar 09 – North Myrtle Beach, SC – House of Blues

    Fri Mar 10 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore Charlotte

    Sat Mar 11 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz

    Sun Mar 12 – Greensboro, NC — Piedmont Hall

    Wed Mar 15 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia

    Thu Mar 16 – Washington, DC – Echostage

    Sat Mar 18 – Queens, NY – The Knockdown Center

    Sun Mar 19 – Boston, MA – Big Night Live

    Wed Mar 22 – Cincinnati, OH – The Andrew J Brady Music Center

    Thu Mar 23 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues

    Fri Mar 24 – Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom

    Sat Mar 25 – Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room at Old National Centre

    Sun Mar 26 – Detroit, MI – Saint Andrew’s Hall

    Wed Mar 29 – Chicago, IL – Radius

    Thu Mar 30 – Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater

    Fri Mar 31 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore Minneapolis

    Sun Apr 02 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium

    Tue Apr 04 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex

    Thu Apr 06 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo

    Sat Apr 08 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater

    Tue Apr 11 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore

    Fri Apr 14 – San Diego, CA – SOMA

    Sat Apr 15 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium

    Sun Apr 16 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren

    Fri Apr 21 – San Antonio, TX – The Aztec Theater

    Sat Apr 22 – Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center

    Sun Apr 23 – Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom

    Wed Apr 26 – New Orleans, LA – The Fillmore New Orleans

    Thu Apr 27 – Birmingham, AL – Avondale Brewing Company

    Fri Apr 28 – Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works

  • Latin Band Bacilos Announces ‘Back In The USA ’23’ Tour, Irving Plaza Date Set for May

    The hit Latin band, Bacilos, featuring Jorge Villamizar and André Lopes, have announced their first tour in the United States since 2004. Produced by Live Nation, the nine-city — Back in the USA ‘23 — tour kicks-off on April 27, 2023 at North Beach Bandshell in Miami, FL, and will make stops in Orlando, Atlanta, Houston, Boston and New York‘s own Irving Plaza on May 12, before wrapping up in Chicago, IL at House of Blues on May 14.

    Bacilos’ first tour in the U.S. in 19 years will make a stop at Irving Plaza in New York City on Friday, May 12, 2023.

    When curating their set the duo decided to give an exciting spin to their classic records while bringing sensational new material into their performance. In addition to Villamizar and Lopes, Bacilos will be accompanied by their high-caliber band. Moreover, having performed across Latin America to huge crowds with immense success, Bacilos’ show is representative of their vibrancy and impact-fulness as critical trendsetters in modern Latin Pop music. 

    This past year, Bacilos released new classic songs and collaborations with Latin America’s most outstanding young artists. Their music has reached around 22 million people around the globe, reaching up to 180 countries. In addition, with more than 1 million creations, Caraluna — the tittle of their Latin Grammy winning album and single — became a Worldwide trend when the community accomplished a very successful TikTok movement with new choreography.

    BACILOS BACK IN THE USA ‘23 TOUR DATES: 

    Thursday, April 27, 2023 – Miami – Miami Beach Bandshell

    Friday, April 28, 2023 – Orlando — House of Blues

    Sunday, April 30, 2023 – Atlanta – Buckhead Theatre

    Thursday, May 4, 2023 – Houston – House of Blues

    Saturday, May 6, 2023 – Austin – Emo’s

    Sunday, May 7, 2023 – Dallas – The Echo Lounge & Music Hall

    Wednesday, May 10, 2023 – Boston – Paradise Rock Club

    Friday, May 12, 2023 – New York – Irving Plaza

    Sunday, May 14, 2023 – Chicago – House of Blues

    Tickets for Bacilos go on sale starting on Friday, December 9 at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster.

  • In Focus: Lovejoy Plays Second Ever New York Show at Mercury Lounge

    Lovejoy made a stop on Wednesday on December 7th at the Mercury Lounge in New York City. Selling out every one of their shows within minutes of announcing their US tour, the upbeat indie-rock band put on an amazing performance, full of jumping, head-banging, and enthusiastic crowd interaction. The UK-based band played various songs from their first EP Are You Alright, and their latest release, Pebble Brain.

    Lovejoy mercury lounge
    Lead singer Wilbur Soot and bassist Ash Kabosu

    Lovejoy, consisting of lead singer Will Gold—better known by his Youtube name, Wilbur Soot—guitarist Joe Goldsmith, bassist Ash Kabosu, and drummer Mark Boardman, played their second ever show in New York this past week. The band formed in 2020 when Wilbur Soot, with his already large fanbase of 6.35 million followers on Youtube and Twitch for video game streaming, uploaded his comedic yet catchy song, “Your New Boyfriend.” The song pushed Soot to pursue music on a more serious level. Already friends with guitarist Joe, Soot met bassist Ash Kabosu at a burger shop and drummer Mark Boardman through the freelance company Fiverr. After Soot and Goldsmith’s first day of recording music with their newly found instrumentalists, the four decided to form their band.

    Lovejoy mercury lounge

    Lovejoy first entered the stage by pushing through the crowd, generating screams of excitement from the crazed fans, many of whom brought their parents with them to the packed venue. Given that Lovejoy had only four scheduled tour dates in the US, many dedicated followers traveled hours from far away states like Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and even Florida to see their favorite band play.

    A teenager from the crowd handed guitarist Joe Goldsmith a black-and-white striped beanie, which he wore during the entire show. Prior to playing their song “Model Buses,” the crowd collectively booed Boris Johnson and sang along to lyrics like “We can barely see your hair receding..” and “Sound as good with slurred speech as I do when I’m sober…” After facing some technical difficulties during their performance of “Concrete,” the band replayed the song with the whole crowd screaming the lyrics and jumping eagerly to the beat.

    Before their encore, the band members pretended to leave the stage and re-enter from behind the curtains, prompting the crowd to scream in excitement once again. Lovejoy is continuing their US tour with two last shows in California on December 9th and December 11th.

    Setlist: Tomorrow, You’ll Understand When You’re Older; Oh Yeah, You Gonna Cry?; Taunt, Consequences, Model Buses, Cause for Concern, The Fall, It’s Golden Hour Somewhere (unreleased), One Day, Sex Sells

    Encore: Perfume, It’s All Futile! It’s All Pointless!, Concrete

    Lovejoy mercury lounge
    Lovejoy mercury lounge
    Guitarist Joe Goldsmith and Drummer Mark Boardman
    Lovejoy mercury lounge
    Lovejoy mercury lounge

  • Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams to Close Upcoming Spring Tour at Levon Helm Studios

    Married musical duo Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams have announced dates for a 2023 tour, which begins in Easton, MD on February 2 and finishes April 22 at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock.

    The 21-date tour is in promotion of their upcoming album Live At Levon’s!, slated for February release. The 12-track record was recorded in entirety at the Woodstock venue with audience presence.

    campbell williams levon helms
    Teresa Williams and Larry Campbell.

    Their tour announcement on the Second of December was coupled with the release of the album’s second single, a cover of “Darling Be Home Soon” by The Lovin’ Spoonful. The funky orchestra-laden 1967 track is subdued by Campbell & Williams, who slow down the tempo and turn the song into a simple piano and acoustic guitar tune, making for a more melancholic delivery.

    Cover art for Live at Levons!

    Live At Levon’s! features a selection of new, previously unreleased songs from the Woodstock duo and “old favorites” such as the album’s lead single “Angel of Darkness.” It’s a biting blues rock track, with fuzzy guitar licks and soulful keyboards complementing Williams’ shaking vocals. It’s highlighted by a slippery guitar solo around the three-minute mark.

    Information on pre-orders for Live At Levon’s! can be found here, and details regarding tickets and more for Campbell & Williams’ Levon Helms Studio show can be found on TIXR.

  • A Boogie Releases Fourth Studio Album ‘Me vs Myself’

    A Boogie wit da Hoodie is back with his fourth studio album, Me vs. Myself. The Bronx native’s newest project comes almost two-years after his last studio album, the platinum selling Artist 2.0, and nearly a year to the day of his 2021 EP, B4 AVA.

    A Boogie

    Correspondingly, Me vs. Myself arrives after being pushed back from its original November 4 release date to avoid competing for sales with Drake and 21 Savages, Her Loss.

    In an instagram story post, A Boogie announced the album’s delay. Posting, “Sorry but Album dropping in December now, Drake was dropping same day and I’m not with that #HOODIESZN,” he wrote with a series of laughing emojis.

    The 21-track project features heavy hitters from the hip hop and r&b world. Having recruited the likes of Lil Durk, Tory Lanez, G-Herbo, Roddy Ricch and Don Q. Additionally, the previously released single “Playa” with H.E.R. is included as a bonus track. In the same fashion, his Kodak Black collab “Water (Drowning Pt.2)” was released as a single. A sequel to his 2017 smash hit “Drowning,” A Boogie will look to replicate the success of the record which spent nearly 30 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and went 7X platinum.

    Me vs. Myself is an important project for A Boogie’s current status in the game. While he remains one of the most streamed artists in the world, his reputation for delivering good albums has waned. With the emergence of the drill scene, A Boogie must remind fans that he remains a heavy hitter.

    In an interview with Hip Hop Dx, the “Still Think About You” rapper revealed his goals for his upcoming drops.

    “I’m definitely one of those top guys now,” A Boogie assured.

    I’m not where I want to be yet, but you already know what I’m going for. Number one, and we’re not settling for anything less. I used to settle for less because I never had that goal to look all the way up there, but now that we looking up there, it’s looking scary for a lot of people.

    – A Boogie wit da Hoodie

  • In Focus: Beabadoobee and Lowertown Stop at Empire Live in Albany

    Beabadoobee with opener Lowertown made a stop at Empire Live on Saturday, December 3rd for her second show in New York during her Beatopia tour. Beabadoobee, with her grungy outfit and electric green guitar, fully embodied the indie-rock age of the early-2000s through her stellar performance. 

    Beabadoobee
    Beabadoobee performing The Perfect Pair

    Filipino-British artist Beabadoobee, also known as Beatrice Laus, previously played at the Brooklyn Steel with guitarist Jacob Bugden, bassist Eliana Sewell, and drummer Luca Caruso. She is having one last US show in Boston before beginning her European tour. Beabadoobee is set to return in 2023 to open for Taylor Swift’s upcoming The Eras Tour. 

    Lowertown, consisting of Atlanta duo Olivia Osby and Avsha Weinberg, has opened for Beabadoobee for the entirety of her Beatopia tour. Invoking music of the indie-rock, electronic, and lo-fi genre, the pair put on an incredible performance with many songs from their new album, I Love To Lie.

    Olivia Osby from Lowertown

    During her song “10:36,” Beabadoobee urged the crowd to “Get down, get down!” before jumping at the drop of the chorus. Guitarist Jacob Bugden dived into the sea of people rocking their “fairy-core grunge” outfits as hundreds of hands allowed him to surf the crowd. Beatrice, with her large collection of red panda stuffed animals on stage, threw one into the crowd for a lucky fan to take home. 

    Finally, Beatrice ended her set with an encore, singing “Coffee“—her first ever original and most-popular song—“Ripples,” and “Cologne.” Her immaculate vocals, incredible energy, and phenomenal guitar-playing with the rest of her band truly wowed the crowd.

    Lowertown Setlist: It’s It’s It’s, Debris, Scum, No Way, At the End, My Friends, Bucktooth, Best Person

    Beabadoobee Setlist: 10:36, Apple Cider, Care, Fairy Song; Yoshimi, Forest, Magdalene; Worth It, Together, Charlie Brown, The Perfect Pair, Sunny Day, Sorry, She Plays Bass, See You Soon, Don’t Get the Deal, Back to Mars, Last Day On Earth, Talk
    Encore: Coffee, Ripples Cologne

    Beabadoobee singing Coffee and Ripples during her encore
    Eliana Sewell on bass
    Jacob Bugden on guitar
    Avsha Weinberg from Lowertown
    Olivia Osby from Lowertown

  • Rock The Bells Announces First-Ever Timeless Hip Hop Cruise

    LL Cool J founded media platform, Rock The Bells, have announced their latest venture, “Rock The Bells Cruise: A Hip-Hop Experience” in partnership with Sixthman. The hip hop culture platform will team with the industry leading theme cruise charter company to offer fans of hip hop a new way to experience their favorite era of hip hop and immerse themselves in the mystique of the genre’s golden era.

    Rock The Bells began as music festival in Queens and will now be going abroad

    What is Rock The Bells?

    With this intention, the brand is bringing its annual Rock The Bells Festival – a day-long celebration of hip hop curated by founder LL Cool J in his hometown of Queens, NY. Setting sail from Miami to the Bahamas from November 13 – November 17, 2023, the cruise will feature live performances by iconic artists. Not to mention, “Rock The Bells Cruise: A Hip-Hop Experience” is the first of its kind, offering an all-inclusive four-day, four-night Hip-Hop experience aboard the Norwegian Pearl. The cruise is one of many announcements the company has planned to honor and celebrate Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary and salute its icons. 

    The Norwegian Pearl will play host to “Rock The Bells Cruise: A Hip-Hop Experience.”

    Events

    Thus, the expedition kicks-off with a special “Welcome to Miami” performance by Miami hip hop legends Trick Daddy and Trina on the ship’s pool deck. Attendees that purchase their cabin before January 18, 2023, will be able to hang out with Trick Daddy and Trina at a private cocktail happy hour prior to setting sail. Moreover, guests that purchase before January 18, 2023 can also start a free 3-month subscription to SiriusXM and tune into into LL Cool J’s Rock The Bells Radio on Channel 43 and on the SXM App.

    At Rock The Bells, we believe classic and timeless Hip-Hop deserves to be served on a silver platter and we can’t wait for Hip-Hop lovers across the globe to be immersed in the culture for five days, on five stages. We’re excited to partner with Sixthman, who bridges the gap between artists and fans, creating unforgettable guest experiences.

    – Rock The Bell’s President James Cuthbert

    The full cruise lineup will be announced at the top of the new year, but attendees can expect dozens of performances and intimate experiences from some of Hip-Hop’s classic MCs, DJs and producers. In effect, Rock The Bells will be taking over every corner of the ship with pool deck parties presented by world renowned DJ Kid Capri. Other fun endeavors will include MC and DJ battles, rap karaoke, interactive graffiti, live podcasts, roller skating, open mic nights, movie screenings, masterclasses, art galleries, custom grillz, tattoos, basketball and The Trill Mealz Food Court. 

    More Information

    Pricing ranges from $1,099 to $5,199. Attendees can book now for themselves or as a gift to others. More detailed information can be found on the Rock The Bells cruise website.

  • Westside Gunn Premieres Music Video for “Peppas”

    Westside Gunn the self-pronounced FlyGod continues to impress with his curation of albums and music videos.

    “Peppas” is the latest video off of Westside Gunn’s new album, 10 and features legendary hip hop duo, Black Star. Getting the seldom featured duo of Yaiin Bey and Talib Kweli on a track is a major coup for Westside. The legendary Brooklyn rhymers have made sure to not oversaturate their sound, going over two decades in-between albums. For the “Peppas” video, Westside bridges the gap between the “hood” and the glamors of the hip hop world. The visual of legendary hip hop figures returning to where it all began, just kicking it on the block adds a down-to-earth feel to the abstract sounding record. A juxtaposition that leans on the fact that most rappers earn their stripes in these communities, thus it’s all one big cycle.

    Visual Breakdown

    The record’s title itself is the name of a popular Jamaican restaurant in Bedford-Stuyvesant, one of Brooklyn’s more renowned neighborhoods. The Conducter Williams produced track features the typical ear catching soul samples that fans have come to expect from a Westside project. Additionally, Kweli, Bey, and their abstract and philosophical rhymes serve as the perfect foil to Westside Gunn’s in your face style.

    Furthermore, each rapper’s verse conveys a similar message in their own way: their view of the world while subsequently letting you know how great they are. Concurrently, they gather with their homies on the block, enjoying the food and mingling with the restaurant staff. The entire record and video plays on the theme of the varying personalities and minds in the hood. Although a group of black males hanging around the block may be stylized as one, there are various personalities, ideologies and general life ethos at play within that group dynamic.

    Best Lyrics

    Matte-black dynamite, blast radials, black radio
    Core capability, flaco facility
    Fly guy, do or die, Bed-Stuy energy

    – Yasiin Bey
    Embed from Getty Images

    Claimin’ La Costra Nostra, we in love with the coca
    They hit niggas with the R.I.C.O., white people put it in cola
    For generational wealth, they standin’ on they ancestor’s shoulders
    After burnin’ down Tulsa, Oklahoma

    – Talib Kweli
    Embed from Getty Images

    My favorite fiend went to rehab
    Two weeks later, he was back a addict again
    He was three dollars short, had to drag him from the Benz wagon again

    – Westside Gunn

    Lastly, FlyGod.

    Embed from Getty Images