If there is one thing to know about The Game, it is that he is a massive figure for West Coast hip-hop. Music fans have enjoyed the Compton, California native’s tough-guy persona for two decades now. Most of his albums have done a masterful job at amplifying this. One of The Game’s two 2008 releases spoke to the pride that showed for his roots. The album that is being celebrated today is LAX.
More specifically, the track “LAX Files,” was and still is a terrific cut from a stacked tracklist. The Genius annotation for this song encapsulates what this track is all about. “LAX Files (In reference to the famed show X-Files which investigates and details UFC life) is the 2nd track on Games 2008 album LAX. As the name implies, Game takes us through an X-File type investigation of gang-life and living in Southern LA.” But this is not the only way of The Game repping California.
The prolific 43-year-old called on some big names to represent his roots. Several of the biggest producers of all time like Cool & Dre, Kanye West, Scott Storch, Nottz, Hi-Tek, and more laid down some terrific West Coast-style beats. Furthermore, Lil Wayne, Bilal, Ice Cube and others added so much swag and flare to the project to take it a step further. It did so well that LAX debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.
What are your thoughts on this throwback album LAX from The Game? How underrated is this project in his extensive catalog? What song is your favorite from this 2008 effort? We want to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave all of your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all the hottest throwback records and all of the latest breaking news around the music world.
Quotable Lyrics:
Come to my hood hood, look at my block block That’s that project building, yeah that’s where I got shot, shot ‘Cause I was more hood than Suge, had more rocks than Jay More scars on my face than the original Scarface, or the homeboy Scarface Al Pacino couldn’t be no gangsta, DeNiro in “Casino” he no gangsta
This year marks 23 years since the release of Eminem’s iconic album, The Marshall Mathers LP. The album was Eminem’s third studio album and was released on May 23, 2000, via Aftermath and Interscope. Dr. Dre executive produced the project, producing most of the album’s tracklist alongside Mel-Man, F.B.T., and Eminem himself. The Detroit icon is undoubtedly one of the most impactful hip hop artists ever. The Marshall Mathers LP featured artists including Dido, RBX, Sticky Fingaz, D12, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, and Nate Dogg. Eminem is held in high regard, widely considered among the greatest rappers ever. The Marshall Mathers LP is considered by many to be Eminem’s best album. It is one of hip hop’s most influential and definitive classics. We look back on the impact of The Marshall Mathers LP for its 23rd anniversary.
One Of Hip Hop’s Most Polarizing Albums
The Marshall Mathers LP brought listeners further into Eminem’s world that he created with The Slim Shady LP in 1999. The album builds on the lyrical content of The Slim Shady LP.He addresses relationships with his mother and ex-wife, drug use, and his place in hip hop, among other topics. Eminem provided a unique perspective that hip hop had not seen before, resulting in one of the genre’s most polarizing albums. The Marshall Mathers LP completely leaned into the controversial figure that Eminem had based the Slim Shady character around.
The album’s lyrics were quite controversial, appalling listeners with violence, misogyny, and homophobia. The album led to further discourse over hip hop’s relationship with censorship and the effect of explicit lyrics on children. Songs like “Kill You,” “Who Knew,” “Criminal,” and “The Way I Am” were very contentious yet still very successful. Though the language was quite harsh and offended many, Eminem stunned listeners with his technical ability as a rapper, displaying some of the most impressive flows and complex rhyme schemes. The emotion and humor of the album were also highly compelling. He even stirred up controversy when dissing other white pop stars on the album, like Britney Spears and *NSYNC.
The Marshall Mathers LP was critically acclaimed upon its release and has garnered even more praise in the years that followed. The album completely eclipsed The Slim Shady LP regarding quality, acclaim, and success. Despite its success, it was still widely condemned by religious and political organizations.
Eminem As A Cultural Icon
The shock value and the quality of the music on The Marshall Mathers LP cemented Eminem’s status as a rap superstar. He became one of the most prominent and recognizable artists at the time. The album won over both hip hop purists and casual fans outside of different age groups and demographics. The album’s broad reach sold over a million copies in its first week. The Marshall Mathers LP went No. 1 and spent multiple weeks at the top of the Billboard charts. It still remains one of the fastest-selling albums and best-selling albums of all time. The album took home the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album in 2001. Eminem became a superstar and cultural phenomenon as a direct result of the success of The Marshall Mathers LP.
The Impact Of The Marshall Mathers LP
Twenty-three years later, Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP is still one of the most recognizable hip hop albums ever and contains some of hip hop’s most iconic songs. One of these legendary tracks is the captivating “Stan.” The single is about a troubled and obsessed fan who writes to him in an attempt to connect, which takes a surprising turn. “Stan” was its very own experience within the album and is one of Eminem’s most classic songs. It was impactful to the point where “Stan” is now a term in the dictionary. Moments like this song speak to the album’s legacy. The Marshall Mathers LP influenced many of hip hop’s future greats, inspiring the likes of Odd Future, Logic, Kendrick Lamar, and many more.
In 2013, Eminem released his 8th studio album The Marshall Mathers LP 2, 13 years after the original. The album included a sequel to “Stan,” titled “Bad Guy.” Though it had multiple hit singles, The Marshall Mathers LP 2 was nowhere near its predecessor’s acclaim level. The Marshall Mathers LP remains Eminem’s biggest and highest-rated album. It is widely considered his best album, though one can argue that The Eminem Show and Recovery are better. The Marshall Mathers LP defined an era for hip hop and Eminem’s career—making him one of the biggest rappers ever. This album cemented Eminem’s GOAT status, and he has “always been chasing it” in terms of success and creativity.
There were only seven tracks on this album. Although that is all that was really needed. Pusha T delivered a plethora of fantastic performances all across this project. Of course, he also helped start an iconic run of diss tracks with Drake. That said, there are a few songs here that will always be memorable for fans. One of those songs is “Come Back Baby,” which can be listened to down below.
Pusha T Was In His Bag
Throughout this track we get amazing samples, a steady flow, and some very clever bars. Pusha T sounds incredibly confident on this track, as he does on all of his songs. However, there was just something special about “Come Back Baby” that you could discern right away. To this day, it remains a true favorite of ours.
Pusha T dropped another album last year and it received a whole lot of praise. Although it may not have had the same hype as Daytona, it was still recognized as yet another amazing body of work. Push is a legend and at this point, he can truly do no wrong. Hopefully, he blesses us with another project, very soon. Let us know what you think of “Come Back Baby,” in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news and updates from around the music world.
Quotable Lyrics:
Dope just touched down, I’m so grateful Numbers so low, bitch, be thankful They say don’t let money change you That’s how we know money ain’t you Bitch, I been had, bitches been bad We buy big boats, bitch, I’m Sinbad
Kanye West has made legendary contributions to music and pop culture, whether you like him or not. His influence over the years has been evident. Before his anti-Semitic tirades and anti-Black remarks, he built an incredible discography. West’s debut album, 2004’s The College Dropout, is an all-time classic and arguably consists of some of the greatest hip hop songs ever made. The story behind the album can be seen in the jeen-yuhs documentary on Netflix about Kanye’s rise to fame.
The College Dropout’s tracklist boasts gorgeous soul samples, legendary features, and some of the best rapping from Kanye. The album was the first glimpse of West’s artistic greatness on a major level before he went on to push musical boundaries. HotNewHipHophas previously compiled lists about TheCollege Dropout era Kanye, but this latest piece is about ranking the entire tracklist. While no bad songs are on the project, this list ranks The College Dropout tracks from best to worst, excluding the skits.
14. “The New Workout Plan”
“The New Workout Plan” is at the bottom of this list for obvious reasons. It is not meant to be taken seriously and is pretty funny to listen to. It is a fun song that uses a fitness regimen as its base, and the skits in the middle are entertaining. Although Kanye raps well on the song, it ranks at the bottom lyrically, in my opinion. The instrumental is well-produced, and the hook is catchy. However, I don’t believe it is better than other songs on The College Dropout because the production and rapping are not on par with the quality of the album’s superior tracks. The song is still legendary is carries on its legacy as J. Cole made great use of the ending on “Work Out.”
13. “Family Business”
Yet another great track, “Family Business” discusses fundamental interactions between relatives and the pain that struggling families often endure. Even when tackling such a difficult subject, Kanye melodically raps his lyrics over an ethereal beat. The chorus consists of fantastic contributions from many different vocalists. Though it is a good song, it doesn’t rank among the album’s best because the rapping and production from Kanye are better than other tracks. It should not go unnoticed, and Travis Scott incorporated “Family Business” on “90210.”
12. “Last Call”
West was among the first rappers to have an outro that acted like the closing credits on a film. The twelve-minute closer, “Last Call,” consists of Kanye telling the story of his come-up by speaking on his beginnings as an artist. The song has a great beat produced by both Kanye and Evidence, and although it is a standout, it is quite long. Kanye talks through most of it, which is why it is ranked toward the bottom. “Last Call” influenced artists such as J. Cole and Logic, as they have made their own “Last Calls,” taking inspiration from this song.
11. “Through the Wire”
The story behind Kanye West’s breakout single “Through the Wire” is iconic. West was in a car crash and broke his jaw. He ended up recording the song with his jaw wired shut, so the vocals sound strange compared to other tracks. The title is a clever play of its sample: Chaka Khan’s “Through the Fire.” Kanye’s flow on the song is nice and makes for an enjoyable track. The beat and lyrics are great, but I believe it is legendary more for the backstory than the song itself.
10. “We Don’t Care”
“We Don’t Care” sets the tone for the rest of The College Dropout. The song is the right amount of seriousness and sarcasm the group of children sings about “drug dealing just to get by” in the chorus. It is an excellent song with great verses, a catchy hook, and a gorgeous instrumental. It may not pack a punch like other tracks on the album that have significantly better rapping, but “We Don’t Care” is a phenomenal opener that prepares listeners for the album’s soulful sound, as well as Kanye’s signature rap style.
“Spaceship” is a story about Kanye being tokenized while working at the Gap store, dreaming of moving on to greater things. The down-tempo, Marvin Gaye-sampling beat is nice and soulful. Kanye’s singing voice sounds great on the hook. The appearances from GLC and Consequence are exemplary verses but do not match the quality of Kanye’s songwriting and the album’s other features.
8. “School Spirit”
“School Spirit” fully embraces the theme of The College Dropout as Kanye raps about his dissatisfaction with school. In this song, Kanye playfully raps about dropping out to pursue his dreams as a musician. The song features a beautiful sample of Aretha Franklin’s “Spirit in the Dark” that only got cleared if the song was censored. Even with the censorship on the explicit version, “School Spirit” is a fantastic song with a catchy chorus that perfectly combines the album’s themes.
7. “Jesus Walks”
“Jesus Walks” is nothing short of legendary. The verses contain quotable bars and stellar production, sampling Curtis Mayfield and the ARC Choir. It is one of Kanye’s best lyrical moments, looking inward at his own faith but also outward to a world of struggles. It was the first song of its kind and featured the vocoder sound that Kanye would heavily incorporate in his following albums. West would also go on to make more music centered around his Christian faith, but those never fully captured the magic of “Jesus Walks.”
6. “Two Words” (feat. Mos Def, Freeway & The Harlem Boys Choir)
The College Dropout is a project full of moments, and “Two Words” is one of the album’s greatest. The sample combined with guitar and orchestral sounds on the instrumental brings intensity to the song. This is matched by the incredible verses from Mos Def, Kanye, and Freeway. The three stick to a “two-word” structure for their verses, but each delivers a unique style. The vocals from the Harlem Boys Choir toward the end make for the ideal ending to a flawless song.
5. “Breathe In Breathe Out” (feat. Ludacris)
Though he only performs on the hook, Ludacris is the perfect feature for this song as he matches Kanye’s clever wordplay over the anthemic horns. The beat is one of the more minimal instrumentals on the album. In his verse, Kanye raps with this confident attitude that is only really captured in his earlier albums. His flow and animated rap style seem so effortless. Of course, one cannot talk about this song without mentioning the iconic “Ph.D.” line, one of the funniest punchlines in rap history.
“Slow Jamz” is one of the more relaxed songs on The College Dropout, but it is one of the best songs on the album. Jamie Foxx’s catchy hook sets things off right over the Luther Vandross sample, while Kanye’s verse is lighthearted. There is also the iconic “Michael Jackson” lyric that always entertains listeners. Twista’s rapid-fire flow is a unique approach to the relaxed soul of the song but is equally as captivating as Kanye’s verse and Jamie’s hook.
3. “Never Let Me Down” (feat. JAY-Z & J-Ivy)
Kanye’s ascent started with his production credits on JAY-Z’s The Blueprint. Aside from 2002’s “The Bounce,” “Never Let Me Down” was among the first tracks where the two shared verses. The natural chemistry between the rappers on this song paved the way for Watch The Throne. On undeniably one of the best beats on the album, Kanye spits one of his most emotional verses. Meanwhile, Jay raps two amazing verses, and J-Ivy steals the show with a spoken-word poem, making the song even more powerful. The soulful beat with the looped hook is plenty catchy but is brought to life by the choir at the song’s end.
“Get Em High” consists of Kanye’s best flows on the entire album and some of his finest rhyming. Kanye’s flow is arguably his most skilled on this song as he effortlessly “catches the beat.” The instrumental has the signature Kanye bounce and is the perfect soundtrack for all three rappers to transition between verses seamlessly. Both Talib Kweli and Common showed up to rap and approached the track differently. Kweli’s verse, in particular, really steals the show.
1. “All Falls Down” (feat. Syleena Johnson)
“All Falls Down” is one of the greatest songs that Kanye West has ever made. The production is top-notch and includes amazing vocals from Syleena Johnson. It is a timeless song that includes some of Kanye’s most significant verses as he showcases some of his wittiest one-liners while also telling a sincere story about materialism and consumerism. He flows so smoothly over the beautiful acoustic guitar. Kanye’s initially performed the song on Def Poetry Jam before making it into a classic.
Overall, ranking songs on The College Dropout is not easy. There are no bad tracks, which speaks to its greatness as a hip hop classic. The “worst” songs on this album are still some of Kanye’s best work.
6ix9ine nearly got hit with a beer can at World Baseball Classic quarterfinals game between Mexico and Puerto Rico. Moreover, the controversial rapper waved the Mexican flag at fans in the stands at the LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida on Friday night (March 17). Apparently, a lot of Puerto Rico fans were in those stands, and didn’t take kindly to his displays. Baseball reporter Aram Leighton shared a video on Twitter of a beer can flying right by the provocateur’s face. Also, officials reportedly moved him to another area to avoid further conflict and more wasted beer cans.
Despite the disruption, the “GUMMO” artist actually got his wish. While Puerto Rico scored four runs in the first inning, Mexico persevered and won the match 5 to 4 in the end. Furthermore, this marks the first time in Mexico’s team history that they reach the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic. Next, Mexico will face Japan in what should be another nail-biting and fantastic game of baseball. From there, the team could reach a level of success never before seen by its people.
World Baseball Classic Game: Puerto Rico Versus Mexico
Funnily enough, 6ix9ine (real name Daniel Hernandez) is of both Mexican and Puerto Rican descent. As such, it looks like it was going to be a win for him anyway, so his decision to side with Mexico is curious. Maybe he’s just a bigger fan of their team? Regardless, the rapper’s known to cause trouble wherever he usually goes, whether instigated or incidental. Also, siding with Mexico could even reflect his beef with Puerto Rican reggaetón artist and rapper Anuel AA. Readers may remember that Tekashi recently got into an altercation with Anuel’s brother.
Meanwhile, the 26-year-old also caused an Internet shutdown in Cuba recently for his antics. While that’s an extreme and by no means justified response to a viral video, 6ix9ine’s visit seemingly took the island by storm. Moreover, clips of him allegedly throwing cash to the streets from his hotel room quickly made rounds online. Given the disrespectful display of wealth and exploiting Cuba’s issues of poverty, many were outraged at the rapper’s visit. Still, stick around on HNHH to see what heated situation 6ix9ine finds himself in next.
6ix9ine Dodges Beer Can
6ix9ine is in the building and waving a Mexico flag. A Puerto Rico fan wasn’t having it and threw a beer can right by his head pic.twitter.com/NfFn2fgGH2
De La Soul is one of the most important groups in the foundation of hip-hop. Not only do they represent the power of a rap group but they also represent the power of lyricism. They were known for rapping over a plethora of unique samples. Most recently, the group has been in the news for both unfortunate and fortunate reasons. The unfortunate reason is one of their members, Trugoy The Dove, recently passed away at the age of 54. The fortunate reason is their first six albums will be available forstreaming on March 3rd, 2023. This will be the 34th anniversary of their debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising. Ahead of this historic day, we wanted to celebrate the biggest songs that have been able to make it to streaming up to this point. Note: At the time of this writing, these are the songs with the highest streaming numbers. The songs are likely to change once their discography is added.
#10 Quiet Culture – Ibrahim Maalouf (feat. Pos of De La Soul)
This first entry is the most recent so naturally it has the lowest amount of streams out of this group. That is in no way a reflection of the quality of the song. Released in 2022, this one is a collaboration between Posdnuos and jazz trumpeter and pianist Ibrahim Maalouf. The track comes from Maalouf’s album which also features other notable artists.The first minute or so of the track is drumless as and we hear Pos flow over Maalouf’s trumpet and piano. Once the drums come in the song picks up and a children’s sounding choir assists with the song’s hook. Pos’ flow on the second verse features some flow switches and Maalouf’s trumpet takes a backseat of sorts. On this one we get three verses and each one is more motivational than the last as we get advice for getting through life.
#9 Eye Know
The samples in this song are alliconic and instantly recognizable for many. They all come together to create a pleasant atmosphere for the two MCs to rhyme over. Their smooth yet upbeat bouncy flows pair well with the melodies. This song is also iconic because of its music video and how it showcases the epitome of the image De La Soul had at the time. The brightly colored backgrounds and flower graphics lined up really well with the positive image they were presenting. The wholesomeness of the song itself added to this as it is a love song. Trugoy and Pos share their intentions for their lover and it may seem they are after the same woman. Referring to themselves as “Plug One” and “Plug Two”, they explain why they are better than other men the woman has met.
#8 The Magic Number
This is a track most people today are probably familiar with. It’s one of the biggest singles De La Soul ever had and this is due to a few reasons. One of course, is the sample of “Three is a Magic Number” from the series Schoolhouse Rock. Many of their listeners grew up watching this show and have a nostalgic connection to the original song. Fast forward to 2022 and Marvel fans heard it during the end credits of Spider-Man; No Way Home. Since there were three Spider-Men in that movie and there are three members of De La Soul, it just worked out perfectly. The joy of the song could now be shared with new generations and form a connection for the older one and the current one.
#7 Baby Got Work – Potatohead People (feat. Pos of De La Soul)
Potatohead People are a Canadian producer duo consisting of Nick Wisdom and AstroLogical. Producers are just as important as the rappers themselves especially in this day and time. On this track, Potatohead People give Pos a landscape of jazzy and electronic noises to flow over. Trugoy is absent from this one but Pos holds it down and represents the trio well. Pos’s rapping does not distract listeners from the production nor the reverse. They come together and enhance each other. Kapok provides some sung vocals for the hook that Pos has an equal contribution to. This is one of the most recent songs from De La Soul and fits in very well with their expansive discography. This track came out in 2020 and sounds modern while still keeping the spirit of traditional hip-hop alive.
De La Soul and Wu-Tang Clan are both giants in terms of 90s hip-hop representation, However, if you have heard a song from either group, you know how different they are. There is nothing wrong with this as it only makes this collaboration all the more important. Ghostface Killah hails from Wu-Tang clan and represented them well on this track. In fact, his bridge declares that this collaboration was inevitable because they’ve both been killing the game for so long. His verse is full of internal rhyme schemes and other word gymnastics. Posdnuos and Trugoy hold it down with solid verses too and the song’s sample serves as a brief but soulful hook between verses.
#5 Fallin’ – De La Soul and Teenage Fanclub
Teenage Fanclub is a Scottish alternative rock band. While there are multiple aspects of the golden age of hip-hop people often cite, one sticks undoubtedly: unexpected collaborations. These found hip-hop acts joining forces with someone from a completely different genre. The reasoning behind it ranges from wanting to experiment or sometimes for the sake of charity. In this case, the reason was the former. The song comes from the soundtrack for the 1993 movie Judgment Night whose tracklist consists of rock and metal bands collaborating with rappers. Trugoy and Posdnuos rap over a guitar and drums that are a little different from the breaks they are used to and the two of them still slow their flows down a little here. They certainly had fun with it as the last minute or so is just them laughing and goofing off in the booth.
#4 Much More – De La Soul (feat. Yummy)
This song is quite a big deal for two main reasons. The intro has a brief spoken contribution from DJ Premier. The song itself was produced by J Dilla. Both of these people are the epitome of the era De La Soul hails from. The song is an example of them coming together to showcase their roots in traditional hip-hop. The overall tone of the song lines up with this as it has a very triumphant atmosphere – a golden age atmosphere. Featured artist Yummy Bigham is on hook duty here and reinforces the vocal sample J Dilla used. Trugoy and Pos both assert their dominance over other rappers with Trugoy focusing on his mental ability and outlook being superior. Posdnuos closes his verse with some creative imagery about his skill on a mic which is a testament to their era of “rocking the mic”
#3 Drawn – (feat. Little Dragon)
The feature on this song is a testament to the power of generations working together. Little Dragon is a band from this generation and their listeners may be unfamiliar with an older group like De La Soul – and vice versa. Still, this song shows that these separate audiences can come together simply for the sake of enjoying good music. The gentle piano and Little Dragon’s lead singer Yukimi Nagano’s vocals are what is heard for most of the song. Other instruments drop in and out giving the song a unique feeling. The collaboration comes to the forefront in the song’s bridge where Nagano sings and Posdnuos raps a brief repeated two line piece followed by a verse. This verse offers a bit of vulnerable transparency that fits in well with the atmosphere of the song.
This is a more recent track (2016) from their discography and has been on streaming since it was released. It was a single for their 9th album And The Anonymous Nobody…This one is in the chilled out jazzy lane the trio often finds themselves in. The song’s hook is sung by Lola Troy and has an upbeat motivational feeling to it. Both verses from Posdnuos and Trugoy capitalize on this theme through positive and uplifting verses. Posdnuos chooses to focus on universally uplifting content while Trugoy mentions some of the struggles of everyday life and being able to overcome them. Snoop Dogg’s feature has the same feeling to it as he uses word gymnastics to reflect his confidence and his relaxed flow fits the song excellently.
#1 Rock Ko. Cane Flow (feat. MF DOOM)
RIP MF DOOM. This song has a semi eerie tone to it due to the vocal sample loop. These background vocals sit between a simple piano melody that fits the eerie atmosphere. Production on this one comes from Jake One, a name many are very familiar with. MF DOOM’s feature includes two verses from him, one after Posdnuos’ first verse and one before his second verse. In a unique delivery decision, he speeds up his flow to match the drums at the conclusion of the verse. This switch up adds to the intrigue of the song and showcases his skill in syllable usage. The song has no hook and the verses come in one after another in a cypher-esque way. The effective simplicity of the production capitalizes on this feeling.
Is De La Soul one of your favorite golden age hip-hop groups? Are you excited to see their discography coming to streaming services? Let us know in the comments below.
