A handful of solid new tracks this week. Another good track from Ab-Soul who keeps consistently putting out good music of substance. Couple from Mac Miller, one featuring Diggy Simmons who just confused me with that verse. Male Nikki? I don’t understand. Fashawn hooked up with Wiz Khalifa and made a solid crusin jam. Still waiting on Wiz to spit an original thought. Cormega, Action Bronson, Roc Marciano, Saigon teamed up to create the super group M.A.R.S…. the first track getting me excited for things to come, just bars. Bronsolino’s gonna have a great year. And J. Cole also hooked it up with an unreleased song too. Good ass week. Here’s to a better one next week.

Ab-Soul – Showin Love
Mac Miller ft. Diggy Simmons – Definition of Cool
Mac Miller – Loud
Wiz Khalifa – Money (ft. Fashawn)
Cormega, Action Bronson, Ron Marciano, Saigon (M.A.R.S.) – MARS
J. Cole – Visionz of Home

It’s a big day for Carolina — new albums from Phonte and 9th Wonder. Oh, and J. Cole‘s highly anticipated debut finally hit the shelves today, and it served more than an ever as a reminder of how much the money and fame aspect that accompanies the desires of making music can affect the latter. Jermaine’s been quoted as saying he understands that he’s strategically made tracks (“Work Out”) specifically to cross the boundary towards commercial appeal to gain new fans that will eventually discover his deeper material. While it’s hard to argue with this approach to an artist that’s gained as much “underground” acclaim as he as, it’s tough as a fan and not a critic to know that he could be making better shit. But that’s the nitpickin’ — this album from front to back is solid. A mix of the old, “Lights Please” & “In the Morning,” with a handful of unreleased and leaked tracks. Showcases of his lyrical skills on ‘Sideline Story,’ ‘Nobody’s Perfect,’ and ‘Rise and Shine.’ Thematically crafted songs like ‘Never Told,’ ‘Lost Ones,’ and ‘Nothing Lasts Forever.’ In fact, there’s no tracks where you’d characterize his rhymes as weak, which is something we’ve just become accustomed to when listening to any J. Cole song. The qualms will come from the expectations for him to say more than he did with his first album and to tie it together thematically more fluidly. He’s held in a similar esteem as Kendrick Lamar when it comes to lyrical ability, so, whether fair or not, Section.80 set the bar high for Jermaine to impress. I know there’s more for him to offer, it’ll just take time and less of a yearning for the spotlight that I feel has degraded the quality of music from artists like Big Sean and Lupe Fiasco. Ultimately, he came up short in creating a masterpiece — this is more of an extremely well-produced mixtape. Which won’t draw complaints from me as a fan, but leaves me looking for more from his next projects.

Check out all the lyrics to the album here.

stay up

+jangbar

Tracklist

1. “Intro”
2. “Dollar and a Dream III”
3. “Can’t Get Enough” (featuring Trey Songz)
4. “Lights Please”
5. “Interlude”
6. “Sideline Story”
7. “Mr. Nice Watch” (featuring Jay-Z)
8. “Cole World”
9. “In the Morning” (featuring Drake)
10. “Lost Ones”
11. “Nobody’s Perfect” (featuring Missy Elliott)
12. “Never Told”
13. “Rise and Shine”
14. “God’s Gift”
15. “Breakdown”

I <3 Bacon

Hello friends! It’s been a minute — I’m finally feeling somewhat settled out here in Barcelona and starting to think I may never return to the US. Beautiful women, amazing architecture, siestas, and an overflow of opportunities to see great electronic music. If they had animal fries out here that’d seal the deal. Anywho, more on the city later when I have some stuff to stimulate your ojos. For now your ears will have to take in the jams that have provided the soundtrack for the city. Hit the jump to hear ’em all. (more…)

Two new tracks from Kendrick Lamar and Asher Roth today off of Peter Rosenberg’s What’s Poppin Vol. 1 Mixtape. Asher kicks his alliterated flow over some smooth horns on “Goodbye” while Kendrick goes in for a verse on something more relaxed and spacey.

Asher Roth – Goodbye

Kendrick Lamar – My Mind Drifts

EDIT: here’s some more goodies from the tape:

J. Cole ft. Childish Gambino & SD – Who Datt Pt. 2 (Prod. by J. Cole)

Tyler The Creator & Domo Genesis – Odd & Twisted (Got it Twisted Freestyle)

Real late on this one but better now than never. J. Cole’s been consistent with his Any Given Sunday series which has been a cool way to slowly build up momentum towards 9/27. Even though that date marks releases from Big K.R.I.T., 9th Wonder, Phonte, and others, it’s still Jermaine’s day. All eyes are on him to see what he does with the critical debut album. For this week’s drop, we got two unreleased tracks and another slick cover art featuring Jerry Rice. “Neverland” is okay – I’m not a big fan of the lengthy hooks on there that he’s used a few times. Luckily he sends a reminder of his lyrical prowess on the other track, “Heavy.”

J. Cole – Neverland
produced by Chase N. Cashe and J. Cole. Some shit we did out in LA! Not on the album, but something you should have. Ride to it. Shout to my nigga Chase!

J. Cole – Heavy
Did a lot of records in LA some months back. This is another one. Not album material, but its HEAVY. Produced by J. Cole.

First video off Cole World: The Sideline Story, out 9/27.

It’s Sunday, and that means new J. Cole. Three new songs this week, one of em another Common beat (“Be”). These album arts are too sick… ALI BOOMBAYE! If my 2nd grade math teacher taught me correct we have 7 more of these coming. Woop.

“A ‘Ville nigga til the day of my casket/Put on for my city like my favorite jacket/Man you gon wear that every Goddamn night?/Know I paid for this shit, bitch you Goddamn right”

J. Cole – Roll Call
J. Cole – Bring Em In
J. Cole – Be (Freestyle)

Download | J. Cole – Any Given Sunday Vol. 2 (Hulkshare)