Pinata

Here's another playlist I've been sitting on for a while. It's Freddie Gibbs inspired, mainly the album with Madlib called Pinata. If you haven't heard that gem yet, give it a listen. It won't disappoint. 
"Ride the Harley into the Sunset..."

1)Easy Rider- Action Bronson

2)Who Do You Love?- YG Feat. Drake

3)Multiply- ASAP Rocky

4)High- Freddie Gibbs and Madlib Ft. Danny Bronw

5)My Nigga (Remix)- YG Ft. Lil Wayne, Rich Homie Quan, Meek Mill and Nicki Minaj

6)Deeper- Freddie Gibbs and Madlib

7)Studio- Schoolboy Q

8)Hella Hoes- ASAP Mob

9)Shame- Freddie Gibbs and Madlib

10)Left right- YG

11)BFK- Freddie Gibbs

12)Los Awesome- Schoolboy Q Ft. Jay Rock

13)Move That Dope- Future Ft. Pharrell Williams, Pusha T

14)Hoover Street- Schoolboy Q

15)Xscape- ASAP Mob

16)God Sent/Hunger- Slum Village

17)Thuggin'- Freddie Gibbs and Madlib

18)Forever- Slum Village

19)Carry On- Stakik Selektah Ft. Joey Bada$$ and Freddie Gibbs

20) Break the Bank- Schoolboy Q

21) Survival Tactics- Joey Bada$$ and Capital Steez

22)Reppin'- Slum Village

23)Big Dusty- Joey Bada$$

24) Herb Shuttles- The Underachievers

25) KK- Wiz Khalifa Ft. Project Pat and Juicy J

26) Scholarship- Juicy J Ft. ASAP Rocky

27)I Just Wanna Party- YG Ft. Schoolboy Q

The Golden Hour

Here's the November playlist. I know, it's been a while since I've posted, so as a treat, I have three playlists lined up. Enjoy, The Golden Hour:

1)The Anthem- Guru

2)It Ain't Hard to Tell- NAS

3)Christ Conscious- Joey Bada$$

4)Fakin' the Funk- Main Source

5)Where I'm From- Digable Planets

6)Doomsday- MF Doom

7)Pad and pen- ATCQ

8)Ego Trippin' Pt. 2- De La Soul

9)The Look of Love- Slum Village

10)Rosa Parks- Outkast

11)Represent- NAS

12)Real Hip Hop- Das EFX

13)Wrekonize- Smif-N-Wessun

14)Keep it Real- Jamal

15)Phenomenon- One And One

16)Livin' Proof- Group Home

17)Neva Faded- Lord of the Underground

18)Born 2 Live- O.C.

19)Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)- De La Soul

20)Otha Fish- The Pharcyde

21)Funky Child- Lords of the Underground

22)All Caps- Madvillian

23)Won't Do- J Dilla

Hustle

"A Roller Skate Jam Named "Saturdays"- De La Soul Ft. Q-Tip

Blowin'

"KK" Wiz Khalifa Ft. Project Pat and Juicy J

Ultraviolence

"Ultraviolence"- Lana Del Rey

Summertime Vibes

Here's July's playlist (late again) and it's perfectly filled with summertime jams and good old-school vibes.

1)Zambezi (Fools Gold Remix)- Tinashe

2)Meteorite (Q-Tip version)- Mariah Carey

3)Country Grammar- Nelly

4)As We Enter (Tinie Tempah Remix)- NAS and Damian Marley

5)California Love- 2 Pac Feat. Dr. Dre

6)Summertime- Kreayshawn Ft. V-Nasty

7)West Coast- Lana Del Rey

8)Back That Ass Up- Juvenile

9)It Wasn't Me- Shaggy

10)Ride Wit Me- Nelly Ft. St. Lunatics

11)Work It Out (Stint Remix)- Q-Tip

12)Female$ Welcomed- Trinidad James

13)I Wish- Skee-Lo

14) Light Your Ass On Fire- Busta Rhymes

15)My You- Joey Bada$$

16)That's Sexy- Q-Tip Feat. Andre 3000

17)A Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturdays"- De La Soul Feat. Q-Tip

The Format

Late like usual (except I had this prepared weeks ago), here is one of the June playlists. A Storm Brews is inspired by the intense spring thunderstorms and old school jams. Most of these go out to D-Star, the ultimate hip-hop appreciator. 

1)The Format- AZ

2)Ain't No Half Steppin'- Big Daddy Kane

3) Paid In Full- Eric B. and Rakim

4) The Reminisce Over You- Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth

5) Chief Rocka- Lords Of the Underground

6) I Used To Love HER- Common

7) Flava In Ya Ear (Remix)- Craig Mack Ft. The Notorious BIG, Mack, Rampage, LL Cool J and Busta Rhymes

8) They Want EFX- Das EFX

9) Drop- The Pharcyde

10) Hits From the Bong- Cypress Hill

11) Stakes is High- De La Soul

12) Worst Come to Worst- Dilated Peoples

13) The Most Beautiful Thing In This World- Keith Murray

14) Music- Erick Sermon Ft. Marvin Gaye

15) Da Joint- EPMD

16) Lyrics To Go- A Tribe Called Quest

17) The Choice Is Yours- Black Sheep

Like a lie

For real

Dear Diary

"Marilyn Monroe"- Pharrell Williams
Dear Diary, It's happened again...
Pharrell has crafted a new jam that I secretly love. I've loved Pharrell for years. It was a highlight of mine to go up on stage and stroke his abs during a NERD show back in 2008. It was also really awesome when "Can I Have It Like That" was the Toronto Raptors theme song. I met their official DJ (closest thing I will get to the Raptors) at one of my haunts and danced the night away.
My love for Skateboard P goes deep. Deep like back in 2002 when I saw his beautiful face in the Justin Timberlake music video "Like I Love You."
So this nouvelle fame, Vivienne Westwood hat and all, is well deserved for Skateboard P.
Yes-Sir

Quicksand

It's A Shame

And at long last, here is the playlist for April. Mainly soul or neo-soul, this playlist is all good vibes and heartache. It's the perfect mix to pump you up in the morning during your morning coffee or wind down to after a long day. Many of these have been my jams for years. Enjoy!

1)Doing What I Can- Raphael Saadiq

2)It's a Shame- The Spinners

3) How Long Do I Have To Wait- Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings

4) Stoned- Macy Gray

5)I'll Be Around- The Spinners

6) It's Madness- Marvin Gaye

7) Still Ray- Raphael Saadiq

8) Could It Be I'm Falling in Love- The Spinners

9) Soul Donkey- Sugarman 3

10)The Game Gets Old- Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings

11) Ain't No Woman Like The One I Got- The Four Tops

12)Revolution (darkstarr mix)- Mavis ft. Candi Staton

13)Got To Give It Up- Marvin Gaye

14) Chicago Falcon- The Budos Band

15) I Try- Macy Gray

16) The World (Is Going Up in Flames)- Charles Bradley

17) Trouble Man- Marvin Gaye

18) Up from the South, Eastbound- The Budos Band

19) I Can Be Cool- Bob and Gene

20) Strawberry Letter 23- Shuggie Ottis

21) Better Things To Do- Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings

22) Sitting on the Dock of the Bay- Otis Redding

23) Good Man- Raphae Saadiq

24) Kilmanjaro- The Shaolin Afronauts

25) Cupid- Sam Cooke

26) These Arms of Mine- Otis Redding

27) Heartaches and Pain- Charles Bradley

28) Body Parts- Raphael Saadiq

29) More Mess on my Thing- Poets of Rhythm

30) I Learned the Hard Way- Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings

Flow

"Method Man"- Wu Tang Clan
Tical always has the sickest flow

Blue Skies, Sunshine

So, 12 days too late, here's the March playlist. Hoping for "blue skies and sunshine."


1) Runnin'- The Pharcyde
2) It's Yourz- Wu-Tang Clan
3) Nas is Like- NAS
4) Take a Walk- Masta-Ace
5) Break the Bank- ScHoolboy Q
6) 95 Til Infinity- Souls of Mischief
7) Let it Go x Greatness- Slum Village
8) Big Momma Thang- Lil' Kim
9) How Do You Want It- 2Pac ft. K-Ci and JoJo
10) Pop Shit- Dirt McGirt ft. Pharrell
11) Funky For You- Nice & Smooth
12) Reppin'- Slum Village
13) Buddy- De La Soul Ft. A Tribe Called Quest and the Jungle Brothers
14) Crooklyn- Crooklyn Dodgers
15) Got Ir Self a Gun- NAS
16) Hot Sex - A Tribe Called Quest
17) Oooh- De La Soul ft. Redman
18) Nothin'- NORE
19) Yes Yes- Slum Village
20) Dear Dilla- Phife Dawg
21) Hit Em' Up- 2Pac

All That

"93 Til' Infinity"- Souls of Mischief

Take a Walk

On My Mind

"Break the Bank"- ScHoolboy Q

Iris

Let It Go

"Let It Go"- Slum Village"
One of the most majestic hiphop songs I've heard in a while...

Heart of Texas

Almost Famous

Find a Way

Continuing on our new year neo-soul journey, here is the playlist for February 2014. Yes, more Tribe, Busta, Fugees, and Raphael, thrown in with some new jams.

1) Doo-Wop (That Thing)- Lauryn Hill

2) Rifle Love- Raphael Saadiq

3) Damn You're Cool- Q-Tip

4)Let's Get Down- Tony Toni Tone

5) What You Want- Mase Ft. Total

6) Fall In Love- Slum Village

7) Gone Baby, Don't Be Long- Erykah Badu

8) Stressed Out- A Tribe Called Quest Ft. Faith Evans and Raphael Saadiq

9) How Do You Want It- 2Pac

10) Fu-Gee-La- The Fugees

11) Gimme Some More- Busta Rhymes

12) Ijustwannachill- Large Professor

13) Luck of Lucien- A Tribe Called Quest

14) I Want You Back- Raphael Saadiq

15) You Got Me- The Roots Ft. Erykah Badu and Eve

16) Renaissance Rap- Q-Tip

17) Be Here- Raphael Saadiq Ft. D'Angelo

18) Like It Like That- A Tribe Called Quest

19) Turn Me Up Some- Busta Rhymes

20) If I Ruled the World- Nas Ft. Lauryn Hill

21) Faithful- Raphael Saadiq

22) Gettin' Up- Q-Tip

23) Electric Feel- Preston Pohl

24) Ex-Factor- Lauryn Hill

25) Vibes and Stuff- A Tribe Called Quest

26) Ready Or Not- The Fugees

27) Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See- Busta Rhymes

28)Sunshine (Always Be My)- Jay-Z Ft. Foxy Brown and Baby Face

29) What's Happenin- Method Man Ft. Busta Rhymes

30) Find a Way- A Tribe Called Quest

Worst Behaviour

No More Rain

Like That

"Like It Like That"- A Tribe Called Quest

Soul Taking

"My Molly"- Sky Ferreira and Ariel Pink

Wonderland

Memory Lane

Let's take a trip down memory lane...
Here's the January 2014 playlist, mainly Q Tip inspired.

1) Get Involved- Raphael Saadiq ft. Q-Tip

2) Dance Tonight- Lucy Pearl

3) Oh My God- A Tribe Called Quest

4) Move- Q-Tip

5) Thank You- Busta Rhymes ft. Q-Tip, Kanye West and Lil Wayne

6) Love Of My Life- Erykah Badu ft. Common

7) Memory Lane- Nas

8) Electric Relaxation- A Tribe Called Quest

9) 3005- Childish Gambino

10) Award Tour- A Tribe Called Quest

11) In Love With You- Erykah Badu ft. Stephen Marley

12) Life is Better- Q-Tip ft. Norah Jones

13) Midnight- A Tribe Called Quest

14) Trillmatic- ASAP Nast ft. Method Man

15) 1nce Again- A Tribe Called Quest

16) Rumble in the Jungle- The Fugees ft. A Tribe Called Quest and Busta Rhymes

17) Can I Kick It- A Tribe Called Quest

18) Me, Myself and I- De La Soul
19) Get Down- Q-Tip ft. Busta Rhymes

20) Check the Rhyme- A Tribe Called Quest

21) Killing Me Softly With His Song- The Fugees

22) I Left My Wallet in El Segundo- A Tribe Called Quest

23) Got Til It's Gone- Janet Jackson ft. Q-Tip

24) Other Side of the Game- Erykah Badu

25) Shaka- Q-Tip

26) Lady- D'Angelo

27) Bonita Applebum- A Tribe Called Quest

28) Strawberry Letter 23- Shuggie Otis
29) We're Taking Off- Busta Rhymes ft. Q-Tip
30) You- Lucy Pearl ft. Snoop Dogg and Q-Tip
31) Good Man- Raphael Saadiq
32) For the Nasty- Busta Rhymes ft. Q-Tip
33) Smoke Again- Chance the Rapper ft. Ab-Soul

Tomorra

Happy New Year! Finally, we're moving on to 2014. It's no secret, 2013 was an emotionally challenging year for me and my family. It really was an emotional roller coaster. For me, it started out with the promise of love in the deep winter, then shifted to a long period of waiting, then shifted to pure hatred towards a person, and now back to neutrality. The saddest part was, I lost a great friend. The greatest part was, I gained so much experience and began to live out my dreams. Not only do I get to write - write about music, art and entertainment - throughout the year, I got to meet many amazing artists and start promoting shows. I now have started, in the preliminary stages, my own promotions company. I have a few projects in the works for 2014 and I can't wait to see what will happen next.