From time to time, I highlight a few songs or albums I’m currently blasting on the iPod. I tend to stray away from the overhyped in favor of the unheard, indie nobodies. Then, I’m surprised by the classics. Artists that have never – ok, rarely – let me down.
Jay-Z is one of those artists. While I said rarely, I put his rare miss with me on Kingdom Come. There were a few gems, but I’m a spoiled Jay-Z fan. I’m used to playing the track and never having to press the forward button. Repeat, yes. Forward – nah. His latest epic, American Gangster, is worth the overhyping and praise it’s garnered as of late. BFam has not let this disc leave the CD player in the car, or his MP3 player (not an iPod; we do not speak of this in mixed company). I am hardly a beats or samples lover so much as I am a words lover. With this disc, I’m both. I love that I listen to it and go, “Man, what SAMPLE is that he’s using? I have GOT to go through my mother’s vinyl and find this.”
That’s right. I said vinyl. Don’t hate.
Two samples that truly stand out are from Marvin Gaye (not much to say there other than MUSICAL GENIUS), and someone I’d never heard of before: Little Beaver. I’ll let you research on your own with that one. Interesting stuff. In the meantime, enjoy!
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