Hip hop is a genre I have begun to take a strong liking to and the Jay-Z, Kanye, Drake invasion has already been unleashed on my predominantly indie/ rock/ pop I-Pod. So with my newly acquired taste for such artists and their hip hop/ r & b genres, I seem to find myself getting lost in their music as it escapes my radio speakers. I nod my head at every beat, my body seems to start street and break dancing like I'm a member of Diversity, despite the fact that I am a crap dancer, and I feel cool as... and I like it.
So which two songs were bestowed upon me yesterday, I hear you say? Well that would be an offering from a brilliant up and coming artist, Maxsta, and well known established act Drake. The first, Maxsta, has the gloriously cool 'I Wanna Rock' which is fuelled by a series of epic beats guaranteed to get you doing your best hip hop and street moves, of which I am known to do frequently. Maxsta plays about with the tempo in an effective way, so that just as you're abosrbing the beat accompanying the catchy chorus hook 'I wanna, I wann rock right now' you are caught off guard for a moment when the following tempo suddenly accelerates, then comes to a sudden stop. I do believe that this clever use of tempo, the catchy hook line and the head bopping beats are the elements that will secure the success of this song and get Maxsta's name in the
forefront of people's minds.
It's always refreshing to see someone take on hip hop in a unique way, and Maxsta does have that special something when it comes to creating unforgettable slices of hip hop that when put together make an attractive, well made, domineering hip hop pie. If you look at fellow artists, like Jay-Z, Notorious B.I.G, Tinie, Lupe Fiasco or Drake, who I am on to next, they all exist in the same genre but they drive their own unique
vehicles that are slightly different to the next. In hip hop, you need to have that
slightly different take if you want to stand out from the rest, and I think Maxsta just might have that, so watch out in the future for his vehicle making an entrance on the hip hop highway ( I am full of cheesy metaphors today).
Now on to Drake's new release, 'Crew Love', fourth track off the platinum 2011 release and 18 track monster of an album 'Take Care'. Featuring The Weeknd, this track
intertwines soulful lyrics, serene vocals and smooth music accompaniment with a slicing percussion beat riff that cuts across every smooth verse and takes the track from r&b to hip hop and back again within a couple of seconds. This unique approach works
tremendously well and is actually rather refreshing, keeping the listener on their toes as they constantly await the next slicing riff which interrupts the smooth, easy soul that predominatntly exists on this record. The Weeknd give the track integrity and
Drake provides the substance and together this track is a seriously clever combination. It isn't a whopper of a tune, or one that will create waves, but it is a very well made record that will most probably recruit new members to the Drake army that has swept the globe.
These two new hip hop treats are ones you will want to get a hold of and I hope you
find yourself hip hop dancing an nodding your head in approval just like I do
Crew Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asH4fb73Zns
I Wanna Rock: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwXxMaVSHRY
