This week I’m focusing on hip-hop. Whether you’re a fan or not, here are four new songs that you probably haven’t heard yet, and need to:
B.o.B – “Airplanes” feat. Hayley Williams of Paramore:
It hasn’t even been a year since B.o.B rocked the Floralia stage last year as a mainstream unknown (save for the moderate success of his single “I’ll Be in the Sky”). These days, with his new single “Nothin’ on You,” B.o.B is shaping up for a big, big year with his debut album B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray. While the aforementioned single still sits comfortably at #2 on the charts, B.o.B wastes no time in bringing the next, just a few weeks before the album’s April 27 release date.
“Airplanes,” which was originally the work of Cornell hip-hop/electronic duo Kinetics & One Love, features a reflective, piano-led beat from newcomer Alex da Kid, and a passionate, surprisingly-fitting chorus from Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams. The Decatur-born rapper/singer/producer raps about the way his life has changed over the past few years as his fame has grown, and how he wishes he could go back: “Somebody take me back to the days/Before this was a job, before I got paid/Before it ever mattered what I had in my bank/Yeah, back when I was trying to get into that subway.”
It’s more than welcome reassurance that B.o.B is one new artist who is not likely to be changed by the fame, even if this very song that laments his newfound success will undoubtedly push him further into it.
The-Dream – “Love King”:
This is the smoothest R&B song I’ve heard since… well, The-Dream’s last album, 2009’s Love vs. Money. The production is easily distinguishable as the work of frequent Dream-collaborator Los Da Mystro (who produced such hits as “Shawty Is a 10”, “Walkin’ on the Moon”, and “My Love”), complete with a large share of poppy synths and electro flair.
The-Dream has a unique style, and is able to use his tremendous pop ear and songwriting abilities (having penned such radio-wave assassins as Rihanna’s “Umbrella”, J. Holiday’s “Bed”, and Beyonce’s “Single Ladies”) to make radio-ready hits, all the while seeming much more respectable than his fellow R&B/pop colleagues. Maybe it’s the light-heartedness, with lines like “Got a girl up in Target, a girl outta college/Sorry ladies but there ain’t nothin’ like a smart b*tch”, or maybe it’s his infectious, syrupy vocal hooks, but as we await the rest of his upcoming album Love King (due May 18), The-Dream is going to be spending a lot of time on repeat.
Game – “It Must Be Me”:
It’s been a while since we heard from Game, and it seems like all he’s lost is the “The” off his stage name. Going in over a 90s L.A.-inspired Neptunes beat, the Compton MC delivers the street single off of his upcoming June release, The R.E.D. Album.
Full of energy, Game starts spitting four seconds into the track, only stopping briefly for Pharrell’s stock street chorus, “Something hot in here, it must be me.” After a number of failed single attempts (“Big Dreams,” “Krazy”), it’s stimulating to hear Game sounding like he cares. He also sounds hard again, like back before he released an album of songs in which he teared up about losing Dre as a partner.
Clearly stepping it up lyrically, the West Coast rapper comes with punch lines aplenty: “Them girls that never testify, peace to Common/But Game keep it hood like weaves and Top Ramen.” Back with Dr. Dre again, and a first single slated to feature Justin Timberlake, expect to be hearing a lot from Game.
Reflection Eternal – “Midnight Hour” feat. Estelle:
Time for some underground. Reflection Eternal, better known as the side project of Brooklyn emcee Talib Kweli and Cincinnati producer Hi-Tek, is releasing a follow-up album next month to 2000’s critically acclaimed Train of Thought. While not a single, the album cut “Midnight Hour” featuring English R&B-singer Estelle recently leaked, found its way onto numerous blog sites, and thus created extremely high expectations for the rest of the album. The production follows suit to Hi-Tek’s common style, which includes smooth soul samples and bright horns. Estelle is actually most prevalent here, but it is Kweli who shines strongest, sounding as lively as ever while praising a romance with rhymes like, “I’ll make her love come down to Earth, that’s worth another round/Can’t take another clown, in love with the kid cause he underground.”
If Kweli hasn’t made you a fan by the time his Floralia performance is over, this album definitely will.
