In what was surely an introspective effort, the Yellow Album gave longtime Dom Kennedy supporters something quite different from the usual summer-released, Westside, Impala-riding music. In contrast to From the Westside with Love II, the Yellow Album utilized more synthesizers. 2011 summer classins like “Grind’n”...
The terms grafting, grinding and so on are so often thrown about in Hip Hop because anyone refusing to put in the work eventually falls far behind in the never ending race to remain relevant in the scene. Fortunately for respected DJ, Producer, label CEO and radio host Statik Selektah his non-stop efforts have secured his place amongst the small group of respected names across Hip Hop's wider market. From working with long term partner Termanology to hosting his own show on Shade 45, the East Coast resident has proven to be one of the more adequate jack-of-all-trades individuals in the genre. Still finding time to hit the studio, Population Control is the fifth solo release from Statik, where the now recognisable boom bap, claps and soul flavours of the beatsmith should be done justice by the various spitters on hand to bless each track.
Without question, Hip Hop from the West Coast has really taken a hold of this year's summer. From Dom Kennedy's fun mix of street smart party outings to the critically lauded Section 80 from Compton wordsmith Kendrick Lamar. Even with Mann's crossover appeal, there's still space for some more from the sunnier side of the USA and Watts resider Jay Rock looks to fill that void. Bringing vintage gangster tales and heavy piano-injected productions, Follow Me Home aims to strike accordingly with fans of the no-nonsense brand of cold cuts and hard hitting rhymes.
The new West Coast movement looks to be in full swing in 2011. With Kendrick Lamar becoming the talk of Compton, upcoming acts such as Nipsey Hussle and Jay Rock remaining consistent and the enriched Hip Hop circuit stronger than ever, the days of wondering where the West had gone are soon to be over. So it can only strengthen the coasts brand by having another hungry starlet add his name to the contingent from the sunnier sides of the US.
Dom Kennedy of Leimert Park, LA, has been doing the rounds on the coast with some dope free mixtapes not to mention some high profiled collaborations with the likes of Curren$y, Kendrick and more. Kennedy's From the Westside, With Love II hopes to add further weight behind the current wave of Westsiders currently on the brink of fully dominating this summer.
Who would have thought that leaving behind the overly exposed Young Money camp would re-enhance the career of an artist? That has been the story of Curren$y, the New Orleans spitter who left Lil Wayne’s army in 2007 and found critical success over the last three years. The former XXL Freshmen dropped his surprisingly dope album Pilot Talk, earlier this year and returns with the sequel to that very same album. Under the guidance of Hip Hop sensei Ski Beatz, can the young grad of the 24 Hour Karate School top his earlier efforts or will it fall under a number of flawed sequels which have spawned in recent years?