Year end lists are subjective garbage so we let Edward Alexander write a list about his favorite song of the year. When was the last time you heard a 6-minute rap single? In the new regime of hip-hop a premium is placed on concision. Hooks, verses, songs, singles, and albums seem to have collectively shrunk in 2018. As rap continuously expands into new markets and into … [Read more...] about Best Songs of 2018: Uzi’s Defiantly Long “New Patek” (that’s it that’s the list)
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How Larry Fisherman Made An Icon Out Of Mac Miller [Beats & Bars]
![How Larry Fisherman Made An Icon Out Of Mac Miller [Beats & Bars]](https://centralsauce.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/larry_fisherman1-150x150.jpg)
In the wake of Malcolm McCormick’s death, a massive wave from fans, fellow musicians, friends and family impacted by Mac’s authenticity and generosity washed over the world. On Halloween night at the “Mac Miller: A Celebration of Life” benefit concert, Mac Miller was described as a stalwart friend who supported the dreams of so many other artists. The tribute concert embodied … [Read more...] about How Larry Fisherman Made An Icon Out Of Mac Miller [Beats & Bars]
Essential & Unheard October: Mick Jenkins
“Essential & Unheard” is a collaborative content series between the CentralSauce Creators that highlights awesome music that flew under the radar each month. A 20 track-maximum playlist, featuring songs by lesser-known artists that deserve more recognition than they’ve been getting. October in the Rearview October was a relatively low-profile month relative to most … [Read more...] about Essential & Unheard October: Mick Jenkins
“The Black Album”: Lyrical Breakdown of Jay-Z’s Least Collaborative Record
Fifteen years ago, Jay-Z announced that he was leaving hip-hop: but only on his own terms and with his own voice. The Black Album was meant to be the climax of Jay's career, a raw and personal record with minimal features. For the first time ever, here are the numbers to cement the album's legacy forever. I just felt like, it being the last album, that I wanted to do it … [Read more...] about “The Black Album”: Lyrical Breakdown of Jay-Z’s Least Collaborative Record
Behind “The Black Album”: Production & Sampling Deep-Dive
November 14, 2003: with nothing left to prove, Jay Z releases The Black Album, a project billed as his last. Fifteen years on, we reflect on the production throughout the LP, breaking down the sampling, examining the sonic palette and looking at the collaborators Jay chose to score his classic curtain closer. Fifteen years ago, Jay-Z felt he’d said all he had to … [Read more...] about Behind “The Black Album”: Production & Sampling Deep-Dive
Beats & Bars: The Complete History of Dual-Discipline Artists in Hip-Hop
Tyler, the Creator. J Cole. Mac Miller. Childish Gambino. Kid Cudi. Hip hop's new generation seems to be filled with artists that wear the hat of both "producer" and "rapper" like never before - but this DIY movement is no recent phenomenon. We trace the lineage of today's dual-discipline artists to its origins, over 30 years ago. The storied birth of hip-hop in the … [Read more...] about Beats & Bars: The Complete History of Dual-Discipline Artists in Hip-Hop
Tha Dogg Pound (Daz & Kurupt): G-Funk Pioneers
Tha Dogg Pound’s influence is often overlooked by those who aren’t familiar with the culture of West Coast gangsta rap, but as Pusha T says: if you know, you know. Eminem and Kendrick Lamar both cite Kurupt as one of their favorite rappers, and Daz Dillinger makes nearly $1 million a year from the back-end of his production catalog. We revisit the cult classic "Dogg Food" … [Read more...] about Tha Dogg Pound (Daz & Kurupt): G-Funk Pioneers
“Gnossos” – The Story Behind Earl Sweatshirt’s Lost Album
Earl Sweatshirt has hinted at new music arriving at some point this year, but before we can properly receive any new offering we need to finish digesting what he’s already given. Here we unpack the complexity of Earl’s discography and life through his lost album: "Gnossos". The irony of Earl Sweatshirt’s elusiveness has always confounded me. The figure who has spent so … [Read more...] about “Gnossos” – The Story Behind Earl Sweatshirt’s Lost Album
