Friday 29 June 2012

Nas - HMV Picture House, Edinburgh 26/06/12


Stepping onto the stage, hip hop godfather Nas was greeted by the enthusiastic, sweltering crowd packed into the HMV Picture House. Wrapped in a jumper promoting yet unreleased new album Life Is Good, the rapper opened with a raucous rendition of 'Hip Hop Is Dead', the track brought to life by the live band accompanying the MC in an attention grabbing opening gambit. 
"Lets go back to where it all started," he then proclaimed, launching into a medley of tracks from classic debut album Illmatic and tipping the crowd into a frenzy. 'N.Y. State Of Mind', 'Life's a Bitch' and 'It 'Aint Hard To Tell' were all given an airing. Nas is well known and admired for his complex lyricism over a multitude of projects, so it was perhaps inevitable that the MC would fluff his lines at some point. A slippage occurred during 'The World Is Yours', the rapper briefly forgetting his words in a delivery that was otherwise technically flawless.

The song selection ranged widely over Nas' decorated career. Popular singles 'Hate Me Now', 'Get Down' and 'If I Ruled the World' were brought to life with gusto, tracks linking seamlessly in a breathless performance. Guitar and rapper were merged to strong effect on Fox News baiting 'Sly Fox', while the tempo was mercifully slowed by the bluesy 'Bridging the Gap', a collaboration with his father Olu Dara.
The aforementioned forthcoming Life Is Good featured heavily on the set list. The reflective 'Daughters' was contrasted with the freewheeling 'Nasty', in which the rapper demonstrated exactly why he is considered one of the most talented MC's to ever pic up the mic. New single 'The Don' rose the atmosphere to a crescendo, a rousing way to end the show.


75 minutes after he first appeared, the Queensbridge native left the stage. Though there was no encore, the crowd were left satisfied by a breathless, honest performance from a true hip hop legend.
With 6 million dollars worth of backdated taxes to pay, it's fair to say Nas will be doing many more tours and adding to the discography that already stretches into double figures (including collaborative projects, upcoming LP Life Is Good will be his 12th official release) for some time to come. On this evidence, he will always be welcome back.  

Saturday 16 June 2012

Waka Flocka Flame: Triple F Life



In October 2010, Waka Flocka Flame exploded into the Billboard Charts with his debut album Flockaveli. The album was heavily praised for stripping gangsta rap back to it's roots, Lex Luger's hard hitting beats complemented by Flocka's brash, violence soaked simplistic delivery. After an eventful, mixtape filled 2 years, the Riverdale representative returns with his sophomore effort Triple F Life. 


Opener 'Let Dem Guns Blam' sees Waka paired with MMG member Meek Mill. The first few lines of the track give listeners a taste of what to expect:
'I'm too drunk, I'm to high to hear that fuck shit/ Came to the club, yeah I'm on that fuck shit/ Let them things blam/ Let them things blam/ Let them things blam'.
The repetitive, menacing delivery is an example of where the rapper excels, eschewing complex lyricism to batter the listener into submission over loud, compelling instrumentals. This theme is continued with bangers such as ''Cash' and 'Lurkin', featuring Piles. The guest spot proves to be a masterstroke, the raspy Floridian sounding like he's auditioning for a late spot on Flockaveli. 
Also present is a healthy amount of experimentation, Ludacris and Bun B providing a nice change of pace on the Southern soaked 'Candy Paint and Gold Teeth'. Personal travails are revealed on 'Power Of My Pen', a welcome change of subject towards the end of the tracklist.



Unfortunately, the promising tracks are let down by a baffling array of guest stars in the early stages of the LP. Drake just about holds his own over the unusually subdued Lex Luger produced 'Round of Applause', but Waka and Trey Songz are mismatched on 'I Don't Really Care'. 'Get Low' features Nicki Minaj, Tyga and Flo Rida on a syrupy, shameless assault on the singles charts. It is not that the track is particularly unlistenable, but Flocka's legions of fans buy his material precisely to avoid this watered down, radio friendly rap. If this represents a misstep, the B.O.B assisted 'Fist Pump' is simply lamentable, the pop leaning of Bobby Ray proving to be too jarring with the style of Waka's music. It is not until the 3 bonus tracks that Triple F Life fully returns to the formula that made Flockaveli so successful, 'Inky' being the particular highlight.


Important to note is that the Georgian rapper has improved his flow measurably since his debut LP. Often employing double time, a slicker delivery is detectable throughout Triple F Life. Though this is commendable, it is conversely a drawback to the project as a whole. The new rapping style allows him to fit in more comfortably with the more mainstream oriented acts on his guest list, but this in turn reveals a transparent attempt to crossover to a wider audience. Flocka has built a career and garnered acclaim by deliberately ignoring the demands of lyricism in favour of outlandish violence over thumping beats. This heavy metal-like approach is what sets him apart from his peers, and losing this causes the album to struggle at times.      


Track by Track:


1. "Triple F Life Intro" 
2. "Let Dem Guns Blam" feat. Meek Mill (7/10)
3. "Round of Applause" feat. Drake (6/10)
4. "I Don't Really Care" feat. Trey Songz (4/10)
5. "Rooster in My Rari" (5/10)
6. "Get Low" feat. Nicki Minaj, Tyga, & Flo Rida (5/10)
7. "Fist Pump" feat. B.o.B. (4/10)
8. "Candy Paint & Gold Teeth" feat. Bun B & Ludacris (7/10)
9. "Cash" feat. Wooh Da Kid (7/10)
10. "Lurkin'" (8/10)
11. "Clap" (5/10)
12. "U Ain't Bout That Life" feat. Alley Boy & Slim Thug (6/10)
13. "Power of My Pen" (7/10)
14. "Flex" feat. Travis Porter, Slim Dunkin & D-Bo (5/10)
15. "Triple F Outro"
16. "Inky" feat. Slim Dunkin & Wooh Da Kid (7/10)
17. "Chin Up" feat. Slim Dunkin (7/10)
18. "Everything I Love" feat. Future & Trouble (6/10)



The Verdict:

In aiming for mainstream acceptance, Waka Flocka Flame has shot himself in the foot. With an admittedly small, but committed fan base, Waka is risking losing those who put him in his position by dabbling in pop rap. Though some tracks retain his trademark sound, the lukewarm filler may see some listeners lose faith.

6/10