Teww Talez - Hope Your Happy MIXTAPE REVIEW

Hey everyone.  J-Pegs here, back on the blog scene.  I was going to do a top 20 list of my favorite Prince songs (R.I.P.). I'll get to that, but first, here we are with with a new review of a new mixtape by an underground rapper who is probably one of my favorite people to work, the homie Teww Talez.

Teww Talez is an artist who vocally and stylistically is comparable to Big Sean with his own twist.  He is probably best recognizable for his witty, often outright funny, lines and versatility in his music.  He and I haven't done any new music in a while, but some of the songs we have done include "T.O.P. (Too on Point)," "Pogo," "Space Age Limpin'," and my personal favorite, "Got Steez."  And while none of those are on here, this is his new mixtape, Hope Your Happy (spelled that way on purpose.)

Let's not waste any more time and dive right into the music.

1. Hope You're Happy
I love the vibe of this song and how it sets the tone for the rest of the project.  The sing-songy rap style works here.  Very well put together.

2. Pounds Freestyle
More smooth vibes.  Uplifting music you can ride to.

3. 106 & Park
Phone call at the beginning reminds me of some of Drake's songs but it works.  Definitely one of the realer songs on this project, and encapsulates the whole theme of the project.  Best line: "I'm having the time of my life, even if I don't make it." I feel that.

4. Mann
The bars are back!! This is the first straight up bravado type rap song on the project, and Talez goes in.

5. Ride
I love these types of beats.  Smooth, rider music (hence the title I guess.)  Not the best hook though. I wish he would have just left that sample be the hook.

6. I Stay
Another singing/rapping track.  Seems to be a style he's going for throughout the tape.  This one's pretty good.  I'd listen to this.

7. Long Way
This one finds Talez reminiscing about his upbringing.  Nice stuff.

8. Mood
I feel this one a lot. Very emotional and touches on a lot of topics.  It's a two-parter too.  I think it coulda worked better as 2 separate songs but it's still one of my favorites on here.  I do like Part 1 better than 2 but that's just me.

9. Hella Busy (Uber Everywhere Remix) ft. Stvy Max & Yung Best
This song seems kind of out of place.  If this wasn't on the project it could arguably be considered an album.  For what it is, it's not bad, but I will say that Talez had the only notable part in my opinion.

10. Sick
Not the best song on here.  Autotune doesn't really work here, unlike on others. A couple good lines but overall it gets a skip from me.

11. Old Times ft. Tru-Dough & Rome
Hook from Rome is FIRE.  Potential radio hit right here.  Also Tru-Dough, another rapper friend of mine, is on this song, though if he wasn't credited I wouldn't have known.  I had to rewind it back like three times to see if I missed something.  His verse just didn't stick out.

12. Feel Like I'm Biggie ft. Devin Blaze
This is the banger "Sick" tried to be.  Teww's flow is spot on here, and Blaze has the best guest verse on the project.

13. Feelings Change
The piano riff sounds familiar.  Not one of my favorites but I like how he rapped over just a piano on this one.  Nice switchup from the last song, like a comedown from a wild party.

14. Woah
My favorite just-bars rap song on here.  That or Maan.  Talez is on his cocky shit here, and I'm not mad at him.

15. I Can't Believe This Almost Didn't Make the Tape
Me either, to be honest. Probably one of my favorites on this project, both because of the feel and how he spits some of the realest and dopest raps I've heard from him.  Though I will say again, he does sound kind of like Big Sean vocally, despite how he says on this song that he doesn't hear it, haha.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Talez is really growing as an artist.  When I first met him he was already a great rapper but his songwriting skills have exponentially grown since then.  A lot of the songs are smooth and relatable, and the overall theme is dope.  Only big criticism is the featured artists seem out of place or just don't bring it like Talez does.  (No shade, just being honest.)  If Talez keeps this style up, he can move on from the comparisons that he obviously wants to separate himself from and stand out on his own.  Teww Talez is one of the few rappers on my friends list that I actually listen to, and this tape shows why.  I look forward to seeing what he does next, and to working with him on more music in the future.

Overall score: 9/10

Best songs: I Can't Believe This Almost Didn't Make the Tape, 106 & Park, Mood

Worst songs: Sick, Ride

If you want to listen to the mixtape, check it out here.

Definitively Ranking Kanye West's Albums: Worst to Best

What more can be said about Kanye West that hasn't already been said?  You either love the man or you hate him. He's a jerk and a genius.  Both adjectives have been used time and time again, but whether or not you're a fan, you can't deny the man has made a impact on not only hip hop, but music in general.  He's taught this generation that it's okay to dress how you want and express yourself honestly in a world of flashiness and braggadocio.  His ego has been rivaled only by historical figures such as Julius Caesar.  He is truly one of a kind.

However, one discussion that is heavily talked about is, what is his best album?  So today, I am going to rank his albums from worst to best, in terms of what I like best, and what best represent his artistry.

He IS a god.  And these are his scriptures.

9. Cruel Summer (with G.O.O.D. Music)

Usually, label compilations turn out to be a mish-mash of artists with no singular direction, and with no real standout songs, other than maybe one or two.  Cruel Summer stands out on at least one of these accounts, since about half of these songs were bonafide classics before the album even came out.  Songs like "Mercy," "New God Flow," "Clique," "I Don't Like (Remix)" and "Cold" got everyone hyped for what was supposed to be something special.  Instead, what we got was something seemingly half-assed with a few GREAT songs.  Not bad for an average compilation album, but far below the standards of what Mr. West was capable of.

BEST SONGS: "Mercy (ft. Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz)," "Clique (ft. Big Sean & Jay-Z)," "Cold (ft. DJ Khaled)"

8. 808s & Heartbreak

Arguably the most game-changing album in Yeezy's catalog, this album was birthed from the ending of his pre-Kim Kardashian engagement and the loss of his mother.  Kanye took a huge risk with this album, both jumping onto the autotune bandwagon and pushing it into uncharted territories.  However, while, as a whole, this somber Kanye, filled with autotune and melodies previously untapped in hip hop does make this an album worth listening to, many of the songs individually don't stand out one by one as the album does, which kind of lessens the greatness of the album.  I can put on some of these songs and recapture the vibe, but others are best left heard a couple times and then never again.

BEST SONGS: "Love Lockdown," "Robocop," "See You in My Nightmares (ft. Lil Wayne)"

7. Late Registration

This album may be the worst of Kanye's regular rap albums.  Not to diminish how great it is, but sonically, it seems more of a building block between what he had done and what he was going to do next.  Plus, Kanye was riding high off of his debut album so he went back in and seemed to finish this one as soon as he could.  It is great, but he has done better than this album as a whole, despite there being great songs on here.

Also, "Gold Digger" is kind of overrated.  #SorryNotSorry

BEST SONGS: "Gone (feat. Consequence & Cam'Ron)," "Hey Mama," "Late"

6. Yeezus

This is an album that doesn't get as much credit as it deserves.  Yes, it's more gritty, raw, in-your-face and overall mean than the rest of his discography.  But that's the point.  Kanye wanted to be abrasive, and to make a darker album than he had ever made before.  Its roots were more punk rock than hip hop.  And it was his most divisive project yet!  Some people didn't like it at all, others (like the late Lou Reed) thought it was his best work yet!  The man did what he set out to do, which was to make the people talk.

Also, the Yeezus Tour was the best concert I have ever been to, so this album is dear to my heart so I can't slander it at all.

BEST SONGS: "Black Skinhead," "New Slaves (ft. Frank Ocean)," "Blood on the Leaves"

5. Watch the Throne (with Jay-Z)

This is the ultimate student/mentor album.  Jay-Z set Kanye into the world, and Kanye came back to give Jay some inspiration, and some collaboration.

This might be the most fun album either of these guys have released.  There was no pressure, no politics, no overblown pop hits, it was just a fun album about two MCs coming together, doing what they love, and rapping about what they love: ballin' so hard motherfuckers wanna find them.

This album is luxury rap at its finest, and, while often imitated, unfortunately may never be duplicated (although I hope I'm wrong... #WeWantWTT2)

BEST SONGS: "Otis," "No Church in the Wild (ft. Frank Ocean)," "New Day"

4. The Life of Pablo

Given Kanye's antics right before this new album came out, the album COULD have been his first true dud.  He was hyping it up SO much as this fantastic album, that there was NO WAY he could defy EVERY expectation.

Well, he did.  It may not be the best album of all time, but it may be the best album in a long time.

While this may be his most schizophrenic album sonically, it does prove to be ambitious in its own right by bringing in songs that show him channeling his early days to songs that show him reflecting the trends of nowadays, albeit in his own way.  He also delivers on the gospel elements he promised in interviews, as he examines himself as a god and as a man of the Christian god he worships, in many forms and fashions.  This is especially shown in the intro, "Ultra Light Beam," which is one of the best, most emotional songs he's ever released.  Also, lyrically, this may be his smartest in a while, showing his range from humble ("Real Friends," "30 Hours") to humorous ("Feedback," "Famous") and everything in between.  This album proves that Kanye finally knows the Kanye he wants to be, and isn't letting this revelation escape anytime soon.

BEST SONGS: "Ultra Light Beam (ft. Chance the Rapper, The-Dream, Kelly Price & Kirk Franklin)," "30 Hours (ft. Andre 3000)," "Highlights (ft. Young Thug & The-Dream)"

3. Graduation

Now here's where things get tricky.  Kanye has released so many classics that even a top 3 is hard.  Alas, I must put his 3rd album, the album that essentially killed gangsta rap as we knew it, in the #3 spot.

It's not easy to put this here.  This album is a certified classic hip hop album, and showed a respectable increase in maximalism in his production, which paved the way for his future sound.  I can't really say anything bad about this album.  I can just say that I find the remaining two to be better.

BEST SONGS: "Stronger," "Can't Tell Me Nothing," "Barry Bonds (ft. Lil Wayne)"

2. The College Dropout

Ahh, here we go.  The album that made Mr. West a proven capable rapper.  This album isn't his best in terms of technical rap skills, but it does possibly have his most heartfelt moments, as well as his most lighthearted, both of which he would come to be known for.  This is perhaps Mr. West's most human work, and with the help of the consistent soul beats, and the skits that tied it together, one of his most cohesive sonically.  It's a great album that launched the career of a great artist.

BEST SONGS: "Never Let Me Down (ft. J-Ivy & Jay-Z)," "Get 'em High (ft. Talib Kweli & Common)," "We Don't Care" 

1. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

And so we come to the #1 spot, which, in my opinion, is the best produced, best rapped, most cohesive, and overall BEST album in Kanye West's catalog.

This album was made when Kanye was at his most under pressure time frame ever, after interrupting Taylor Swift's acceptance speech (which, in retrospect, seems ridiculous that he got so much scrutiny for it).  He knew he had to show and prove with his next album.  And show and prove he did.  He upped the lyricism, the emotion, the subject matter, and even the promotional tactics to keep the audience on the edge of their feet to see what Kanye would do leading up to this album.

It didn't disappoint at all.  And, with this album, Kanye West showed the world that he'll be damned if he's going anywhere anytime soon.

So, sorry Taylor Swift, I'm really happy for you, and I'ma let you finish, but Kanye West made one of the best albums (and best discographies) of ALL TIME with this.

BEST SONGS: "Lost in the World (ft. Bon Iver)," "Runaway (ft. Pusha T)," "Devil in a New Dress (ft. Rick Ross)"

So, there's my list.  What order would yours be in?  Let me know, and why.

And remember to praise Yeezus every day, for he is our lord and savior.

LOL, JK (or am I?????)

Top 10: Best Albums of 2015

Another year, another time for reflection... to look back at all the accomplishments that we had, personal or otherwise.

In terms of entertainment, this year was the best it's been in a long time, ranging from Star Wars coming back in the best way possible to people finally seeing how overrated Bill Cosby is (sorry not sorry) to ALL OF THE MUSIC THAT CAME OUT THIS YEAR. (And yes, I capitalized that, cuz it's a LOT.)

That said, I figured I'd do what I did this time last year and bring the world my list of the top 10 albums that dropped this year. (Note: This is my opinion and is thus not swayed by the opinions of others.  Also I'm making this list as a fan and not an artist, so my projects are excluded from this list. If you want to check my post about them out, you can do so here.)

Honorable mentions (no order):

- Tetsuo & Youth - Lupe Fiasco
- Beauty Behind the Madness - The Weeknd
- What a Time to be Alive - Drake & Future
- Barter 6 - Young Thug
- Cherry Bomb - Tyler the Creator

10. Chris Brown - Royalty

Release Date: December 18th

Chris Brown is something of an enigma in popular music.  On one hand, he is a descendant of Michael Jackson, in terms of abilities from singing to dancing and making danceable music.  On the other, he is a loose cannon with a short fuse who gets into fights easily, with everyone from Frank Ocean to Drake to Rihanna (perhaps most unfortunately).  That said, the mixed reaction toward his continued relevance can directly contribute to whether one can separate the art from the artist.

This album, however, proves there is a definite need to do so when dealing with controversial figures such as him.  And it may be his best yet.

Breezy has been known as a multifaceted artist for a while now, ranging from EDM to hip hop to contemporary R&B to full-fledged disco, but he had yet to make a full album displaying his diversity as coherently as this.  From jams like "Zero" to "Fine by Me" to rap-tinged "Picture Me Rollin'" (which surprisingly doesn't sample 2Pac), he covers all bases with this album, leading into something of a sonic roller coaster that culminates into the final song, "Little More (Royalty)," a song dedicated to his daughter, whom the album was titled after.  With this as the closer, it seems like the theme of the album is the whirlwind of Chris Brown's multifaceted personality and wanting to balance being a nice guy and a bad boy, until he realizes at the end what is most important in his life.  Chris Brown may never replace the King of Pop, but here he seems to have fully realized what his place in music, and in the world, is.  And that is what true royalty is.

9. Dr. Dre - Compton

Release Date: August 8th

Out of all the albums that came out this year, this is probably the MOST anticipated of them all.  So much so that since 2001 had been released 15 years prior, people were wondering if a follow-up would EVER happen.

Well, wonder not, because Dre finally dropped. Did he deliver another classic? Well... yes and no.

It's hard to top The Chronic AND 2001.  Both albums were game changers and introduced us to some of the biggest rap stars the world has ever seen.  Both also changed styles of production in hip hop.  And finally, both had classic rap songs in their own right.  So does this album do the same?  Well, not really, but it doesn't seem to be meant to do this.

This album is a far more reflective, introspective body of work than either of Dre's other albums.  It also brings a whole new energy to it, not sounding like any other album he's been involved with.  The production is as high caliber as ever, despite the sound not being what the fans may or may not have been looking for in a Dr. Dre album.  However, some of the other cornerstones of his other albums are there, and more than keep the listener beyond satisfied.  Stars like Eminem, Snoop Dogg, The Game, Kendrick Lamar, Ice Cube and Xzibit all show up with there A-1 rhymes, as do newcomers Anderson .Paak, King Mez and Jon Connor, all while Dre and friends provide a clear sonic background with which the artists can paint their pictures over.

In short, I think it's better than 2001, but not better than The Chronic.  It is a great body of work though, living up to Dre's standards he's set for himself over the years, and as a final album it works particularly well to close the book on his listed legacy.  If we never get another album from the good doctor, I'd personally be okay knowing this was the last one.

8. Big Sean - Dark Sky Paradise

Release Date: February 25th

Big Sean has always been looked at as the swagger rapper with a heart of gold, to different levels, throughout his career.  He's also had a reputation as a rapper who could never get an album to match the skills/charisma he had.

Until now.

Sean's bars, flow, cadences, and overall presence stepped FAR beyond anyone's expectations with this album, going into far deeper territory than he had been discovering in the past, on songs such as "One Man Can Change the World," "Deep," "I Know," and "Outro."  Despite his newfound depth, however, he never lost his sense of humor and fun, which separated him from the rest of the pack to begin with, as evident on songs such as "Play No Games," "Blessings" and the unexpected single "IDFWU."

His mix of seriousness and fun showed off who Big Sean really was for seemingly the first time in his career, and finally gave him a reason to be looked at as a force to be reckoned with in a world where we have Drake, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole and others.

Every blessing comes with a curse, but right now Big Sean is high off of his blessings, and despite the skies being dark, he is definitely in paradise.

7. Lil Wayne - Free Weezy Album

Release Date: July 4th

This year was a mixed bag for Lil Wayne.  On the one hand, he had legal and relationship drama out the wazoo, but on the other, he dropped three projects that showed him sounding far more invigorated than he had been in years.  Songs like "Glory," "Pick Up Your Heart," "London Roads," "My Heart Races On," "Post Bail Ballin'" and others show him simultaneously hungrier and more reflective than he had been on wax in years.

I've talked about this album on my blogsite before, but one metaphor I can use to properly describe his resurgence is to compare his career to the Star Wars movies.  The first trilogy was beloved and adored by critics and fans alike, and still held to a high standard to this day.  With the following trilogy, the prequels, it seemed like the series forgot why it was so popular, leading to an overall mess of retched dialogue, boring plots and botched-looking special effects.  Then, with the new movie just coming out, the series was able to leave the hands of George Lucas and regain its former glory by remembering why it was so enjoyable for everyone in the first place.  That said, Lil Wayne is the franchise, and Birdman/Cash Money Records is George Lucas, and the catalyst for Wayne to regain his footing was to leave the Cash Money umbrella that had both helped and hindered him for so long.

6. ASAP Rocky - At Long Last ASAP (A.L.L.A.)

Release Date: May 26th

Make no mistake: ASAP Rocky CAN rap with the best of them.  His style, both musically and fashion-wise, just seem to precede his lyricism.  With that stigma, and the passing of his dear friend and manager ASAP Yams, Rocky definitely had a point to prove with this album.  This led to him releasing one of the most cohesive, wavy albums of the year.

Rocky's affinity with drugs is ever-present throughout this album, especially on songs like "LSD," "Fine Whine," "Everyday," and others.  However, his lyricism can also be found on the same level, with songs like "Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye II," "Excuse Me," "Holy Ghost," "Back Home," "M'$" (which features a KILLER feature from Lil Weezy himself) and more.

Throughout this album, Rocky is more in pocket than he has ever been before, in every sense of the phrase, and he shows potential for growth at the same time.  His features (including from Kanye West, Future, Mos Def, UGK, Juicy J, and multiple appearances from newcomer Joe Fox) are on another level, as is the production.  He's one of those artists who has only improved artistically since their breakthrough, and if this is the new bar, I personally can't wait until he releases more.

5. Travi$ Scott - Rodeo

Release Date: September 4th

Travi$ Scott, like ASAP Rocky, has garnered a reputation for his affinity of both the trap and the trippy worlds.  They have also been known as two of the more wild performers in rap today.  This comparison ends there.  These artists in and of themselves could not be very much more different besides that.  Travi$ loves using autotune and disregards lyricism as important, while Rocky makes sure his words stand out in his rhymes.  What makes this album better than Rocky's, therefore, is how it fares sonically, as well as the guest appearances utilized throughout.

"Rodeo" is a very appropriately named album, as it takes the listener on a wild ride throughout, with help from Chief Keef, Quavo, Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Young Thug, and everyone else in rap that is as wild as he.  However, despite Travi$ being the wild boy he is, and the ignorance the subject matter here showcases, the album is surprisingly beautiful in its melodies used and its cross between headbanging and trip-inducing, especially with the transitions a few of these songs, such as "Oh My Dis Side," and "Maria I'm Drunk" utilize.

In short, Travi$ Scott embodies the need for the youth to rage, but does it in an artistic way, production-wise, visually, and, in a way, lyrically, that is surprisingly concentrated on making a sonic body of work.  His previous mixtapes were great in their own right, but this album is a defining moment in Scott being recognized as a true trendsetter and wave-maker in not only rap, but music in general.

4. Drake - If You're Reading This It's Too Late

Release Date: February 13th

First things first, let's get this out of the way: Drake OWNED 2015.  No question.

He set the bar super high from the jump with the surprise release of this mixtape/album, not to mention all the HITS it contained, such as "Energy," "10 Bands," "6 God," "6 Man," "Madonna," and, of course, the project's crown jewel, "Know Yourself." You're lying to yourself if you haven't listened to this song and haven't sang along to the part where he screams "I WAS RUNNING THROUGH THE 6 WITH MY WOES!"

Drake owned 2015 in a lot of other ways, ranging from collaborations to beefs, but I'll focus on this project in and of itself. Though not as cohesive as Take Care or Nothing Was the Same, the hits, quotables and overall attitude is there as much as ever, if not more.  On this project, Drake seems like he's finally found his swagger and has been pumping it up to the maximum as of late, and when he brags about being the hottest in rap, you better believe him this time around.

It's the 6 God's world, we just live in it. (At least until our lord and savior, Kanye West, drops SWISH...)

3. Future - Dirty Sprite 2 (DS2)

Release Date: July 17th

In the past year or so, Future went from rap's go-to crossover man to the bona fide KING of ATL trap music.  His album-quality mixtapes Monster, Beastmode and 56 Nights made it clear that Future was not only back on his A game after an arguable slip in quality, but he was better than ever, and with something to prove.

And all that culminated in this trap-rap masterpiece of an album, DS2.

One thing about Future is he has mastered the ability to simultaneously talk about personal issues (mental struggles, addiction, relationships) and his codeine-fueled lifestyle.  His music, especially as of late, is almost a cry for help and something to bop your head to.  Here, issues are not touched on as directly as the mixtapes that preceded it, but the pain is still evident as he mentions his desires to be surrounded by drugs and other worldly pleasures.  Songs from "Thought it Was a Drought," "I Serve the Base," "Rich Sex," "Groupies," "Freak Hoe," "Blow a Bag," and more discuss these desires that Future Hendrix has to fuel the emptiness in him with materialism and recreational activities, while songs like "Blood on the Money" showcase the sacrifices he had to make in his life in order to obtain the riches he has.

In short, though the songs on this album may be catchy, and even fantastic, on their own, the duality of Future's excess and his emptiness are what make him stand out from other trap-rap artists, thus providing an insight of the downward spiral Future seems to be on throughout the course of this album, as well as just being able to party to it.

(Sidenote: "March Madness" should have been on here.  That's hands down his best song, and possibly the best song of the YEAR.)

2. Snoop Dogg - BUSH

Release Date: May 12th

Whoever's talked to me in person or online knows that I LOVE this album.  It had no right to be as underrated as it is.

The songs that Snoop and Pharrell have provided for the world in the past have been great, but these just up the ante a few notches.  The two of them are both cut from similar funk-based cloths, so this time around they've given the people a coherent R&B/funk project for the world to enjoy and to vibe and/or dance to.  It's not necessarily what the people want from Snoop Dogg, but I'll be damned if they don't love it.

Not much more to say about it.  I just LOVE all the songs on here, and if you listened to it you'd understand why.

1. Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly

Release Date: March 16th

I've already discussed this album in depth on this site over here, but there's one thing that needs to be said that everyone else didn't already say.

Despite ALL of the great music that came out this year (and trust me, it's a LOT), there's still one thing that needs to be asked:

Did anyone expect the #1 spot to go to any other album but this?

Because I didn't.  Sure, I thought someone MIGHT come from left field and snatch the top spot from Kendrick, but in all honesty, I didn't think it would happen. It's just too high of a bar to set for everyone else.

Nothing else I can say about it that everyone else hasn't.  Kendrick Lamar simply put out the best album of 2015. (And hopefully the Grammys agree...)

Ranking J-Pegs's 2015 Releases

So since 2015 is almost over, and I dropped a LOT of music this year, I figured I'd do something I don't usually do: rank all the projects I dropped in 2015.  It's a fun wrap-up list, and a reminder in terms of what I did this year.  If you guys disagree with me feel free to let me know what order you put them in.

So, with that said, here we go!

10. Working 9 to 5, Pt. 3: The Grind Don't Stop

Standout tracks: Down at the Sky (ft. Chucky Finster); City Lights (ft. Miguel); Shovel Knight; Madonna; Can't Sleep on You (ft. Tory Lanez)

http://www.datpiff.com/J-Pegs-Working-9-To-5-Pt-3-The-Grind-Dont-Stop-mixtape.740978.html

9. Definition of a Soldier (with Jarell)

Standout tracks: NY Winter (ft. Niko); I'm the Best; High Class; Close Enough; Love Ain't Real

http://www.datpiff.com/J-Pegs-Jarell-Definition-Of-A-Soldier-mixtape.728673.html

8. L6: The Assassin

Standout tracks: Fancy (ft. Lou Ka$h); Soft Nigga (ft. Milli Maze); Wednesday; Renegade (ft. Jarell); Reefer Madness

https://j-pegs.bandcamp.com/album/l6-the-assassin

7. Youth of America (with Trippy Gang)

Standout tracks: Wife Material (John Juan, J-Pegs, Hellovit & Melo); If it's Real (J-Pegs & Hellovit ft. Lou Ka$h); Pimps on Olympus (J-Pegs & Chucky Finster); Black Swan Remix (J-Pegs, Milli Maze, Chucky Finster & B. Diddy); Figure it Out (Jarell & J-Pegs ft. Niko)

http://www.datpiff.com/Trippy-Gang-Entertainment-Youth-Of-America-mixtape.720607.html

6. L9: Is This What You Want?

Standout tracks: Bad Blood; 679 (ft. Lou Ka$h); Where Ya At; Halftime; Slick Talk (ft. Melo)

http://www.datpiff.com/J-Pegs-the-Legend-Lollapalooza-9-Is-This-What-You-Want-mixtape.749469.html

5. The Meaning of Life

Standout tracks: To Live & Die; All We Really Need (ft. Mickey Factz); Lingo; Thin Line (ft. Chucky Finster); Go TF Off (ft. Shizzy VI)

https://j-pegs.bandcamp.com/album/the-meaning-of-life

4. L7: The King is Back

Standout tracks: Blank Space; D.O.E. (Death of Everything); Wrist; Truffle Butter; Believe Me

https://j-pegs.bandcamp.com/album/l7-the-king-is-back

3. Year of the G: Side A

Standout tracks: Cap; For a Boss; 1991 to Forever; This Side; Broker's License

https://j-pegs.bandcamp.com/album/year-of-the-g-side-a

2. Year of the G: Side B

Standout tracks: Stay Woke; Coastin'; Chamber of Secrets; Trap House; Leave You

https://j-pegs.bandcamp.com/album/year-of-the-g-side-b-2

1. Captain Pegs

Standout tracks: Akeno; Rockstar; Fear the Reaper (ft. Nekro G & Milli Maze); Power Up; All I Represent (ft. Dub Deuce & Kinny Franks)

http://www.datpiff.com/J-Pegs-Captain-Pegs-mixtape.709346.html

Plenty more music coming next year, so look out for all of it! Also check out any projects you may have missed above.

Top 5 Best Movies of 2015

So, it's that time again! Time for the year-end lists! To start them off, I, Jeff Pegno, self-proclaimed music/movie extraordinaire and God's gift to humanity, am going to count down my top 5 favorite movies that have come out in 2015.

I'll keep this brief since this is a music blog, so I'm not going into why I love them so much, because honestly there is really no need to say anything other than I just fucking love these movies.

OK, let's get started.

Honorable mentions (no order:

- Inside Out
- Jurassic World
- Avengers: Age of Ultron


5. Mad Max: Fury Road

4. Kingsman: The Secret Service

3. Creed

2. Straight Outta Compton

1. Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

Let me know if you think I missed anything, and if so what I should watch.

Nekro G - Thought Crimes ALBUM REVIEW

Hey guys, J-Pegs here again, here with my first album review since I covered Kendrick Lamar's album To Pimp a Butterfly (which you can check out here), and my first review of someone I consider a colleague in making music.  Nekro G and I have worked together on numerous songs in the past, including "Calistoneya," "Fear the Reaper," "Crazy as Me" and others.  But that's not the topic here.  Today's topic is his latest project, "Thought Crimes."

Nekro G is a California-based underground rapper known for his hardcore underground brand of rap, as well as being extremely prolific in the mixtape/album/guest feature world. He is a member of the Grim Reality Entertainment collective/label, which specializes in making a style of hardcore, gritty rap music.  Sort of a mix between horrorcore and west coast G-funk, if you will.  Everyone in the collective is dope in their own right, but in my opinion, G has the most intricate rhyme patterns of the bunch and the most distinct voice and flow.  He's brought plenty of hard-hitting joints off of previous projects that I really enjoy, such as "Hustle Aggressive," "Take the Trash Out," "Beyond Beast," and others, so how does this compare?  Let's take a look.

1. Thought Crimes ft. JP tha Hustler

This intro sets off the theme of the album as a whole, as a more politically minded Nekro G than we're used to seeing on wax comes through hard as ever, speaking of government overstepping its boundaries to control the minds of the people. Despite a verse from GRE head JP tha Hustler that I wasn't really wowed by, this intro really shows where his mindset is headed with this project, whether one believes in conspiracy theories or not.

2. Follow Your Leader

The album's theme of authority brainwashing the people continues with this one. I think this song is catchier than the last song in my opinion. I particularly like how he dismisses the idea that since he is an "obnoxious pothead" he doesn't have any sense of what he's talking about, nor should those that critique him be put on any higher pedestal due to them potentially being brainwashed themselves. 

3. Change
The beat went in a different direction than I expected. Based off the piano I thought it was going to be a quieter beat but the drums kicked in and turned the song into something else entirely. As for G's performance, I like how consistent he is, but I think at this point the delivery starts to seem a bit monotonous and distracting from what he's really saying, particularly on the hook, since the song itself doesn't seem to be as angry as it is more contemplative.

4. I Bury 'Em

This sounds like a sequel of sorts to "Take the Trash Out," which is what a lot of Nekro G fans may have been expecting/wanting from him. Personally, and admittedly, I was one of those people going into this project. That said, I think it's a high point of the album, not just because of that vibe, but he's the most confident sounding here at this point, and the beat compliments his flow so well.

5. Let 'em Know

This is another track on the album that stands out to me. I like the bouncy beat and hook, and the verses work as well, though I could do without G trying to make his verse so high-pitched.

6. Theories

This has probably the most intriguing topic yet, speaking about the unknowns of the world, like aliens and the pyramids. It feels like the album snapped back into its original concept after the last two songs sort of derailed from it.

7. Bacon

First of all, I love this title. I remember he posted a status a while back saying if he got enough likes he'd make a song with this title. With that said, and the rest of the concept, I should have seen this song coming. Sort of a modern day edition of "Fuck the Police." Since Nekro's a Cali native, it sort of seems like this song is particularly necessary for the album with these topics to have.

8. Flow Your Mind ft. Twocees

As much credit as I give to G's flow and topics covered throughout the album, I have to admit that if listened to all the way through at once it gets tedious to listen to him for a whole album with him using the flow he does for the whole thing. That said, the fact that this is the first song since the intro to have a feature kind of makes this a breath of fresh air. Other than that, it's not as great of a song as "I Bury 'Em" and "Bacon."

9. Shake it Up ft. Cali G

This beat is the most interesting of the songs so far. It sounds like something Petey Pablo would have made back in like 2002, particularly the hook. Cali G shows up at the tail end of the song as well with a show-stealing verse. Definitely a highlight.

10. I'm from GRE ft. Cali G

This is the only song not produced by JP tha Hustler, and it definitely sounds more like a Cali G song than a Nekro G song. It's by far the most laid back so far, giving the album a little time to breathe. Cali G's verse and hook are smooth, and Nekro compliments it nicely as well.

11. Slam

This one sounds like something that would be played in a sports arena, like "Whoomp There It Is." The hook kind of disappointed me. It sounds like it should have been bigger and more anthemic. That would have made this song a standout to me.

12. Get Fucked Up ft. Dr. Edrum

This is the party song here. G's rhymes are as expected, as well as GRE's resident wild man Dr. Edrum, who sounds right in pocket with the hectic nature of this beat and topic.

13. I Will Kill Y'all (Remix) ft. JP tha Hustler & Playboy the Beast

Nekro remixes a previously released JP song for this. Not sure why he chose to put this on his album. It would have made more sense if G was on the song at all originally but he wasn't. Reasons aside, I feel like this collaboration really should have been better. No one really had a standout verse honestly, except maybe a couple lines from Playboy the Beast. For a song called "I Will Kill Y'all," I really didn't feel that any of them had the capability to do any such thing, which is what JP seemed to be going for, so I couldn't vibe out to the song like that.

14. All Seeing I ft. Slyzwicked

The outro here, as evident by the title, once again brings it back to the original concept of the album, which had seemed to take a backseat after #8 (if that). Anyway, it's not a bad song, but it feels more of a rehashing of what had been said on the first couple of songs than its own song. I also don't know how much I cared for Slyzwicked's verse, though it wasn't bad.

Final thoughts:

While I do like a lot of the songs on this album, and I think Nekro G is a more than capable rapper/lyricist, I think he kind of went into this album biting off a little more than he could chew. It sounded like basically what it was; a hardcore/horrorcore rapper trying to make a real political album with a message but the message began to get stale after the first couple of times he mentioned it so he moved on and brought it up every now and again. The reason why albums like To Pimp a Butterfly work is not only because of the topics presented, but because it is an album with a lot of consistency, heart and a sense of tangibility instead of what we got here.  It seemed like the album went from having a consistent overall arc to kind of the mixed bag that it ended up being. A bunch of these songs are great, and more are definitely worth at least a listen, but at the same time there's a lot of filler and redundancies to keep this from being the GREAT album that it maybe should have been.

OVERALL SCORE: 7/10

BEST SONGS: I Bury 'Em, Bacon, Shake it Up

WORST SONGS: Change, I Will Kill Y'all (Remix)

If you want to listen to this album and see what you think, you can do so here and here. (Note: These are just snippets. To hear the full album purchase it.)

What I've Been Listening To Lately (aka Sorry for My Absence, Pt. 1)

OK, I know I haven't posted on here for like... 6 months?  Really?  It's been that long?  Wow, time really does fly... Anyway, I HAVE been listening to a lot of new music lately, so I figured I'd use my return post to discuss some new/classic projects I've been loving lately that I haven't talked about on here.

Drake & Future - What a Time to be Alive

Arguably rap music's two elite players in 2015, who have already proven to have great chemistry on songs like "Tony Montana," "Never Satisfied," "Fo Real," "Where Ya At" and others, coming together to make a mixtape (or album, depending on how you look at it) together for the fans.  Apparently this project came together at the beginning of this month and was finished in six days, which seems fast, and it is, but not as fast as one would imagine considering the 6 God's consistent output and Future Hendrix's reputation of making at least four or five songs in a single DAY!  Either way, talk about spontaneity!

Some may critique this project as being too focused on Future rather than Drake, but sonically, it's somewhere in between Drake's If You're Reading This It's Too Late and Future's Dirty Sprite 2, both of which dropped earlier this year (and were both great bodies of work).  Also, Future and Drake bounce off of each other as they have done in past works.  Drake handles the lyrical side of things, while Future maintains the catchiness of the project as a whole.  The next Watch the Throne?  Nope, but it certainly is a worthwhile project from the two of them, particularly at parties, barbecues and other functions of the sort, and makes the world wonder just what is next for each of these two rap juggernauts.

Lil Wayne - FWA (Free Weezy Album)

After a few years of inconsistencies, at times putting out duds that even the most hardcore Weezy F. stan would find mediocre, Lil Wayne finally regained his footing lyrically sometime around last year, building hype for his long-awaited Tha Carter V.  However, despite songs like "Believe Me," "Grindin'," "Gotti" and others being pretty well-received, and a rumored tracklist that looked promising (even including features from Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Big Sean and Mannie Fresh himself) Wayne announced his dissatisfaction with his relationship with his record label, Cash Money Records, and thus, the album was left in limbo.

Many lesser men would have succumbed to such hardships, but not the man known as Lil Tunechi.  He upped his game lyrically even further in 2015, proceeding to release Sorry 4 the Wait 2, a mixtape which many described as a return to prime "mixtape Weezy," as well as DESTROYING features for Big Sean, ASAP Rocky, Juicy J, Turk, Curren$y, and others.  And the crown jewel of it all?  A brand new (free) album from him!

The album itself is criminally underrated, and shows Wayne at his best lyrically (see "Glory," "London Roads," "Pick Up Your Heart," "Post Bail Ballin'"), conceptually (see "He's Dead," "Without You," "Psycho") and just plain having fun with rap again (see "I Feel Good.")  With this album, Wayne proved that he's far from washed up, and that if we thought we had seen his best a long time ago, we ain't seen nothin' yet.

Snoop Dogg - Bush

What do you get when Snoop Dogg and Pharrell team up?  Well, you get songs like "Beautiful," "Signs," "Drop it Like it's Hot," etc.  But what do you get when they do a full album together???  Apparently, something entirely different.

Snoop Dogg has always made it known that he's a child of the funk, and has always incorporated that in his music, ever since he and Dr. Dre first teamed up for The Chronic.  But here, he takes this affinity to the next level with an album full of bona fide funk jams with Pharrell Williams.  Opting not to rap on most of these songs, the two provide an atmosphere that both makes you want to relax and dance.

Songs like "Peaches N Cream" (which may be my favorite song of the year so far), "R U a Freak," "Run Away," and "So Many Pros" give us a sound we didn't know we wanted from Snoop, but those of us who heard it were more than glad to have it in our lives.  This album is definitely his best since his first, and, in my opinion, in the top two or three of the best albums of the year.

The Notorious B.I.G. - Life After Death

You can't beat the classics, man...

Some vintage rappers and rap songs tend to sound dated as time goes by, but not Biggie.  His super fluid yet lyrical, easy yet complex flow has only aged well in its years.  Listening to the rap stars of today, such as Drake, Big Sean, ASAP Rocky and others, it's easy to see who they studied in terms of rap.  Biggie was certainly a pioneer, and one of the greatest rappers of all time (arguably THE greatest) but few really realize how much impact he really had on the game as a whole.  Not only that, but his songs themselves are STILL hot. (Except "Playa Hater," which I like to not think about.)

If you haven't, do yourself a favor and listen to this album and his first.  (I put this album up here because I've been listening to it more lately, and I reviewed his 1st album elsewhere.)

Travi$ Scott - Rodeo

From the moment he stepped on the scene, and subsequently aligned himself with the god who is Kanye West, Travi$ Scott has been one of the most intriguing artists in rap.  His production is top-notch, and his choices of flows are energetic.  While his technical rapping abilities aren't as strong as some, his musicality more than makes up for it.  With that being the case, many eyes were on him when it came to drop his debut commercial album, Rodeo.

And it sounds very off-kilter, but also quite beautiful as well.  The sounds as a whole is a mix of ATL trap music and Kanye West's experimental Yeezus album, and it yielded to the most hectic album in a while.  Scott shows moments of intensity throughout the album, as do his guest features on the album.  Swae Lee (of Rae Sremmurd), Quavo (of Migos), Juicy J, Young Thug, Chief Keef, and even Paul McCartney (who plays guitar on "Piss on Your Grave" ft. Kanye West) and a rapping Justin Bieber (who actually holds his own on "Maria I'm Drunk") all show up to join in on the chaos of the rodeo.  And, with Hustle Gang general T.I. narrating the album, it is given a sense of cohesion which lets it breathe for a bit amidst the wildness that this album emits.

So, if you want to experience trap music in a whole new light, or just want to turn up, this is the album for you.

J-Pegs - Year of the G (Side B)

Yes, this is my own album.  No, it's not out yet.  And yes, this part of the post is a shameless plug.  But I'm working hard on it, and the music for it is amazing so far.  I'll drop it when it's done, but I can't wait for you guys to hear it.

In the meantime, check out Side A right here:

https://j-pegs.bandcamp.com/album/year-of-the-g-side-a

So yeah, those are some of the albums I'm listening to right now.  If anyone has anything they think I should hear, be it their own stuff or otherwise, let me know and I'll be sure to check it out.