The Progress Report returns with Episode 13. This month the fellas discuss several aspects of “going Hollywood” Listen and enjoy….Progress Report Ya’ll!

The Progress Report Episode 13 Tracklist:

Bloquera – Back To The Grind Again
The Nice Guys – Ari Gold
Yasuka Agawa – L.A. Nights
People Under The Stairs – San Francisco Knights
Pevin Everett – Stuck

Download Episode 13 of The Progress Report

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Watch The Throne – Jay Z & Kanye West – 2011 written by SOULONE

Let’s get one thing clear.

This will not be the biased, shallow, fragmentary, take on ‘Throne’. Nope. No snark-fest here.

It won’t be,

“How they gon’ use a Otis Redding sample and not pay tribute to Otis Redding mayne??!!”

The song is called OTIS.

or,

“All they rappin’ ’bout is money..sheeeeit I ain’t rich. I cant relate…”

(see: “No Church In The Wild”,”New Day”, “That’s My Bitch”, “Murder to Excellence”, “Made In America”, and well…just listen to the album.)

This will not be “that” take. It will be fair. Impartial. Just.

Not the chew it up, vomit, one listen, polar/extremist, spit it out just to HAVE a take and actually absorb it later, *Twitter* 140 character take. Agreed?

Fact is, most hip-hop collab albums usually fall short of the mark. Usually inconsistent (The Firm), usually incohesive (Jaylib *victim of circumstance*), usually missing (Common/Q-Tip), or usually just plain “huh?” (Nas/Damian Marley). With the exceptions of OB4CL, which can be debated as to whether it’s an actual collab, or RAEKWON’S ALBUM (what up Flash? LOL), and Black Star, they also usually end up disposable in a very short time. (*note* MC/producer collabs were not included, only MC/MC)

With that being said, understandable if the idea of another MC/MC collab doesn’t necessarily excite you. Cool. Got it.
But, if you can’t get excited about the two biggest rap superstars in the world releasing a two-and-half minute, no-chorus, straight sample chop with no real drum programming to speak of, lighting in a bottle SINGLE….?? stop reading now…

Enter ‘Watch The Throne’.

Not exactly too much or too little of anything, ‘Throne’ on the surface, is the complete opposite of its reviews. Narcissistic, but not too narcissistic. Silly, but not too silly. Cerebral at times, but definitely not too cerebral ever. Many critics suggest that it’s over the top in brash bravado, and while the braggadocio IS present, it isn’t overwhelming. ‘Throne’ walks a fine line between ever getting TOO anything, good or bad included. “No Church In The Wild” is one of Jay/Ye’s best offerings chemistry-wise, over a pulsating 88-Keys backdrop (shout 88, that shit is MEAN), and “Lift Off” is the stadium status type of serving everyone should have expected from ‘Throne’ (shouts ‘Rell for the last 30secs. Classic bongos Neptunes sh*t). “Nigg*s In Paris” is much more Ye’ than Jay, (which is a common theme throughout ‘Throne’) but works, and anytime I can get Jay rhyming over this and this, i’ll take it. Swizz Beats shines (damn…who said THAT?) on “Welcome To The Jungle“, and “Murder To Excellence” is an awesome glance into black on black violence (there’s your substance snarky). BTW, is it just me, or are the beat change-ups on this album SECOND TO FUCKING NONE???

‘Throne’ has its pitfalls (‘Who Gon Stop Me’, ‘Why I Love You’), and it isn’t surprising they exist. Jay/Ye’ lack any real chemistry to speak of as MC’s, and Jay sometimes sounds a bit uncomfortable, however always inspired and focused.

Is it conceited?
Condescending?
Contradictory? (D.O.A. anyone??? What happened Hov?)

Yep. Yep. And yep.

But, one thing I’ve learned from rap music after a lifetime of disappointments and pleasant surprises is to least try to figure out what something IS, instead of harping on what it ISN’T. ‘Throne’ has much to offer sonically, and the careful listener will notice an interestingly, much more than usual revealing side of Jay-Z, and an extra human and passionate (and also hilarious) Kanye (even for Kanye).

Maybe (just maybe) the approach to making music that will be performed for and heard by millions calls for a bit of a different formula than music that (let’s face it) probably won’t. I for certain, don’t know. And although neither Ye’ nor Jay surpasses either of their previous best efforts, this experiment went relatively well. Especially solid considering the disaster it could have been. Whether or not ‘Throne’ will become another disposable hip-hop collab casualty of course remains to be seen. Hell, it’s really very unfair to “review” anything less than 24-hours after its release. But this is just a “take”. A “take” on the states of upheaval and outrage fans are for some reason in, and a “take” on the actual music. Not saying it’s classic, but it definitely is no dumpster fire. Relax.

DJ SoulOne digs deep into the rhythms of afrobeat funk and percussion. Music that defines culture and politics….ENJOY!!

Tracklisting

Afro Intro
Ikoyi Blindness – Fela Kuti
Shakara (Oloje) – Fela Kuti
Question Jam Answer – Fela Kuti
Asiko – Tony Allen
It’s Not Possible – Fela Kuti
Opposite People – Fela Kuti
War Hero – Antibalas
Hustler – Tony Allen
Who’re You – Fela Kuti
Fight To Finish – Fela Kuti
Jeun Ko Ku – Fela Kuti
Nairobi – Mombasa
You Not Go Die (Interlude) – Fela Kuti
Jealousy – Tony Allen
House Of Rising Funk – Afrique
Water Get No Enemy – Fela Kuti
Coffin For Head Of State – Fela Kuti
Colonial Mentality – Fela Kuti
Confusion Break Bones (CBB) – Fela Kuti

Download Afro’s Return