This week is all about hip-hop and rap. And even though this week’s picks tend to be more mainstream than usual, what’s wrong with a little variety?
“Guap”—Big Sean:
Big Sean has been everywhere in 2012, especially since his song “Dance (Ass)” blew up on the radio, in the club … well, just about everywhere.
Signed to Kanye West’s G.O.O.D label, Big Sean has also been featured on the massive hits “Mercy” and “Clique” this year. “Guap” is likely the first solo single Big Sean will put out for his upcoming album, “Hall of Fame,” set to be released in December.
Even as it progressively gets colder, this song may take you back to the summer with the steel drum featured throughout. And while this song isn’t exactly lyrically deep — he talks about how much money he has been making and the things he is going to buy with all his “guap”—it is super catchy and caters to what the listening public wants to hear.
“King of Raop” — CRo: Recently a friend of mine introduced me to German rap. And even though I don’t understand a single thing that is being said, I think that is beside the point in this instance.
This artist, CRo, is one that intrigues me. He wears a mask while on stage, on album covers and during other public appearances because he does not want to be famous. He wants to be known for his music and his talents rather than his face.
Also, if you were curious, “raop” is a term that combines rap and pop to make a unique style and sound. With all these new and interesting terms, why not just give the song a listen and see how good it is for yourself?
“Beauty and a Beat” featuring Nicki Minaj — Justin Bieber: Absolutely no judgment here. I love Justin Bieber. I even went to see him on his My World 2.0 tour my senior year of high school.
At first I loved him for his innocent adorableness, but now I love how he is growing up and making songs that cater to his interests and not his 8-year-old fans.
This song off of his most recent album, “Believe,” has a great video with a concept one wouldn’t expect from the Biebs. This song is cute and infectious, so much so that you may be crazy not to like it.
“F***in’ Problem” featuring Drake, Kendrick Lamar and 2 Chainz—A$AP Rocky: A hip-hop song featuring a sampling of my favorite rappers is one that I am sure to rave about. I have recently been hooked on A$AP Rocky and Kendrick Lamar, listening to everything the A$AP Mob (Rocky’s crew) and Black Hippy (Kendrick’s crew) has put out.
And Drake has to be an all-time favorite artist. And who doesn’t like 2 Chainz’s ridiculousness? This song, unfortunately, does not have much depth, but I definitely appreciate it more for its entertainment purposes than anything else.
“Lovin’ You is Fun” — Easton Corbin: I realize that this song isn’t a recent release, but it has been steadily crawling up the Billboard charts, a pleasant sight for me. Because yes, I like country music (shocking, right?).
This song almost immediately puts a smile on my face, and Easton Corbin has a ruggedly cute thing about him (think Luke Bryan) that makes him very easy on the eyes. When a man sings to you, “My heart’s never smiled so hard / baby, lovin’ you is fun,” who wouldn’t melt?
jmorice@theeagleonline.com
