Lyrics Of The Week: August 23-29

There's quite a bit of repetition in the game these days, and specific bars are often overlooked. This is an opportunity to take a closer listen and really consider what these artists have to say. We encourage your opinions.

Keep in mind, these are the most noteworthy lyrics of the week, not necessarily the best. Also, it's hard to get everything right - if you notice any errors, don't hesitate to let us know in the comments section. Lines we're not quite sure about will be bolded.

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The first single from Eminem's upcoming sequel to The Marshall Mathers LP, previewed in a commercial during the VMAs. Rick Rubin's instrumental is a sonic throwback to the Beastie Boys and the golden era of hip-hop, complete with beat breaks, scratching and a Billy Squier sample. It's slightly jarring, but it works.  

The track is a lyrical exercise. 'Em approaches it like a sport, switching his flow up every verse and making nearly every punchline and pop culture reference count. He does name-drop, but not excessively, saluting Kendrick Lamar and making light of Kevin Federline, Khloe Kardashian/Lamar Odom and Future. Although there may be nothing particularly deep here, it sounds like most of his early singles - not overly serious, quirky, somewhat cartoonish. Expect darker, more introspective shit on the album. 

Dude's just got a way with words. 

[Verse 1]
Now this shit's about to kick off, this party looks wack
Let's take it back to straight hip-hop and start it from scratch
I'm 'bout to bloody this track up, everybody get back
That's why my pen needs a pad cause my rhymes on the rag
Just like I did with addiction I'm 'bout to kick it
Like a magician, critics I turn to crickets
Got 'em still on the fence, ready to picket
But quick get impaled when I tell 'em "stick it"
So sick I'm lookin' pale, well that's my pigment
'Bout to go H.A.M., ya bish! Shout out to Kendrick
Let's bring it back to that vintage Slim, bitch!
The art of the emceeing mixed with da Vinci and MC Ren
And I don't mean Stimpy's friend, bitch
Been public enemy since you thought PE was gym, bitch

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The latest cut from Roc Marciano, produced by Frank The Butcher and Paul Mighty and to be included on the former's upcoming "All Is Fair" project. 

No one is as consistently multisyllabic as this Hempstead, Long Island emcee. He just kills the approach every time, effortlessly delivering grimy, constantly-rhyming bars punctuated with colorful similes and metaphors. 

This is street poetry. Can you dig it? 

[Verse 1]
Platinum ratchets, dirt bikes weavin' through traffic
Twist the cheeba, my bitch whip the two-seater 
Grip the nina, live by the marina, hyena 
Shout-out my lawyer, Bob Kalina, I beat cases 
Move shapeless, Cuban barber, revolver 
Smooth legwear, alligator headband 
Money wrapped in bands, my mans is bubbling grams
I look like Birdman when rubbin' his hands 
Persian housekeeper, squeeze street sweepers 
You'll find shells from the streets, it's like Easter
Wild Kingdom, the concrete version - perversions
I've got a way with words, it's disturbing 
It's a burden, so many bitches it's a whirlwind 
The blow soft like girl skin...
The world I'm in, sterling with the fin
The coloured tint, my gun come with a twin, gotta tuck 'em in 
Curb your bitch, she 'bout a buck ten
That's a lightweight, a mean shoe made of white snake
I wear a hardhat in the booth, I'm blue collar
My flow's smooth like the behind on a toddler 
Twirl the ganga while I ponder, and let the hoes wander... 

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3.) Best Chemistry / Wordplay: The Underachievers - Fake Fans

A standout cut from Brooklyn duo and Brainfeeder signees The Underachievers' new "The Lords Of Flatbush" mixtape. According to Issa, the tape is mostly bangers, and "all the lyrical conscious expanding knowledge filled magical triple optic shit will have to wait for the album."

That being said, both emcees maintain that conscious third eye flow and complement each other on the track. They take an aggressively enlightened approach to lyricism, and the outcome is most often dope. 

Thoughts on this one? 

[Exceprt: Issa]

Hold up - catch me in SOHO with my team or ridin' 'dolo
Huggin' all my fans and givin' ends ends up to the hobos
Walk around the store, can't tell I'm high, you smell the dro though
If you don't fuck with the gang then you ain't gettin' any photos
Let me stop it - all my joints be rockin'
Shit ain't nothin', roll another, got a half-O in my pocket...
I switch the topic, they call me a prophet
Make 'em use their fuckin' third eye and they close their other sockets

[Exceprt: AK]

Brought up where futures ain't promised, look at my life, be astonished
Dishin' out positive rays - receivin' back the same thing
A livin' lord of my lane, you niggas novice, I know this
Couldn't write a bar that I noted, UA the hardest, you know this
Killin' in the game, I ain't even gon' lie
Never thought I'd be in it, told 'em it's gon' take time
But of course they repented, 'cause I coast through the limits
Throw the torch, spit the venom, now we large and we livin'

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"This is my statement for true lyricists." -Nino Bless

The "Control" responses are still trickling in, so we decided to use this category again. This weeks' props go to underground Brooklyn emcee Nino Bless, whose "Rhyme Of The Year" addresses Kendrick's verse and hip-hop in general.

"I don't think a lot of rappers responding to Kendrick did it in the spirit of competition," Nino said in an interview with HipHopDX. "Some guys were flat out saying, 'fuck you' when they should have thanked him for channeling inspiration to hit the booth and care. This record is thanking him in the spirit of competition and doing what he did with a statement, but in a more lyrical sense."  

Although he makes some pretty bold statements throughout, he backs them up, and this track is definitely an impressive lyrical feat. We highly recommend you listen to it in full and read his words. They're provocative, to say the least. 

How does the track compare to the other responses we've heard? 

[Excerpt]

'Pac from heaven is running this rap shit
Hova's Jewish investors are running this rap shit
T.D.E is running this rap shit
Their brother dropped the bait, all these rappers done grabbed it
Snap! Bit! Look how these acts fish for a casting
A song drops, next minute it's considered a classic

[Excerpt]

Now it's only right we going at this 
The fans now wanna hear bars, so why be passive?
This is a bomb Flex won't drop, I killed this mic
But I ain't out takin' flicks in a kilt for hype
It took a Compton kid to call himself the King
For heads to sense the heat
Before that, New York was asleep while rockin' to French's beats

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Pusha T connected with Chris Brown for this new Swizz Beatz-produced single, which'll appear on his upcoming album My Name Is My Name. The foreboding instrumental is bass-heavy and intensified by a choral singing sample, and Push is definitely on his Rick Flair shit, his flow wide-eyed and venomous. Surprisingly enough, Brown's hook seems to work - it's not overbearing. 

How do you feel about this collaboration?

[Hook: Chris Brown]
Come on let's pop the champagne, this one's for the life
Did everything you could, be here for the night
Man it feels good, everything is right
Energy is strong enough to brighten to the lights
My whole team winning, no reason to quit
I'd rather say I did than let them buzzards say I didn't
Let them talk about it man, I'm already livin'
I risk my life to try everyday to go and get it

[Verse 3: Pusha T]
Look, my Ouija board don't never lie to me
The best rapper living I know who's alive to me
The competition is all but died to me
I make these motherfuckers hide from me
This Sergio Tacchini life we up hold
You just posing for them pics so you can upload
This the life that we made
Gun shots in the dark like a sweet serenade

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"Most people like flying kites, riding bikes in the woods / Baking cake 'cause its good, I mean I would if I could." 

This is Tyler, The Creator's contribution to the Grand Theft Auto V soundtrack, and it's appropriately colorful and violent. He lives out a murderous, drug-dealing fantasy, vividly describing it with elaborate rhyme schemes and his characteristically monotone flow. 

This was a nominee for Best Wordplay as well. Thoughts?  

[Verse 1]
Hello, I'm a salesman, sorta giant
I sell molly and mary and other various items
One time one guy came to where I'm residing
And I didn't invite him, so instead tried to fight him
I got violent, long story short he's not breathing
For some reason I liked it and it was really exciting
Couldn't stop the addiction, and the irony is
A couple junkies went missing and I know right where they're hiding

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The latest reveal from Danny Brown's upcoming album OLD, produced by Paul White and dropped with aptly trippy visuals. Despite his modelling experience and penchant for fashion, Danny always keeps his rhymes ruthlessly grimy and explicit. He's channelling O.D.B. here, definitely, and takes us on another drug-addled trip. 

OLD is slated to drop on September 30th. Who's hyped? 

[Excerpt]

Mind of a pervert, with words I submerge 
On the verge of ODin' for the shit that I say
But who gives a fuck? I'm still gon' do this shit anyway 
A dirty nigga from Detroit at the end of the day
So when the night fall, I be gettin' head in an alley
By a low-down nothin', two-dollar scally 
Let her use her own rubber, bullshit Trojan 
Dick too big - nigga, I was stuffed in 
Bitch, I'm David Ruffin in ruffles, no stuffin' 
Bundles of Peruvian snow with his shirt tucked in 
Lookin' at the rest of you artists like you're nothin' 

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An ode to everyone's favorite movie streaming service from 2 Chainz annd Fergie, produced by Diplo and the Honorable C-Note. We'll leave the commentary on this one up to all of you. 

Thanks for joining the discussion, folks. 

[Verse 1: 2 Chainz]
I smoked a blunt for dinner, another blunt for breakfast
2 Chainz! Got 'em starin' at my necklace
Let's make a sex tape and put it on Netflix!
Let's make a sex tape and put it on Netflix!
She got it, I want it, I want it, she got it
I'm dodgin' paparazzi, my outfit from Versace
Copy, copy, copy, all these niggas just copy
I just bought me a new watch and these new niggas just watchin'

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