It's All About New York

New York: A Love Story

Now it's very funny on how I found this album but I am happy I did, because Mack Wilds' came with the heat on this one. This album is so NY, after listening to this album it makes me want to go listen to Mary J. Blige's What's The 411, Nas' Illmatic, and Wu-Tang's Enter The Wu (36 Chambers). I am not comparing Wilds' album to them but it has such a 90s hip-hop flavor. But I am going to explain how this album was in the view the whole time, but I finally decided to check it out, so glad I did.

Yesterday I was lounging around the house after eating dinner. Normally during this time, I listen to Music Choice Throwback Jams. But this time, I decided to listen to Hip-Hop/R&B Jams, and with me loving old music it gives me a chance to catch up with new hip-hop. After 2 Chainz and Trinidad James came on, I heard the beat to Eric B is President. So I thought to myself, I know they are not about to play this song on Hip-Hop/Jams, then I saw that it's Mack Wilds Own It. Then I remember hearing his performance of this song on Wendy Williams. 

Vibe to this joint right quick

Now listen to the original

Didn't that sound good, so you would think I would want to listen to his album after I heard that. But it took a little more time. While I am getting ready for work, I started playing my music off my iTunes, so I am now getting a little sleepy. But every night before I go to sleep, I go to knicksnow.com to check out the news on the NEW YORK KNICKS. So, about 3 hours later (mind you I was tired LOL), I go to my Instagram and the first thing I see is one of my followers was listening to Mack Wilds' NY: A Love Story, he explained that he was bringing that 90s hip-hop/R&B flavor back. From that review, I felt that I had to check his album out. However, I go to Itunes to buy it before listening to it. (Hoping I didn't make a big mistake with doing this). I figured let me pick two songs to listen to so I pick Don't Turn Me Down and Henny, I was hooked. I was like I had to listen to this whole album before I went to sleep. I figured if he used Mobb Deep's The Learning (Burn) beat his album had to be official.

Henny

The Learning (Burn)

If you are from New York, you can't tell me you are not in your NY State of Mind right now. *I have to listen to these joints again*

Before I listen to the album, I had to check who the producers were and I saw greatness. The names I saw were Salaam Remi, DJ Premier  and Pete Rock. I knew this album would be fire. DJ Preimer has worked with every legendary hiphop artist in this game, in my opinion he is the top hip-hop producer of all time. Pete Rock was part of the legendary hip-hop act, CL Smooth & Pete Rock. He produced so many legendary songs that includes my favorite hip-hop song of all time, They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y). Lastly, Salaam Remi is one of the best producers right now, he produced in my opinion the classic Life Is Good by Nas. Mack Wilds is co-signed by legends. Vibe out with these legends for a second, so you can see that Mack is in good hands.

DJ Premier

Pete Rock

Salaam Remi

Damn that sounded so good. Come on after listening to these joints you know Mack Wilds is in good hands.

Now I begin listening to the album he starts of with Wild Things featuring Method Man. I am not surprised because Mack is from Staten Island and so is Method Man. I felt it would only be right for Method Man to be on this feature because it gives you that Bring The Pain vibe. 

Wild Things

Bring The Pain

I am feeling this album now, I am like okay he opens the album with a banger then he goes this way with My Crib. Now we know this Jay-Z beat...check it out

My Crib

You, Me, Him, and Her

Still in NY right, Mack has me deep into this album already with the second track. Already knowing Henny and Own It, I am ready for track 5 which is Magic, which I feel is a fill in but it still keeps the NY vibe going. But then he gets me again with track 6, Keepin It Real. When I heard the beat, I went crazy in my house. (Mind you it's like 1 in the morning, I know my neighbors are pissed..lol) I said "No, Mack didn't use The Realness...I know DJ Premier had something to do with this" In my opinion, next to NY State Of Mind, The Realness is one of the illiest cuts from DJ Premier.    

Keepin It Real

Tha Realness

OMG that sounds so good, DJ Premier most definitely produced it he added more piano to it to Keepin It Real though. By now I really want to just drive to New York bumping this in my car because album is so New York. Next he goes into this track U Can Cry To Me featuring another person from the Wu-Tang, Raekwon. This song gives me Can It All Be So Simple vibe, from Wu-Tang's classic 36 Chambers mixed with Lauryn Hill's Ex-Factor.

U Can Cry To Me

 

Can It All Be So Simple

Ex-Factor

Now yall know I am in my house blasting this album with cuts like Duck Sauce and The Art of Fallin kept the NY music going. Lastly, his version of Michael Jackson's classic Remember The Time was smooth. From this album, you can clearly see that Mack wanted a New York album and he most definitely delivered. To me, he is giving the game a little bit of fresh air like Mary J. Blige did in 1992, mixing NY hip-hop and R&B together. Right now, in NY hip-hop we have lost our way, because it seems that we only have Nas & Jay-Z at the forefront of NY radio and they are veterans. I want my city rappers to bring hip-hop back to NY. Even though Mack Wilds is new, but as a New Yorker, he understood the essence of NY hip-hop and felt that we should be back on the forefront of NY radio. With Mack taking an approach like this, he setting himself up with a great career.

Please go support this dude like I did 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/new-york-a-love-story/id692999411



11 Years Later: World Trade Center Attacks

2 Albums/Music That Kept Me Sane During Trying Time:

Wow, I can't believe it's been 11 years since the World Trade attacks happened. September 11, 2001 is a day I will never forget. It one of the days that you don't like to remember, for example the day Michael Jackson died or the day The Notorious B.I.G passed. You will always remember the things you were doing on those days. But I am glad that two albums got me through those tragic times, Mary J. Blige's No More Drama and Jay-Z's The Blueprint. And with both artists being from NY, it felt good that we New Yorkers had to our home artists to listen to help us through the pain.

Now September 11, started out as any normal day. I remember waking up with me and moms still talking about the Janet Jackson "All For You" concert that we attended about 3 weeks prior. Her and I was reminiscing about the concert and it was the last time we heard Aaliyah before she died. So I finally left the house walking to the bus stop, listening to Mary J. Blige's No More Drama album. The album was released about 2 weeks ago, with me with me being a big Mary fan I was playing it non-stop. So, I get to school and first period began and my Electronics teacher, Mr Delfino always played the news. But this day, I actually paid attention to it and I heard the newscaster say "Oh my God that plane just crashed into the World Trade Center".  Now with the class at full attention, the newscaster says again "Oh my GOD another plane went into the second building". Now the classroom was so quiet you could hear a pin dropped. My instructor kept the TV on the whole class, we didn't even do anything for the rest of class. My instructor and I were from NY, so most of the people in the class couldn't understand what we felt. After the attacks, I felt empty so I took out my cd player and just played track 6, from Mary's album which was the title song "No More Drama". The song during this time had so much more meaning. While listening to the song, I was just thinking how blessed I am because 3 months prior my Electronics class went to the World Trade Center to check out the wiring of the building. Furthermore, my grandma just retired from AT&T after 30 years which was near the World Trade Center. I just started praying and thanking GOD that my family wasn't affected by it. but I prayed for the people that were.

So, the  school day ended and I remember getting home and my mother called me and said "Get some clothes for you and me and get to grandma's house, I will meet you there" Meanwhile, I had the No More Drama album blasting while I getting ready, by this time the album had so much more meaning. But these three songs were more meaningful during this:

No More Drama

Testimony

Destiny

As my mother got to my grandma's house, my family kept the news on and I stayed on the computer for updates. Then I realized Jay-Z's The Blueprint was just released. I went to cdnow.com and previewed the album. After previewing it I knew I had to get it. So I downloaded it. Alot of the songs had that soulful spirit what soothed my soul. (Yea I used Napster at the time. but I brought that Friday though lol) But during this time, three songs stood out:

Heart Of The City

 

Never Change

All I Need

These songs to me were uplifting to me because I needed music to escape what tragic was going on in the world. As a result, the whole week No More Drama & The Blueprint were the only two albums I was listening to. Furthermore, I want to think Mary & Jay-Z for releasing these albums at that time because it became food for thought for me. 

WHEN YOU TURNED ON THE RADIO THESE SONGS WERE ON 24/7 DURING THIS TRAGIC TIME:

Whitney Houston's National Anthem

Various Artists-What's Going On

Marvin Gaye-What's Going On

Bruce Springsteen-Born In the USA

WHAT SONGS ON MUSIC WERE YOU LISTENING THROUGH THESE TRYING TIMES??