Old Skool Cool...

A career that has spanned decades hasn't slowed Q-Tip at all. He has a flow that is uncannily infectious and a voice so nasal that on any other man, it would have an average person running for the hills. But Q-Tip manages to pull it off... And with unparalleled class. With the release of Renaissance, Q-Tip solidified his place in hip hop heroism. 2008 was another year where hip hop had found it's commercial niche and lost its street cred. But Renaissance regains the cred lost by one hit wonders and cameo concoctions. This album brings together what hip hop used to feel like... Good beats made to have a talented lyricist bounce over with well thought semantics and sly artistic direction. There are many highlights on the album... One of my favourites is Raphael Saadiq collaborating with Q on We Fight/We Love.



There is also the J.Dilla produced Move. Given a beat by a great such as Dilla, Q-Tip really ripped it up and made it more than just a dope beat... Now a complete classic. As Saadiq aptly named his solo joint, I'm a give this the same title... Instant vintage.



A definite "cop it now, play it forever"

Cudi's on the Throne

He's relatively unknown, but you may have heard him on 808's and Heartbreak's Welcome to Heartbreak. Thats if you bothered to cop the album at all. The dude's name is King Cudi, and he has a mixtape out called 10 Deep Presents: A Kid Named Cudi. His whole sound is like old Kanye... Someone that most of the music loving world hopes will return for his upcoming album, rumoured to be called Good Ass Job. Anyways, enough of Yeezy, and back to Cudi. His flow is a little forced, but purposefully. His beats are simple, but you find is voice and flow addictive. So you can listen to his whole mixtape pretty easily. His lyrics are funny and somewhat intelligent "you nigga's so so like seamstress'". He has a track with underground east coast rapper Wale. Good collaboration, so take a listen. Its called Is There Any Love? And I've got love for the way this guy is taking the game.

If you can... Get the whole mixtape and listen carefully. It's different... But good.