Lav's Music Corner

If you like big names, this week had them. If you like reoccurring favorites, this week had them. If you liked random ass flips of chance, this week had them. These are the best of it all.  5.  Run  - YG (Feat. Tyga, 21 Savage & BIA) Talk about a roster with potential. If you're familiar with YG's music you're gonna hear a lot of qualities you're familiar with in both the instrumental and his lyrical approach but it's still quite an infectious sound. Two artists who can certainly deliver on a feature show up on the back end of the song and frankly, Savage and BIA deliver.  Listen 4.  Blacklight Shine  - The Mars Volta If you're the type of music fan who didn't really care that Beyonce released a new single then you're probably also the type of music fan who was really excited for The Mars Volta to come back after a decade hiatus. What they returned with might not have the same kinetic energy of some of their best tracks but it has an instrumental var...

NAS is a legendary rapper who needs no introduction at this point. From his legendary debut album recorded while he was still a teenager, to his long running feud with Jay-Z in the 90's and 2000's to him continuing to be cited as an inspiration for contemporary rappers, Nas has a legacy that rivals most anyone in rap music. Kings Disease II  comes almost a year after it's predecessor which both follow the second in his compilation series The Lost Tapes II  in 2019. Review By Lav: The hip hop story can't be told without Nas. While just about everyone on earth accepts the essential nature and excellent talent put on display on his debut album Illmatic  there has been a perception around him for years as being a one and done artist. But if you listen to those who know what they're talking about they will glow about Nas' talent and probably have some worthwhile recommendations for further exploring his discography. I thought it was pretty cool last year when Nas rel...

Features are a part of the backbone of collaborative spirit and personality upon which hip hop is sustained. While every year high profile collaborations make their way more and more into other areas of the musical landscape there's nothing like two electric MC's meeting up on a song a dishing out their respective fire one after another. Each year I like to highlight some of the best guests of the year who build and improve upon the songs they're brought onto. Like every year there was an extensive list of great features I heard throughout 2020 and it wasn't easy to assemble into just 10. I even briefly considered extending it to 15 to fit solid contributions from Joey Badass and A$AP Rocky onto the list but ultimately making it into the top 10 is an achievement not worth souring.  10. Conway The Machine on Babies & Fools  by Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist Conway The Machine may not have had the loudest or most acclaimed record among his Griselda contemporaries i...

YG   is a Compton based rapper who first emerged in 2013 with a contemporary hip hop sound and a few mainstream hits. He changed course with his sophomore record 2016's critically acclaimed Still Brazy  which adopted a 90's g-funk hip hop approach. Since then he has released two more records, each of which took a much more contemporary trap flavored approach. With a few singles leading up to My Life 4Hunnid  he forecasted a transition back to his g-funk sound and generated significant hype in doing so.  Review By Lavender: This is the most excited I've been for a YG album, well ever really. Still Brazy  blindsided me and emerged as one of my favorite rap records of the 2nd half of the 2010's. Since then YG hasn't blown me away with another record even though his most recent release was an improvement over its predecessor. The singles were primarily what made me so excited for this record, not only because they were so good but also because they called back to th...

YG is a California rapper who has had a strange discography thus far. He came to prominence after some viral singles in the first half of the 2000's and dropped an interesting but flawed debut album in My Krazy Life. He took his time to follow this up appearing for a handful of features and taking a victory lap, then came back with a huge surprise on his critically acclaimed g-funk inspired sophomore record Still Brazy. But following the album up more quickly with a third effort found YG alienating his newfound fans with the underwhelming Stay Dangerous, an album with a much more commercial focus and has now once again quickly turned around for a new era with singles that find him working in between his two sides. Review By Lavender: YG has always been a back and forth for me. He has some of the best tracks, features and albums in pop rap this decade but he splits time with some of the worst, most generic and uninspired material. 2016's Still Brazy  is a fantastic throw...

1. Of Monsters And Men - "Alligator" Of Monsters And Men return after a four year absence and run away with the number one spot on the charts this week setting up for a big comeback effort this summer. 2. The National - "Hairpin Turns" The National drop a third single in a line of critically acclaimed drops so far in 2019 setting up for their upcoming album to potentially be one of their best in years. 3. Madonna - "I Rise" Madonna follows up an underwhelming single quickly with another addition to her ever evolving catalog of genre bending pop tunes. 4. Titus Andronicus - "Tumult Around The World" Titus Andronicus follow-up one of their best singles in years with another promotional cut to drum up even more hype for their upcoming album. 5. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - "Black Star Dancing" The former Oasis frontman returns quickly with more material from his solo band following up a recently released B Sides an...