Review: Yeezus Tour (Philadelphia)

Contributing to an atmospheric suspense felt along the trafficking wavelengths of I-76 last Saturday night was the unknown. At first it was unclear if Kendrick Lamar, the original opening act for the Yeezus Tour, would be in attendance. Kanye had announced several postponements, cancellations, and adjustments for the tour two weeks ago, and with no help from HYPEBEAST.com, it appeared that Pusha T would be opening in Philadelphia instead of Kendrick Lamar -- I prepped myself accordingly to hear "Numbers on the Boards" and others -- but by the grace of Twitter, this folly became quickly (and favorably) resolved. There was also the matter of Kanye himself. This would be his first show since placing the tour on brief hiatus, naturally attracting suspicion as to what may or may not change from previous shows. 

Kendrick opened with an expected magnitude. His ensemble commenced with footage of Compton, video reel of neighborhoods and street personalities which played throughout his set, and warping audio as the segue into "Money Trees" became enhanced by his electric guitarist and drummer. His set took turns for ammunition and emotion, following up with "Yawk! Yawk! Yawk!" for the explosive "Maad City" then simmering into "The Art of Pressure". Back up the richter scale for "Backseat Freestyle" and back down for the widespread singles "Swimming Pools" and "Poetic Justice". Added indulgences were his "F*ckin' Problems" verse, an interlude segue of 2Pac's "Hail Mary", and tacking on his added remix verse from "B*tch, Don't Kill My Vibe". 

Arguably most memorable was his semi-ranting sermon following the emotive "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst", which showed me the only tangible common ground between Kendrick and Kanye. Kendrick spoke on his theme of positivity, how none existed where he came from, and how he felt that that circumstance resonated him with Philadelphia. His genuine contact transferred the west coast orientation, as if Philly became Compton for close to an hour. 

Awaiting the main event was barely a calm before the eventual Yeezus storm, with dark samples, haunting chorals and synths swirling the arena ominously as crew and staff made their final preparations during an incredibly creepy intermission (a special cheer erupted on the ground as producer Mike Dean sprinted out). Kanye West emerged after an orchestral introduction to the boisterous "On Sight", surrounded by his cloaked, faceless disciples, wearing a jeweled Maison Martin Margiela mask (which changed several times throughout the night) in a form of glory perhaps unfamiliar to many. Countering with fellow Yeezus bangers "New Slaves" and "Send It Up" ensued a demonstrative, riot-friendly, top-of-the-roller-coaster wave of sonic energy.

Amongst the many obscure highlights, most evident was Kanye's endless catalogue of musical art, jumping from the recent, older, and most coveted eras of Yeezy. Stints from his G.O.O.D Music Cruel Summer collaboration project included his "Mercy" monster, the "Cold" single, which was introduced by an attributed "cold as ice" sample, "I Don't Like", and the anthemic "Clique". Fellow Yeezus contributors were "Black Skinheads" and "Blood on the Leaves", while "Drunk And Hot Girls" (Graduation, 2007) and "Streetlights" (808's and Heartbreaks, 2008) were more heritage treats. Representatives from the 2010 My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy included "Power", presented from an elevator ramp which brought Kanye to the peak of his structured set, "Lost in the World", arriving later in the show but right on time, "All of the Lights", and "Runaway", which followed the usual showmanship suit of Ye playing the chords manually on his MPC. Per usual, he would extend the instrumental to speak and rant about his countless aspirations, using a mixture of auto-tuned vocal riffs and his traditional elocution.

Visual renditions were varied, mysterious, but somehow all symbolic of Kanye's majestic caliber; during "Can't Tell Me Nothing", the front end of the main triangular-shaped stage platform slowly inclined while Ye ascended into the cut from his 2007 Grammy-winning Graduation album; for "Coldest Winter", he laid on his back and sang the 808's and Heartbreaks memorabilia while snow came down on him; the red-eyed beastly creature that pranced around the set during interludes; the long-haired, black amazon who stood alone on stage as he sang "Heartless"; the fully covered minions who held him up during "I Am A God" and formed a collaborative mirage as he performed "I'm In It"; the visual representations left every audience member to gather their own interpretations, as every piece of art does.

Submerging interludes were soundtracked by the dense compositions of "Hold My Liquor"-- three prophecies entitled 'FINDING', 'RISING', and 'SEARCHING' headed Bible verses shown on screen as parables. After more proverbial blasts from the past, the pop sensation "Stronger" from 2007 and his debut single "Through The Wire", Kanye's internet-viral Jesus figure emerged out of a light tunnel. Contrary to what had been seen/heard from previous showings (a back-and-forth dialogue segment between Jesus and Ye) the figure merely walked out to center stage to touch Kanye's forehead (unmasked for the first time and remainder of the show) -- a more appreciated subtlety and fitting introduction for "Jesus Walks".

SYNOPSIS: The Yeezus Tour represents an unknown peak for Kanye West. Coming off his sixth solo studio album there is still the innate desire to simply create and inspire. Although we've always known West to be the adamant, outside-the-box visionary, the Yeezus complex is certainly most grandiose, but still interrelated with his musical pinnacle. You felt his glory during the "Give Us What We Need" choir outro as he knelt before his angels and the Jesus figure once more. The masks, minions, angels, creatures, mountain set, lighting, cascading smoke, hellishly statuesque back drops, they all encompass an extreme evolution, an expression that captivates yet does not fully articulate, leaving perceptions of an iconic rap figure to the unknown, once more.

Scroll below for some of the video footage from the Yeezus Tour in Philadelphia.

- Martin S. @marley_mcfly

+Kanye West 

+Yeezus 

+YEEZUS 

Dom Kennedy - 'Get Home Safely' (Top songs + Review)

Fresh off my review of Dom Kennedy's new Get Home Safely album, here are the songs that left the greatest impression on me. Check out why and take a listen after the jump.

My review of Get Home Safely can be found here on HipHopHundred.

Recounting past experiences, "17" is driven by layered hi-hats and a hurry-up flow during the second verse that adds my kind of bounce to it.

I call this the most lyrically astute cut in my review for a reason. Dom makes his case with two thorough verses over funky horns, and the second verse is especially rigorous. Maybe I just appreciate the Kurt Rambis reference.

"I'm tryna ball like Jalen Rose" begins another one of Dom's distinct flows over light banjos and toasting glasses. The Krondon feature is worth it word to Frank Drebin.

A plush, ideal example of Dom's lounge sound. Talking that "street knowledge" with a personal, symbolic tone around the theme.


More bounce from Dom, speaking on dreams deferred and stealing polo shirts to wear to school.

An altered, high-pitched vocal sample supports a personal tone from Dom.

Album Review: 'Excuse My French' (Grade: B)

After a ten year underground campaign which included the popular "Cocaine City" DVD series and years alongside the now incarcerated Max B, French Montana, the seasoned shining jewel for Diddy's resurgent Bad Boy label releases his first studio album 'Excuse My French'. Hip-hop fans have enjoyed the Bronx-bred MC's ability to phrase catchy hooks and melodies, entice with witty ad-libs ("Haaaaaaaan"), and flood airwaves with unavoidable anthems and club bangers. What makes EMF more effective than your average street album is the deliberate dominance of it's mold and a worthy approach that earns Montana the subtlest credibility outside of the one-dimensional frame. 

As EMF's first released single, "Pop That" embodied the overall spirit of the project in commanding fashion. With help from Drake, Rick Ross, and Lil' Wayne, the Uncle Luke sampled craze became a summer anthem almost a full year before the album's release  (although EMF was originally set to drop July 17 of last year). Several months later came "Marble Floors", another power house cast of Rick Ross, Lil' Wayne, 2 Chainz, and a boastfully yet typically ignorant concept with roaring hi-hats from producer Mike Will. French promised another bombshell this past February with "Freaks" featuring Nicki Minaj, delivering with the accredited Lil' Vicious/Doug E. Fresh sample that blends fittingly with Minaj's West Indian flavor and Montana's targeted club sound. Last month we learned the rapper "Ain't Worried About Nuthin" for his first career solo single and addicting ratchet sing-a-long. 

What's left for the remainder of 'EMF' are mostly extensions of the high-octane, street-friendly charisma of it's prior singles. "Once in A While" begins the album with French blaring, "cold blooded murder", and paying homage to the incarcerated Max B amidst an emotive Three Dog Night sample. We segue into "Trap House" featuring Rick Ross and Birdman, returning to the demonstrative energy of French's slick braggadocio, "30 on my wrist, had to roll my sleeve up". Montana hits the stove on "When I Want" with emphatic production and bars about the rapper's careless proclivity for drug possession and fast women. While "Paranoid" and "Throw It In The Bag" bring lively production additions, the former produced by Young Chop, they take 'EMF' on a generic turn which is too easily skipped over.

Rounding out 'EMF' in what this reviewer feels is the most impressive facet to Montana's repertoire are the songs that both emphasize his talents and place him in brief contexts that effectively stray from his conventional tone. "Gifted" perhaps best personifies the characteristic, although it's clout is mostly attributed to The Weeknd, who's enchanting influence encapsulates the song for good reason. Still, French's swift presence is appreciated and not overdone. Another softer tone for "Drink Freely" featuring Rico Love helps French channel more sensual vibes. "We Go Wherever We Want" is the most pure rap setting, a sample of Raekwon and Ghostface Killa's 1995 "Ice Cream" record. Montana's flow is thorough over the vintage sequence, speaking of his chains, chinchillas, and purchasing car dealerships.

'EMF' productively succeeds at achieving exactly what it's supposed to, and not too much else. The messages are more recurring than diversified, but from a content standpoint, this rap album wasn't constructed to cognitively educate. Montana is still generally an acquired taste, making it difficult for some listeners to endure, "Got two bad b*tches with me, Molly and Aquafina". Even so, it can't be said that French Montana's approach is strictly narrow. The humble cadences and witty melodies give the Moroccan born MC a somewhat graceful touch of adaptability. Although his prediction that 'Excuse My French' would be "the album of the decade" was comedically false, this debut album certainly met it's high expectations, but did not exceed them.

- M. Soaries
@marley_mcfly

Rihanna in Brooklyn

My attendance (and first time) at the Barclays Center this past Tuesday was indicative of my own arsenal of favorite Rihanna records. One devoted fan shared, "I love her (Rihanna) because she's so versatile". The Barbadian singer has proven her ability to thrive in any mold, but fascinatingly, Rihanna's stage presence is best attributed to that of a rapper. Her swagger is gritty and vulgar. Her walk is cocky and her mannerisms expressive. She works the stage patiently while occasionally applying short, subtle choreography with steps that allow her to stay within her physical and vocal boundaries; after all, one doesn't necessarily expect Rihanna to utterly dazzle with dance routines and vocal prowess. Even so, the enormous clout associated with her countless hit records gave Rihanna 19,000 people to party with her.


Opening with "Love Without Tragedy/Mother Mary" drenched in a black cloak, the ballad rendition made for a captivating reverb on Rihanna's finite vocals, segueing into the highly anticipated build up for "Fresh off the Runway", igniting the festivities in the regally decadent robe shown above. Rhi Rhi hosted the party in her natural state, getting ratchet with her strip club anthem "Pour it Up" and catapulting the crowd with "We Found Love", "Jump", "Where Have You Been", and "Only Girl in the World". She took brief mellow turns with "Cold Case Love" from her Rated R album, "What Now", and "Stay", the widely embraced ballads from Unapologetic. Rhi's "Rock Star" set was pleasantly embellished by her lead guitarist Nuno Bettencourt, who also brilliantly contributed the rock-and-roll theme to her segment for "What's My Name". Rihanna's entire live band enhances her cause during reggae segments for "No Love Allowed" and the 2007 hit "Umbrella", adding a substantial appeal to the popular records.

In the eyes of Rihanna's die hard #Navy she can do no wrong, but as one fan described, "She just knows how to party". This much was clear after the final show of her Diamonds World Tour. Based on my acquired criteria, this show would grade a 7.5 out of 10. Her presentation, presence, and musical repertoire alone made for an electrifying ambiance, but her vocal presence and showmanship did not leave an awestruck impression. Nonetheless, Rihanna's depth is exceedingly manifest in her 90-minute set; able to captivate, illuminate, and most importantly, entertain with a wide range of vibes and emotions. Check out the brief video clip below of her closing the show with "Diamonds" (one of my favorite records from last year).

Album Review: 'IANAHB 2' (Grade: C+)

It's becoming harder to believe that at one point in the not too distant past, arguments against Lil' Wayne as the best rapper alive were minuscule at best. From the mid to late 2000's we basked in the Wayne era -- where the early Carter, Dedication, and Drought series became Wayne's proficient templates for potent punch lines, clever metaphors, and for the most part, a crass and unmannerly command of the English language. Wayne's tenth studio album I Am Not a Human Being 2 serves as the only potential rebuttal to his gradually monotonous material over the last several years, although the temporary signs of encouragement are too often eclipsed by his generic lyrical content and sporadically irregular approach, making the album more of a regrettable tease than a miraculous sign.

Some moments of IANAHB2 are at least endurable. "IANAHB" could be the best intro of any Wayne album, more so because of the two-minute aggressively uplifting piano riff than his opening line, "I'm in the crib butt naked b*tch". The remaining no-hook rant does in fact include some of Wayne's lost gritty braggadocio, but habitually framed around his sexually explicit references. "Days and Days" is accentuated by 2 Chainz and a soulful Cold Blood sample, using trap energy with snares and hi-hats for one of the more genuine rap songs on the album. "Gunwalk" and "Trippy" bring veteran Juicy J's production into play; the former with slapping 808's as Wayne rebukes gun laws, the latter an ode to, "Weed, pills, and that drank". Strikingly odd and unnecessary is the Soulja Boy feature on "Trigger Finger", which is strange enough as a sample from the Assasin's Creed video game, but still delivers a dark, chilling tone with Wayne's continuous hook, "My trigger finger itchin'".

Consistency is what this album thoroughly lacks. "B*tches Love Me" has since reached platinum after flooding radio and club playlists. Sister records "Rich as Fuck" and "No Worries" enjoyed early commercial success for their catchy hook schemes, but the sum total of IANAHB's parts don't cohesively add up. Auto-tune Wayne fools around on "Curtains" by essentially telling us he's not nervous. He re-surfaces on "Beat the Sh*t" which aside from promising production is merely a frantic nursery rhyme. An attempted love ballad perplexes the ear with "Back to You", a soothing Jamie Lidell sample corrupted by Wayne's insatiable need to mimic a rock artist, which subsequently works to his detriment with "Hello". Another failed ballad attempt surfaces with "Romance" as Wayne sings his abysmal form of a love song, along with "Wowzers", a song purely dedicated to sexually explicit innuendos. Alas, "God Bless Amerika"could possess the strongest theme about the, "sweet land of kill 'em all and let 'em die", but Wayne undermines his opportunity to connect by delivering, in his words, "the same sh*t, different air freshener". That is, effortless metaphors that could be mistaken for parables on a bumper sticker.

Grading Wayne's recent work from a rapping standpoint is reaching a level of degradation. The recurring content of guns, drugs, and sex is becoming overbearing, regardless of his inherent ability to turn a phrase. IANAHB2 concretely exemplifies Wayne's full demise as the best rapper alive. It's strengths  are noted in the production and listenability, but it's daunting weaknesses lie in the generic content and unchallenging themes, which should form the core criteria of a great rap album. The brief moments of promise too often revert to repetitiously themed rhetoric. Taking away anything substantial from Wayne's tenth album would be the equivalent of asking for a full salmon dinner at a fast food joint. Nothing quite that intricate on IANAHB2's menu, but a few items could potentially instigate further cravings.