Word: hops
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...does occasionally hit the mark: The first single “Hey Ya!”, more seductive than distilled ambrosia, reads like a psychedelic, post-hip-hop take on “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine).” While much has been made of André’s exhortation to “Shake it like a Polaroid picture,” the neglected “Lend me some sugar, I am your neighbor!” passage displays much more subtlety...
Another isolated glimpse of genius on The Love Below, the mounting intensity of “Happy Valentine’s Day” culminates in one of the most gorgeous passages in hip hop history. Piano trills, washes of sine waves and a heart-baring verse build and fade away, before snapping back into a refrain that conjures up visions of flight through kaleidoscopic stratospheres...
...takes a far more traditional path, but manages to show that there is plenty of room for creative expression within the “constraints” of hip-hop. From the opening shouts of “GhettoMusick,” it’s clear that his Speakerboxxx is a force to be reckoned with, with its frantic bassline accompanied by wailing synths and piercing organ. His flow is as smooth as ever—witness “The Way You Move”, which starts “ready for action...
...once famous for getting many a party started, and the veteran rapper and producer spends much of Daddy’s Home proclaiming himself a hip-hop messiah. On the title track he impeaches the skill and street cred of today’s rappers: “Baller crowns are earned / they’re never bought / Nowadays you got cats who will rent a look / rent a pimp, rent some big booty hoes for your video.” But Mix’s lack of lyrical dexterity won’t leave many shuddering...
Daddy’s Home could easily serve as a Saturday Night Live parody of modern hip-hop. Though the messiah fails to deliver us from the sinful and tiresome world of flashy cars and hollow lyrics, his caricature only accentuates these absurdities. What’s more, his own glorification of pimps and hoes is hardly removed from today’s most popular rap songs. At best, Mix’s comeback will give rappers cause for introspection and change as they see themselves through his lens. —Cassandra Cummings