Most moments that don’t involve me communicating with humans are spent with my earbuds securely plugged in and drowning out my inherent apathy with the stories of others set to their choice of rhythmic accompaniment.
(Peep my twitter, refer to hashtag #Knockin). If the refresh button on a web browser was a physical tool you could bet that the designated paint would be worn away as i constantly refresh sites like Nahright and Onsmash (by the way #freeonsmash) scouring the web for new music with most of it proving not worthy of the effort that it takes to download.

I judge a good album on whether i could listen to it in its entirety with minimal time spent racing across the room to skip through its unfortunate missteps. Here are 5 albums, in no particular order, that kept me from lunging for the fast forward button in 2010.

Kanye West-My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

The personified tragic comedy of celebrity culture usually overshadows artistic output. People are more interested in the beefs and romances of artists than the actual art itself and the art suffers. Kanye West has mastered playing both sides of the fence giving the media the conniving villain/hapless buffoon that they need to amass pageviews and giving music lovers the sounds that reflect the struggle of trying to live a private life in the public eye. This album could have been a mess as his tendency for overproduction rears its head on a couple of tracks but juggled with tracks containing a pared down simplicity this album proved two things to me.
A) You can be a paparazzi chased multimillion dollar pop artist and still make good music
B) Chris Rock is the worst thing to happen to comedy since the death of Mitch Hedburg

Roc Marciano-Marcburg

I’ve always been a fan of Roc Marciano. From his album with the group the U.N. from, from his Strength and Honor mixtape from even way before that as a short lived member of Busta Rhymes Flip Mode Squad. His lyricism is a poetic drone, a calm agression that abuses syllables into submission. That being said I expected his debut solo opus to be an unlistenable underground rap shitshow. Rappers with a long tenure in the game and limited mainstream success can tend to bend to the public whim and create a guest appearance laden piece of work with formulaic club bangers. Roc Marcy made an unabashedly hip hop album that would have sounded just as good 10 years ago as it does today.

Danny Brown – The Hybrid

If i had to tell you the artist that i listened to the most in 2010 it would be Danny Brown. Not just based on the strength of his out put but for the sheer volume. With about 10 mixtapes to his credit and a bunch of loose songs floating around the internets, Danny is just now really making noise with his free album release The Hybrid and his album with G-Unit’s Tony Yayo Hawaiian Snow. While new rappers feign weird tendencies to appeal to an audience of privileged malcontents Danny brings that real mental patient rap. the Hybrid is like the answer to the question “What would happen if i got punched in the face by a dude in skinny jeans and a Pokemon backpack?”

Tame Impala-Innerspeaker

Im not sure if rock as a genre still exists. The stuff that we label rock hasn’t been rock for a long time. Groups like the XX or Beach house is what girls listen to while they watch the Notebook and learn about menstruation for the first time. The pussyfication of America is evident as the people we deem the voice of our generation warble and whisper over faint production that sounds like a commercial for feminine deoderant spray. Tame Impala’s Innerspeaker is a low-fi meld of psych rock and harmonies that is a reminder of a time where a guitarist might actually hit you in the head with a guitar instead of hit on you homeboy.

Big K.R.I.T. -K.R.I.T. Wuz Here

I’ve already gushed about this mixtape ad nauseum so im gonna be lazy and take a clip of my last review.
“His music is the answer to the question “what would happen if Pimp C was the third member of Outkast?” and throws out the question of lyrical talent and proficiency behind the boards being based on region. The kids goes from “Hustle and Flow” to “Def Poetry Jam” in 0 to 60 without making it seem contrived. He details the human experience without the use of absolutes, sometimes we think deeply, sometimes we dont want to think at all, its the multiple dimensions that make us who we are.”

Honorable Mention – Rick Ross Teflon Don

We all have different listening habits so my list is in no way definitive, no ones is. There is no real validation in agreeing or disagreeing with the general public but i would love for people to tell me what they thought were the top albums or why they would agree or disagree with my list just so i can get put on to some new music that I may have not given a chance to before.

Here’s to more good music in 2011.

<3 Es’Q

Sidenote: The blog will change names and location in the near future, so be on the lookout for that noise. Sometime this spring. The new blog is going to be a play-by-play of adventures me and my brother @MrKnowItAll_Dev get into this summer, as we will be on tour with an exciting hustle. Lots of travel… lots of toys… lots of fashion. Yes, All those wonderful things I strive on, all in one place… with a new contributor.. my lil bro. Adventure, inspiration, BOOM.

<3 Es’Q

@ToneEsQuire and @MrKnowItAll_Dev havin brews.

She Says of those she works with “We have the same references, I translate their sound into clothes.”

Twitter.com/CassettePlaya

Cassetteplaya.com/blog

<3 Es’Q

On a recent late night run it hit the bodega like a pregnant lady in a famine. I racked up like a Japanese reseller on a Supreme release date, one of everything. Entemans? Check, Doritos? Check, Ben and Jerrys? Bong!

Then I hit the counter and as i attempted to top off this masterful shopping list with a bag of Reses Pieces i see this…..

I was under the assumption that they were Street Fighter condoms with the shape of the box being what is was and the sinewy skeleton of an unmistakably headbanded Ryu wishboning the pride of China, Chun-Li.

In my zeal I took my discovery to twitter and there i was told that it was actually a box of “Street Fighter Sex Energy”.

I stand corrected.

So it is actually a box of “every man ever existed dream fulfilled for real”

Who else hasn’t dreamed of going at it all night and concurrently throwing Hadoukens at a woman’s vagina?
You know who has the worst job in the world? Person who has to clean up your hotel room after you’ve been blowing your load on the ceiling from all that friggin explosive energy and dragon punching all the furniture. (hopefully you have a partner there with you)

Needless to say.. I did not buy a box as im afraid of the legal ramifications of going M.Bison on the unlucky lady in my household. When I move I would like to get back my security deposit, the scorched walls and floors stained with blood and other bodily fluids may prevent that.

All that and I forgot to get what i actually went to the store for, Milk. O_0

<3 Es’Q

You Reaaaaaaly want to know what this is dont you? I’ll give you one hint.

Just do it < Been Did it.

<3 Es’Q (you like it when I’m mysterious.)

You’ve got a backpack full of albums from only two groups. Outkast and the Wu-Tang Clan. Which album do you pass? The duo from Atlanta or the mob from New York City?

You tell me, it’s Final Cut Round 2, Wu-Tang vs. Outkast.

The Wu-Tang Clan.

What to say about the mighty Wu that hasn’t already been said? No one does grime better than the Wu-Tang Clan. (Not even the blokes who invented the musical genre.) You have to respect the reign and movement that Wu-Tang stood at the forefront of during the early 90’s. Their brand of Staten Island street symphony not only lead to an almost decade long rampage across the charts, but a massive and dedicated following who to this day are probably still wearing Timberland boots and Wu-Wear jackets.

There is something about listening to Wu-Tang. It’s this strange goosebump feeling that overcomes the body as flying daggers and swishing blades begin arcing across the room courtesy of your speakers. I think it’s the reason there is still an enormous contingency of Wu fans across the world who will proudly wear their Wu-Tang logo t-shirts to every single concert they attend (Wu-Tang concerts or any other, trust me-you know at least one of these people.) and may or may not have Inspectah Deck’s infamous first verse from Triumph tattooed across their entire back. For whatever reason, Wu-Tang allows you to forget that you’re a one-hundred-forty pound suburban kid from Idaho and instead embody the savage, half crazed antics of O.D.B. or Method Man for the five minutes that the RZA’s glorious musical production takes place inside your head.

That to me is why you can’t put anyone above the Clan. They bring about a feeling that no other group in the history of rap comes close to matching. They didn’t just create great fans, they created a following of people who to this day will probably try to end your life-or mine for that matter for this article, if you suggest that any other group reigns supreme above the Clan’s “shitty moral combat sounds.” Clan in the front, respect given.

Outkast.

Three Stacks and Sir Lucius Left Foot. The two word smiths have been warping and contorting ATL-drenched verbals since their Southernplayalistc debut and literally have never looked back since. There is no duo in the history of Hip-Hop more prolific, diverse, or consistent.

You have to respect a group that can go from producing “Players Ball” in 1993 and then exactly ten years later win a grammy for writing and performing “Hey Ya!”, and still having the respect of hip-hop fans everywhere. I guess that’s not too hard to imagine since we’ve all grown use to Dre and Big Boi absolutely ripping anything they touch, whether it happened in ‘95 or 2005. Big Boi’s Shine Blockas with Gucci Mane was easily one of 2009’s stand out rap songs in my opinion and if Andrew 3000 put out any music in 2009 I must have missed it. But all we have to do is look back to“International Players Anthem” to shake our heads at the lyrical mastery that comes from that bloke.

Outkast has always been able to produce these strange, warped R&B soundscape tracks that somehow manage to keep our attention on every album. I’m talking about those songs like Funky Ride, where all you can do is sort of sit back, nod your head, and wonder what the hell they were on in the studio when they made this. (Much less decide to put it on the finished album.) Outkast has delivered hit after hit after hit, and if god willing they decided to bless us with at least a few more albums before they retire from the musical spotlight then the world would be a better place for it. Da Art of Storytelling is a top 10 best hip-hop songs of all time. I just needed to add that in to the equation. Two Dope Boys in a Cadillac-respect given.

But now the final question? WHO reigns supreme? This is your chance, my part is done. I laid the gauntlet, set the table, arranged the silverware and plates it’s now your turn to come to the banquet table and dine. Hit that comment button now and let your argument be known. If you could only have one group for the rest of your life, who do you walk away with? Wu-Tang or Outkast?

Oh my opinion you ask? At the end of the day I have to run with the duo from Atlanta. I once played nothing but Southernplayalistic in my car for an entire month and I consider my life drastically improved for the experience. I love the Wu-Tang Clan, and I love mobbing around my house room like a Shaolin warrior, but if it came down to it at the end of the day I’d have to walk away with the diverse and extraordinarily funky discography of Outkast.

Looking forward to hearing these responses!

<3 Es’Q

Flick Flick Flick, Pose. <3 Es’Q

Despite how equal of a playing field the internet creates for those aspiring to be musicians, it just as much makes exposing “good” music incredibly difficult. When the life of a blog post on any popular blog is about a day at the very most, most artists get one chance to make jaws drop, if they miss that opportunity, with the pace of the web their shot for a little taste of internet glory is more or less lost. Anyway, enough about my opinion on the game online, there’s a reason I’m writing this post. Since I seem to have stumbled into a position where I can expose some of what I consider “good music” to the folks, I’ve got something to set off your new year in a proper manner.

Arc-Peddle Music
[Erick "Arc" Elliott: "Peddle Music"]

It’s always my pleasure when I get to post music from my brother Erick. I’ve known this bloke for years and every time he gets around to throwing some sonic static into the rap game it’s a breathe of fresh air on my iTunes playlist for weeks to come. This is Erick’s first foray back into the musical world since Birth To Bank’s release over two years ago. Well worth the wait if you ask me.

Erick “Arc” Elliot presents “Noir.” In the midst of a game full of ‘rappers’ who are more concerned with singing their verses or convincing us all that they are an alien from another planet, it’s refreshing to sit down and hear a tape full of nothing short of straight forward, heart felt, authentic rap. No gimmicks, no nonsense-just the voice of a hungry, 21 year old, MC from Flatbush Brooklyn relating his day to day to the listener over some beautiful original production from The Remedy and Flash Frequency Music. For fans of rap and fans of old-fashioned-home-baked in a bedroom music in general, Arc’s Noir will not disappoint

Gilbere Forte-Exhibit G
[Gilbere Forte-Exhibit G]

Gilbere is another one of the brethren who I am more then happy to promote without any second thoughts. This guy has been moving behind the scenes working with more then a few of your favorite streetwear brands for years now. Then seemingly out of no where I turn around and he’s sending me an email of his remix of a Sade record. I knew he was a producer so I assumed he had flipped the beat and added a little funk to the track. The last thing in the world I expected was to hear this guy going in with a clean 16 bar verse over the introductory chords, much less did I expect the rapping to actually be that good. Who knows how long Gilbere has been sitting around in basements perfecting his flow, but if this is just the beginning, it’s sure going to be fun to see what happens when he gets rolling.

Oh yeah, since that first email, Gilbere has been popping up on literally every single rap blog out there and made quite the little introductory splash. 2010 will be a year of interesting moves, telling you to stay tuned isn’t even necessary. (When was the last time you were being put onto an artist who has less then 1,000 profile views on Myspace?)

That’s it for the moment. I could go on and on with a bevy of new folks worth your time, but I have a serious date with a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch downstairs. These two artists alone should be able to help you usher in the next twelve months witha soundtrack for glory pounding relentlessly as the background music. Listen and proceed my friends and be sure to let me know what you think.

<3 Es’Q