New Orleans born DJ Khaled assembles an all-star cast for ‘I’m On One’ – a track which storms to the top of the Shazam New Release Chart USA this week.
TW
Artist
Title
Release Date
1
DJ Khaled Feat. Drake & Rick Ross & Lil Wayne
I’m On One
20 May 2011
2
Jason Derulo
Don’t Wanna Go Home
20 May 2011
3
Lady Gaga
The Edge Of Glory
09 May 2011
4
David Guetta Feat. Flo Rida & Nicki Minaj
Where Them Girls At
02 May 2011
5
Lady Antebellum
Just A Kiss
03 May 2011
6
Nicole Scherzinger
Right There
13 May 2011
7
Frank Ocean
Novacane
31 May 2011
8
DJ Drama Feat. Wiz Khalifa & Fabolous & Roscoe Dash
The second single released from DJ Khaled’s fifth album ‘I’m On One’ features close friends to Kahled; Drake, Rick Ross and Lil’ Wayne. The song showcases Khaled’s diverse production skills and is a far cry from his usual horn filled anthems. A filtered chorus sung softly over by Drake while his attacking lyrics focus on newcomers to the Hip-Hop game and their naivety of their careers. Not normally one to create sparks; it appears a few people have certainly made a negative impression on Drake. Ross speaks with recognisable lyrics at a slow tempo and with less attitude than normal and Young Money affiliate Weezy keeps it short and sweet with a husky, lazy vocal.
The track sounds like Khaled has been working with one of Drake’s producer’s ‘40’, as it could have easily fit on Drake’s first mixtape ‘So Far Gone’ heavily produced by 40 and filled with slow, harmonic and filtered sounds. The team featured on this track have all worked together in the past and their chemistry is a welcome one to fans. DJ Khaled’s latest album ‘We The Best Forever’ is expected, with much anticipation, this June with a huge array of featured artists.
Given that he seems so happy to put in guest appearances for other artists – Mike Posner, Jay Sean and Wyclef Jean to name but a few – it’s only natural that Lil Wayne should have no problem when it comes to recruiting artists for his own projects. On ‘John (If I Die Today)’, the second single from his soon to be released post incarceration album, he enlists old chum Rick Ross to the cause. As expected, Ross comes up with the goods in his usual gruff manner. ‘John’ follows the blistering ’6 Foot, 7 Foot’ and sticks to a more conventional script than its manic Harry Belafonte sampling predecessor. Wayne continues the trend of sounding a great deal more threatening on his own material than on his usually good-natured guest slots. He lays down a swaggering performance over a backing track based on booming 808′s and string samples lifted directly from Ross’ own hit, ‘I’m Not A Star’.
Yesterday the Green Bay Packers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers to take the crown at Super Bowl XLV. With last year’s game attracting over 106 million viewers, the event is one of the most-watched programmes in US television. While Black Eyed Peas entertained the masses with a lavish half time show and Christina Aguilera struggled with the lines of the national anthem, the game also inspired a musical battle between two rappers.
The Green Bay Packers may be looking to enlist the services of hip hop star Lil’ Wayne as a good luck charm, after the diminutive wordsmith composed his dedication to the team in the form of recent track ‘Green & Yellow’. The track was a hastily thrown together riposte to Pittsburgh rapper Wiz Khalifa, whose track ‘Black And Yellow’ was inspired by the Steelers home colours. Sampling the original beat from Khalifa, Weezy changed the subject matter to inspire his team to victory; and it appears to have done the trick. With lines such as “this is packer country, where’s your green card” it’s not going to go down as one of his classics. But it’s sure to inspire some form of answer from Khalifa, especially considering his team’s fortunes last night.
Think The Clangers meeting Lloyd Banks’ ‘Beemer, Benz Or Bentley’. This ‘weird style’ Hip-Hop track produced by Diplo and Afrojack was quickly snapped up by Chris Brown and friends. The producers, known for their dance anthems, collaborated together to make this quirky and bass heavy track.
Chris Brown dips his toes into a repetitive attempt at speed rapping in the beginning, maybe something he taught himself while doing community service, warming us up for the notoriously quick mouthed Busta Rhymes. Assuming Busta is inhaling as much oxygen as he can while Brown is rapping; Mr. Rhymes unleashes a ridiculous spray of bars reclaiming the title of fastest rapper in the west. Some of his lyrics are duplicated, but it’s certainly worth taking some time out of your day to listen to. Lil Wayne is next and doesn’t do too badly, dropping a verse that’s reminiscent of Weezy’s old style of rapping.
The rap skills of the trio carries the minimal beat into a hard hitting assault on the ears with an added feature of a catchy chorus. Due for release February 1st, ‘Look At Me Now’ has also made the cut onto Chris Brown’s forthcoming album F.A.M.E.
Shazam will keep you updated on their success in our tag charts.
Controversial rapper Lil’ Wayne claims the #1 spot on the Shazam New Release Chart USA for the second week running with his collaboration with Cory Gunz, ’6 Foot 7 Foot’.
TW
Artist
Title
Release Date
1
Lil Wayne Feat. Cory Gunz
6 Foot 7 Foot
16 December 2010
2
Taio Cruz Feat. Travie McCoy
Higher
21 December 2010
3
Mann Feat. 50 Cent
Buzzin
21 December 2010
4
Travis Porter
Make It Rain
20 December 2010
5
Chris Brown Feat. Busta Rhymes & Lil’ Wayne
Look At Me Now
Pre-release
6
Eminem Feat. Dr. Dre & Jay-Z & 50 Cent & Ca$his & Status Quo
When Lil’ Wayne was sentenced to nine months in jail for drug possession back in January, the vertically challenged rapper managed to film seven music videos in the space of a day before being locked away. With two months pending until Weezy’s release, Young Money records released the track ‘Right Above It’, featuring Canadian rapper Drake and taken from Lil’ Wayne’s eighth studio album; ‘I Am Not A Human Being’. Released in August 2010 – while Weezy was still behind bars - this orchestra filled Hip-Hop track had been circulating the blogs and doing the rounds on US and UK radio months before its release.
The single reached #6 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number #1 in their US Hot Rap Songs. Quite an achievement for someone still serving time in prison. The track itself is the typical conclusion when these two rappers collaborate – a fiery, catchy and somewhat powerful Hip-Hop record. A club and radio friendly beat caught the ears of the UK’s very own Tim Westwood, who frequently had this instrumental on repeat while airing his drive time show on BBC’s 1-Xtra. Since Wayne’s release from jail in November, he has already been working on his follow up album for 2011 – ‘Tha Carter IV’. Sure to set in stone as another historic album from Louisiana’s finest sizzurp addicted rapper.
Taken from Lil Wayne’s newest mixtape – Young Money Empire Pt. 4, Weezy has done something quite bizarre on one of his tracks. ‘Office Music’ is a remix of the theme tune from the hit comedy show “The Office” (US Version).
If you are not familiar with the opening music from the show, check the video at the end of this post.
Now Lil Wayne has had his hit’s and misses in the past, but this? Maybe he is doing it to comic affect, being the quick witted rapper he is. Lyrically it’s is the same old Weezy; metaphors, occasional off beat flow and references to his Father the Birdman. But is this a sign of what to expect from rappers in the US? Will Waka Flocka remix the theme to Sesame Street? Gucci Mane to rap over the Scrubs theme? It’s an interesting concept Weezy, let’s see if it catches on.
