Best Bars of 2024. Plus: Drake vs. Kendrick Retrospective
00:02Welcome everyone to Dysect. I'm your host, Kukushna.Today's episode is part one of our special two-part year-end series discussing the music releases of2024. Next week's episode will be our traditional favorite music of the year show, whereme and Camden Ostrander award our favorite releases and songs of the year.But because 2024 was such a big year for hip-hop, I thought it was worth doing an episodespecifically focused on our favorite hip-hop moments of 2024.So joining me for this episode today are Toray, King Green, and James Freeman.Francis. Torre is a legendary journalist. King Green is a rapper, and together they host one of my
00:38favorite new podcasts called Rap Latte. James Francis is also a rapper and producer who Idiscovered through social media, where he does hip-hop analysis and lyric breakdowns. Together, the fourof us revisit the Drake and Kendrick Lamar battle, awarding our favorite songs and moments fromthe beef. Then we take turns nominating and dissecting our favorite rap lyrics of 2024, beforethe three of them share their favorite hip-hop song and album of the year.It was an incredible conversation. I hope you enjoy.All right, Toray, King Green, and James Francis are with me.Thanks, guys, for joining the show.
01:12We're going to start today's conversation all about hip hop in 2024,reflecting a little bit about the year in general, specifically in regards to hip hop.And I was kind of reflecting back on 2023 a bit and remembering on this very show,our annual year-end show, we started the conversation off with,And I don't know if you guys remember because it was kind of happening globally as well, this idea that perhaps hip hop was in a state of decline, losing some of its prominence.There was a lack of chart topping in 2023 with hip hop.And we were kind of trying to speculate on whether that was in a slump or is this a sign indicator of a more kind of global shift.I think as it stands now at the same time in 2024, reflecting on the year in hip-hop, the conversation feels much different.
02:12And I think we can thank a handful or more than a handful of great hip-hop releases from great hip-hop artists, some of which we'll talk about later in this episode.But also we had one of the biggest hip-hop battles, one of the biggest hip-hop events, certainly in my lifetime.And I think it's safe to say historically, it's going to go.down as one of the biggest, if not the biggest. So I wanted to start there and kind of, you know,we've had a couple of months of distance from the heat of the battle. And so I wanted to kind of reflect onthe battle kind of holistically, reflect on the year holistically and where we might kind of historicallyhistorically view this battle. I wanted to start with you, Toray, specifically on where, or anythingyou want to say about the year in general, but also with your perspective on.
03:02on past battles, I'm thinking Tupac Big,I'm thinking Jay Nause,where you see historically, Drake and Kendrickmight go down within that lineage,as well as your just general thoughts on the battleas it stands now in December of 2024.I mean, this was unquestionably the greatest battlewe ever had in hip-hop.
03:24It went faster, it went deeper,as far as the number of songs,as far as the conversation,between each other,you know,it pulled more out of Kendrickthan we had seen before.I mean, like, you know,
03:43extraordinary career.And then he goes and does thingsthat are unbelievableand moves our perceptionof his technical ability,his hip hop ability forwardquite a lot.Yeah.
03:59You know, and the speed with which,that Friday to the end of Saturday happened.Yeah.Never be forgotten by everybody who is living in this culture.How it was 616 Friday morning, right?Then it was euphoria late Friday.Then family matters, right, on Saturday,and then not like us right after.
04:29Yeah, it was euphoria on the Tuesday, 616,Friday and then yeah, family matters, meet the grams, and then not like us on the,and then Heart Part 6 on Sunday. So that's stretch. That was like, we're already like heaving tiredand that was like, you should never have said anything. But I mean, I remember the texts and theexcitement and the energy of like Kendrick drop. Like you've got to be kidding. He just droppedlike the sporting. He just dropped yesterday. Like again. Oh my God. Drake. Oh,had a whole video. Kendrick stepped on his whole video.And, you know, the, the text, the excitement, the calling around.
05:09I'm calling people who I normally call during the day, but now they're midnight friends.There's a breaking news event going on.And I could call and be like, you know, did you?Oh my God.This live, this first.I, you know, it was an extraordinary moment.You know, just thinking back to Jay and Nas,Jay put out one record
05:34and then I think it was six months latercame ether and Super Uglywas the next day but Super Uglyis not even considered a real full part of the battlelike people don't talk about it. They consider it just a two-song battle.I mean that took a long timebut six months these are days.Super Ugly is the original Heart Part 6.
05:55It was part of the battle. We just saidsuper uglythe hot record we can talk with that laterbut no it it wasand to seeKendricktake such a deep positionyou are not hip hop
06:14you are not an Americanyou do not understand this cultureand really dissect himon a deep level like thatit was not just I fucked your bitchit's not just you're getting screwed byyour manager, you are not one of us. You are not American. You're not a rapper. You're nothip hop. You're not real. Like, oh my God, this is, this is, it's so deep. Yeah. Green, what about you?
06:39I'm just going to say, I mean, he's saying everyone's sentiments of how we felt about that week.Like, that was hip hop Christmas and Kwanza. Like, it was, it was, it's like, we got a gift.We got a gift every day. And we're all, it built community. And that's the difference between23 and 24. Our community got raised up. All of us were able to talk to each other and andpontificate and just really get into it. And that's what I look back at this year as it's like,wow, the community got built again. Like we could talk about our friends in the lunchroom,but we're doing it on platforms. People making money off of it. You know what I'm saying?It's like something was dying and now we're building community around all these things.
07:22and the battle was the battle,but it made people who were casual listenerswant to know about lyricsand listen to lyrics and talk about lyrics.I'm like, and it's funny because maybe a month before that,I was like constant on TikTok,making TikToks about lyrics.And people, and then I made one about like Lil Wayne's lyrics
07:45and that shit blew up to like a million views.And I was like, y'all care about listening to them?Because in my brain, I just geek outabout lyrics. I'm a rapper. So it's like I'm just going to geek out about this stuff. And I was like,oh, people care. And then the battle happened. It's like, no, people really care now.And it's, and I feel like since that investment people have had in that, they're just,we're hungry. So we're hungry for Tyler's new album. We're hungry when a new rapper who'scalled, calls himself a lyricist or has something to say, we want to hear it now. And I felt
08:14like it's been like that the entire year. And that's, for me, it's just been, I haven't feltlike this is probably like 2015, 16, 17 about like rap, you know?Yeah.Yeah, James, I'm interested.You're the youngest among us.I think I'll be interested to hear your perspective on experiencing the battle.And specifically, I think you guys both touched on it.Social media and YouTube and the reactions in this community, that felt very new.
08:43You know, I think back to Drake, Meek Mill.I think back to Drake Pusha T.the internet was definitely a thing by then,but not in the way it is even now.And I think that played a huge part in the magnitude of the battle.Not only are these, you know, Drake Meek-Mill,Drake Push-A-T, you know, that's somewhat of a heavyweight.But this was different.
09:09And the amount of songs, the speed with which that we got them,all felt very new.And so did the amount of conversations.and reaction around the songs themselves.So James, I'm definitely interested, again,as the youngest one here, your experience with it.Yeah, I feel like it's been super unique for me this yearbecause I started taking content seriously this year.
09:37So I've seen in real time, like through my content as well,like a real shift in people's focus in terms of like caring about lyrics.I feel like it tookit took like three or four months before I actuallylike started talkingabout like bars and like breaking downstuff and thenthat just happened to coincide with
09:57the beef and I was like oh people actuallycare I alsocircle around likea couple of months agoback to all of the meek stuffall of the push of stuff and I was just likethis was not the sameconversation like it was
10:13if you were already in the hip hop spacethen it was big to you.But even that beef with pushing Drake,it was still very much a hip-hot beef.It wasn't as global.So, yeah, I just feeling people's sentiments shiftand also like the discussion around stuff like Chromacopiawhere people are talking about bars
10:37in a way they wouldn't have lost it.Yeah, it's a good point.You know it is cool on social, especially on TikTok.TikTok is such a great temperature check for what's going on.Through the weekend, there were tons of TikToks of videos from black creators talking about Kendrick and Drake.And then on Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday, you started to see white creators come in and talk about it.And clearly people who do not talk about hip hop.So you start to see the growth.
11:09It's becoming pop.People who don't care about hip hop are like, yo, there's a battle going on.And it's exciting and it's like interesting.And it's like pulling people into the story of hip hop.Yeah, I was going to say like this was my mom asked me about this battle.He was like so so far removed.You know, she had some some curiosity about it.That's the level that it got to, which, you know, that's a first in my lifetime for sure.
11:32So I want to get into categories around specifically around the beef.We have three categories.We're going to go through our favorite or best song that came from the beef,our favorite line that came from the beef and also the most quotable line from the beef.So we'll start with our, I don't know if you guys want to do best or favorite song.Actually, let me start here.Is there any conversation around what the best song is it or is it clearly not like us and end of conversation?Wait, whoa, oh, hey, no, no.
12:02Okay, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on.There's a different, in my mind, there's a difference between trying to attribute best and favorite.Yeah, like, do we mean best or favorite?If we were to highlight,nominate just one song historicallyas the best song that came from this battle.Then it's not like us.Yeah, I agree.
12:23No, no.Wait, oh.My favorite is, my favorite is euphoria.Definitely.See, if you said favorite,we were dancing to not like us as a nation and all that.But the best song, oh my God, euphoria.The best song is not like us.
12:39Yeah.Make your case.We talked about this yesterday, and you said all the rappers will say euphoria.I don't know why you're switched up now in front of comedy.Oh, no.No.I never said all the rappers and all like the lyricists and the deep dive guys.I didn't say that.
12:57I'm one of them, though.Even though I am one of them, I don't think that way.I think about song is songwriting.I don't think the lyricists people are going to say euphoria because they're like,oh, look at how everything in euphoria came.true because it's like prophetic andand you now you could dissect it and allthe things that you dissected and that
13:15all four of us dissected wereactually real. It came to accountright? Yeah. But not like usas a song. I think the bestsong, I'm a songwriter beforeanything. It's like that's the bestsong like that's the best this songever made. Yeah. It's
13:31hard to argue. It's hard toknow that. It's the bestsong in this battle and you know that.It's the best song. It's the bestthis song ever made and I'm standing on that till it's not the best song in this battle lookyou're point I read through euphoria last night in preparation for this and it's just sodevastating and I'm not saying not like us is not great not like us is amazing and I listen to thatsong a million times this year but my god what he's doing in euphoria I mean just at this final
14:04linewhen he'swhen he just when he's the waywhen we don't want to hear you saynigger no more and I'll go into thatlater but thatthat's that's incredible what he'stalking about this is where we get
14:19you know I hate the way that you walkthe way that you talk the way that you dressthe fairy tale stories I mean there'syou know the line about violencewhich I want to talk more about there's so muchin euphoria and I'm not just talking aboutthe prediction which is amazingBut there's so much in euphoria that it's just extraordinary writing.
14:39I think that there's, it's simpler.And it's the same concepts in Not Like Us, where the density that exists in euphoria,I think it's taste level.I think there's this different taste.And for me, structured as a song, when I think about a song, I think about, I want tolisten to this a whole bunch of times from a mass level versus versus.the defining lines.Because let me say this,
15:07in the next questionthat Cole's going to ask usabout the best line,I think my best,the best lines are from euphoria.Yeah.Yeah.The best liberal lines are from euphoria.
15:17The most quotable linesare from not like us.I don't think thatlistenability,being able to listen to itover and over and overis a necessary thing.It is a great thing
15:29when you can make a song like that,like a bob,not like us.but my God, the best diss song is Meet the Grams.That aims to your soul.We all started listening to it.It had to turn it off in the first, first like, oh, my God, this is too much.This is too hard.
15:47Like, this is, I am going to take your soul like pedophile is nothing compared to like,hey, I want to talk to your son about what a shitty man you are.I want to talk to your mom.I want to talk to your dad.Oh, my God.I 100% agree with you.open heart surgery. I've 100% agree with you because look at what you said and I'm,I'm so much about dissecting. This is the dissect podcast. You said this is the best diss song.
16:15And I would agree with you that Meet the Grams is the best this song. This question says the bestsong from the beef. The best song from the beef is not like us. The best diss song is Meet the Gramsand my favorite lyrics come from Euphoria. Hey, man, that's how I dissect it. Yeah.Yeah, the best favorite thing is just semantics at this point, obviously.I think so we're all in it.Do we all agree that, okay, everyone with Tori thinks not like us is the best song,but is all of our favorite song, Euphoria?Because that's my, that's 100% my...
16:47Yeah, my favorite is definitely euphoria.How come?I said that on Toro's podcast.Okay.For what reason specifically?For what reason specifically?I feel like, oh, there's so many reasons.Yeah.
16:59I feel like it's the best summary of the dissection.of Drake's character in the beef.Like, meet the grams, he tears him apart, and it's a bit brutal.But I feel like euphoria is, like, it strikes the balance between not like us and meet the grames.Yeah.Yeah, what I love about it, particularly where it came in the beef, was that, you know,was first, Kendrick's first response, you know, aside from like that as the kind of the kickerof this whole thing.
17:29But that was just a single verse.What I love about euphoria isobviously the strategy. Torretalked about the kind of premonitionof it all and just thatopening slowermelodic part all came tofruition. He told Drake exactly
17:45what he was going to do, whatDrake himself was going to do, and Drake stilldid it, which in retrospectis just fucking crazy.What I love about euphoria is there's nohook. It is six,seven minutes of just straightrapping. And this is a wrap
18:01battle. And this is Kendrick in his opening gesture saying, let's wrap. Like, fuck the dirt.If you're going to take it to the, if you want to get dirty, I'll get dirty. I'm prepared for that.He says that directly. But if you want to keep it above the belt and just wrap, here I am.Here's six, seven minutes of just wrapping. I'm giving you several cadences, different flows,different voices, showing you a whole bouquet of my skills. I want you to match it. Or if you're going togo dirty, I'm prepared for that too. But I just.love that he, his opening statement was one about rap.I mean, maybe we're all sort of using the word favorite and best differently or maybe
18:40they land on us differently because to me, favorite is heart and best is in your head.Right.And if not like cuss comes on, my heart will leap even to this day, right?And I will want to dance to that record.If euphoria comes on, I want to sit and think and pontificate and like,find listen to these lyrics come through me um so i mean to me not like us is my favorite out of thisand euphoria is the best because it is the best written song and i think we're saying the oppositethings but maybe we're just defining best and favorite in different ways because i think beside that
19:21we're saying a lot of the same things yeah i think so does anyone want to give any shine to any of theDrake's songs as...To be fair, Push-Ups.Toray is making a face right now.Yeah, I feel Push-Ups was Drake's most concise effort.I think Family Matters, that second verse, impressive, but he should have just focused onKendrick. Push-ups was the greatest display and, like, the Metro line.Like, at the point, Push-ups essentially changed the narrative.
19:52It was brief, but it did change the narrative.I think push-ups is the most solid track that Drake put out.And Family Matters, I don't know why you're talking about other people.It's just me and you.You start punching other guys in the ring that's outside the ring.It's weird.Yeah, I agree.Okay, so let's move on to the next category.
20:12Favorite line from the beef.I'll start.I have two.One is, I'm cheating here because I just had to mention this one more time.this is my most enjoyable line out of the whole beef and it comes from the heart part six it's whenit is when drake says you mentioned an a minor but you guys got to be sharp and tell fans who was ityou thought you left d flat d major so the music theorist in me just fucking could not getover this line i was so happy when i heard this because
20:53Essentially, Drake is trying to flip the A minor line from Not Like Us.Yeah.And he says, you've got to B sharp.So in music theory, B sharp is kind of not a thing.It's just C, right?There's some technical cases you can make.But him trying to be clever and flip it with something that doesn't exist, essentially, was just, I was petty and I was so giddy.When I heard this, I was just in heaven.
21:21And so that's the most enjoyable moment of the beef for me, I think, as a...I love Drake haters.Drake haters are like my favorite people on the planet.Like, Tore and Bull are amazing.I'm not a hater, but I just, you know, before the battle, I was just not that into Drake.I like some of his songs.I've just never been interested in his music since, like, nothing was the same.Oh.
21:44Yeah, nothing was the same was the last album that I listened to in full and still listened to.The stuff that came after that, not a big fan.So I was rooting for Kendrick and that line gave me so much joy.So my favorite line, and it's obviously so hard to choose.But I think it has to be you're not a colleague, you're a fucking colonizer.And just from in terms of singling out like one line, and obviously this has a lot to do with everything that comes before this line in that third verse of not like us.but to to whittle down his angle in this beef to articulate it in such a concise but vicious way and the masterful setup a verse long setup that had to have been written mind you either the night family matters drops or the next day because this is in direct conversation or response with Drake saying you're rapping like you're always trying tothe slaves free. And that's the setup of this entire third verse, I'm not like us. And he goes through
22:54obviously all these Atlanta artists and he's just jab, jab, jab, jab, all setting up this finalpunchline of you're not a colleague, you fucking colonizer, you get the alliteration with colleague,colonize, just every technical merit you want to give it. It's there, not to mention the message ofit. Everything about that line for me is just so brilliant. So when I was going through the many lines,I wanted to nominate. That's the one I kind of landed on at this moment. But Green, let's go to you and yourfavorite line from the beef. That verse and that line is in there. And I can't get that entire verse out of mymind. But the one, but I had to pick something from euphoria. And it was, I even hate when you say theword nigger. But that's just me, I guess. Because I fell out on the floor laughing when I heard that
23:46for the first time. And that was the only timein the entire beef where I was juston, I was just dying. That was hilarious.It's like the whole hate thinggot me. I was just like, this dudedid some 10 things I hate about you and said,I even hate when you say the word, dick,me, I guess.
24:04His ability to play with his voice is justnext level. There's no, I said that to tour the other day.Like, he is the best everat being able to create character in rap.Amber.So I'm gonna go with that,but your,but your pick is in that entire verse
24:21actually to me is a pick.Yeah,that moment though is like,to your point,the way that he just switches cadence,all of it,because he's like vicious up until then.And then on a dime,
24:32he's just like,that's just me,I guess.Some shit's just cringe-worthy.It may even have to be deep.Like that,yeah,brilliant moment.
24:39Tori,what about you?There's a line that,I mean,you know,there's a million lines in Euphoriathat we could all do.and a million lines that a lot of people have talked about.
24:48And there's one line that really resonates for methat I feel like I haven't really heard people really underline.Tell them, run to America.They imitate heritage.They can't imitate this violence.And part of what he's doing is saying,you cannot be as violent as me.But he's also saying,
25:09you cannot imitate the violence that I have received,that me and my people and like me,have received, which creates our ability to be violent people. And it sort of points out,okay, Drake, you can see the quote-to-quote heritage, the culture part of America that's on thesurface. But you can't see the violent roots that shape America. It's an extraordinarilyviolent place in the country, what we do in terms of foreign policy, school shootings, all thesesort of things. So the violence of America, you know, and what somebody incompted would deal withfrom police, from other gangs, from his own family members, his own gang friends. He's saying
25:53violence is a critical part of America and you don't understand what's in the heart, this criticalpart of America. I find that really deep. Yeah, very well stated. Yeah. And that is not a line I've heardanyone talked about in detail. So, very nice. James, what did you got? Yeah, I've been debating becausebecause we've got best line and best quotable. I was going to put best quotable as the Atlanta lineand the best line from, well, I was ping pong between two. I was going to do the Hellcat linefrom Euphoria. Just because there's just so much.there of like everybodywant to be demons so they get chipped by a throwaway
26:42andthe other I was thinking of was the have you everwhich he's still playing outon G&X even. Right.Yeah. Which one did you ultimately land on?I feel like the have you everjust because it's the ultimate likehere's my calling card
27:02and it's such ait's such like hip hop cultural cachetand I feel like that's he'sset the precedent of the battle being that on euphoria because after that then for drake it's likeokay i've got to because now on family matters drake's being like oh what do you mean i do this this andthis it's like okay but you just allowed him to set the precedent for the way that the battle yeah righti agree with that and that's the um what you have you ever goes into exactly what tour he said toowhich it sets the entire precedence of the whole thing where this is how i am and i had to
27:38come through this and this is just who I am. That's who you're trying to be. And why are youtrying to be that? You don't need to do that. I liked when you were yourself. I like when yousing your little songs. I like Drake with the melodies. Exactly. Why did you go this way? And I lovewhen people give credit and where credits do in a battle. Like when Jay-Z says, uh, for them,it says like you got a one hot album every 10 year average. There's no way you can say Illmatic is in aclassic album. So giving that credit makes everything else seem valid. I think that's the mostbeautiful thing about those bars that Kendrick had. Yeah. Okay. Very well said. Let's move on to themost quotable line from the beef. This is one of the, I think, the aspects of the battle that was
28:25just so enjoyable and made it so culturally rich in terms of like people like you and me or everyonehere being one to look very close to that lyrics more than probably your average listener. Butthese quotable lines that came from itended up permeating culture or social mediayou know you have little kids screaming A minorlike it's like it's just insane the amount of themthat we got I have like I actually wrote down allI don't know if we want me to read these
28:56I wrote down it looks like 15legitimately quotable lyricsfrom the beef on either sidemostly Kendrick but Drake has somesome good ones toomost of them come from push-ups.Yeah.But that was, I think, one of the reasons why this, I don't think without as many quotables
29:17that we got, it doesn't become the type of conversation that we got in terms of just themagnitude of it, because we had these quotable lines everyone understood to latch onto,to center the conversation around.So I'm interested in terms of just the memorability of a line, which one sticks out for allyou guys the most.in your 15,do you include the line where hesays, you don't want to work with me no more
29:43okay? I don't actually.Because that one, I didn't pick up on that,but that is one that I noticeda high volume of women.On TikTok. Yes,made videos around. And almost no men did,but so many women did that I was like,something in that is speaking to women.
30:03And I'm not sure what in women's experiencethat, like,But they were clear like, that is the line that jumps out for us.Yeah.Okay.Tori, do you want to start with your quotable?I don't think greed steps on it.We don't want to hear you say Niga no more.
30:18I mean, like, look, the English language is like a keyboard for MCs.And Niga is a central key.It's probably in the middle of the keyboard.Space bar.Space bar.Space bar.to be a spacebarspace bar.
30:35Spaceball's crazy.In a compelling way,in an interesting way,in an authentic way, in a realway, and it's not one way, but likeit's got a flow, it's gota hit. You got, like you haveto be able to do that. Just like
30:53a basketball player, if you can't dribble,you can't never get on the floor.And for Kendrickto be taking that noteaway from him,is so real and insidious.And so many people misunderstood Kendrick's assault as a biological racial assault.They're like, well, he does have a black father and his uncle was in this soul music group.
31:17It's not about biracialism.It's not about him being mixed.It's about you clearly are cosplay.You don't really understand our culture.And maybe that's because you grew up in another country in a white Jewish neighborhood.But like, I'm not even getting into that.I'm just saying what I can seewhat I can feel when you talk.
31:36We, again, I'm what the culture feeling.We don't want to hear you say it.He didn't tell him to not say itbecause then Drake could defy him and he went.But like, I'm just telling you,we don't want to hear you say that.And the way he's, he kind of sings it,kind of like an advertising jingle.
31:55Like really gets it,we don't want it.It makes it into like a lullaby.And like, I mean,I definitely heard people saying that like,absent-minded when you're just walking around the house or whatever,we don't want it.Do you guys think you, I was always wondering,
32:10do you think he was intentionally interpolating that Conyon line from Ginnom High?We don't want to hear that weak shit no more.Or is that just me that heard that connection?I didn't catch it.Green, you had one that was similar?Or was that your same one or your free quote?Well, I think about the word best, you know, the semantics of all of it.And to me, it's the a minor thing.
32:32because we all know we're like waiting for the Super Bowlto see if the entire crowd sings A minor.And like that's what,what it is.But then what I think about so many quotables like,is it the braids?Just no reason.No reason that just comes to my,
32:47no one says the word braids.I'm like, is it the braids?Why did you say it like that?And then there's just,there's just too many.And like the nigger line sticks to me the mostbecause it's just funny.And I love how people,
33:02took it. He said it's not that deep and people took it that deep and started analyzing hisracial background like any of that makes any sense in a battle. And it was just, it was beautifulthat people actually questioned it. Right. James, what are you got? Yeah, it's got to bea minor. It's got to be a minor. But I've, the other thing I was thinking about was the, let me seeyou push a T just because. Yeah. The vocal inflection on it. Yeah. It's so funny. And also,just the thought is such a meta bar in terms of like,just thinking of like people who aren't in hip hopwho have no context of that, like, that sticking to them
33:44and then being like, wait a minute, what would push a T?And then then being like, oh, yeah, to me, I think it's just emblematicof the whole thing of just like, all the point of euphoriathat like, you should be out of here and it's already self-evident.And all these references I'm tying in,odd,like functioning in the same way.Like, it's just a great writing.
34:06Yeah, I think so for me, I thinkout of all, it has to be the A minor.It has to be just, if I'm trying to be objective,like, you had kids screaming that.And then the visual layer now that we nowassociated with him, skip walking across the,the, uh, the, uh, hopscotch.Um, and the way the camera zooms out all,
34:28everything, like, to me,you know, that's such, that was already such an iconic line from the song to then have the pressure of like,what are you going to visually do to accentuate this line and then them nailing it in a way thatwe would never expect, but we all kind of understand the adolescent theme of the hot, you know,it's just like, brilliant, brilliant, like everything about that video, absolutely brilliant.But let me just like shout out a couple more that we didn't mention.Cool.Let me give Drake some credit because he had a few.
34:58how the fuck you big step in with a with a size seven why he had a few i mean arguably metroshut your whole ass up and make some drums like one of the one of the bigger ones was but of courseit ricochets back and hits him in the eye yeah but for him it had a it had a moment umand also this one which is legitimately funny kendrick just opened his mouth someone go hand him aGrammy right now. That's hilarious. The way he sung it was really funny. But we didn't eventalk about fuck the big three. It's just big me. We beatrice had the Bible of God watching.Baca got a weird case. Why is he around? Sort of I love him. Why sort of I pedoph? Like that wholeend of the first verse is awful. Yeah. That wop, wop, wop, wap. That wop, wap, wap is huge. The
35:55Annamata P is there is so awesome.Right around there,I believe it's the end of the second verse of Not Like Us.The city is a must.City is back up.We are outside to end on we outside.I mean, we could do a whole episode on the deep beating of we outside or I'm outside in hip hop.And, you know,
36:18I always envisioned somebody like standing in front of project building.Somebody's out to get him.I'm like, I'm not hiding.Like I am right here.Outside, if you want to get me, you can come get me.I'm not scared of anything.And like, that's a really powerful moment for Kendrick.Yeah.
36:33I think also to state the obvious, they're not like us.Itself is a huge quotable.Yeah.Yeah.Yeah.I'm not even thinking about that.Yeah, right.The whole song is quotable.
36:45Yeah.That's the whole best song thing with me.It's like something that's going to live in our brains,probably for the eternity of our lives,of all lives.But here's the thing with that, right?You listen to Meet the Grams like once,and you can still hear it.
37:02You listen to Not Like Us a thousand times.Meet the Grams is seared on your sonic soul.After one listen, it's so painful and powerful.I agree with that.You know the funny thing about that?My personal story of hearing that songwas that I was putting my kids to bedbecause it was late, you know,
37:22when that came out.And the West Coast, it was like, I think, like 9, 9 p.m.But I couldn't wait to hear the song.So I was laying in bed with my youngest daughter waiting for her to go to sleep.So I put my headphones on and listen to that song with my daughter laying right there next to me.Just like, it's a twisted, twisted experience.We're talking about that on the show.We're talking about how it's basically jigsaw from Saw kidnapping a family and talking to them.
37:53while they're all kidnapped.The song's crazy.Like, it's really psychopathingand it's so beautifully written.Yeah, I was seeing everyone's wrappedand I saw a few peoplewith Meet the Grams on their top five songs.I was like, oh my God, psychos.
38:05I mean, like, look, we have always heldthat the best first line in a battle,right?Fuck your bitch in the click you claim, right?It's such a great, direct,right in the face.This motherfucker said,uh,
38:21Dear Adonis, and we all freaked out because we knew like, oh, my God, like, where is this going to go?You're talking directly.That is the most powerful start to a battle song ever.Just those two words said in that way, not yelling, but like calm and evil and menacing and like, oh, God.One thing I've been wondering about to go back to not like us.So clearly, like, some of that was written post family matters, specifically the third verse.But how much do you guys think he had that in the clip kind of ready?I was almost thinking, like, did he have this even before he called out Drake on, unlike that,
39:08knowing he would have this juggernaut of a hit song waiting, like, in his ammunition,like essentially a kill car, you know what I mean?Like a kill shot ready to go?or do you think he wrote it in that time frame between pushups and euphoria where it seemed like he was stockpiling like 10 songs up to 10 songs I don't know have you guys thought about that at all yeah he had it he had meet the grams already because he had an entire angle an entire plan and he laid it out in euphoria so he had these beats and already within that time period though you know because there was like a two week time period where where drake's like telling him to hey drop drop drop he's like I yeah I'm gonnadrop like 10 because I'm thinking about what you're going to do after I dropped this.So obviously he had meet the grams ready already.And he augmented things and changed things.And same thing with not like us.
39:59That's last verse.He's replying to what he said.And he probably had it earlier in the week.I think it was just completely laid out.I mean, as far as we know from the few folks who have spoken from the sessions,there was the session where Kendrick did 10 songs in one.session. I assume that's one day, but it could be over two days.Crazy. And then he added a little bit to later parts of the songs, like later in the battle.
40:32So where it appears that he's replying in some way, that is an addition, a punch in later.And I think you can hear it sounds a little bit different, right, Green?Like some of the late, late lines and some of the songs that were like, does that a reference?Yeah, they sound different.sonically, like, you can tellthey're recorded after, yeah.Difference. And some of thepunchings, too. Like, you could tell he's
40:55punching in certain things and certain thingshappen. Yeah, the family matters ball wasdefinitely punched in. You canhear it's punched in.But it's so crisp the way he does it.And we're so used to him changing voices.So when he creates his character and it's apunching, it feels so natural
41:11because of how it's delivered.But you could tell it.All right. Well, let's close a chapteron Drake and Kendrick for now.we're going to move on to our more kind of holistic conversation about the year in hip hopand specifically highlight some of our favorite lyrics and dissect our favorite lyrics.We're going to take a quick ad break and we'll come back with that.All right, we are back.
41:38It is time to dissect our favorite lyrics of 2024.I asked all of you guys to prep three of your favorite lyrics and be ready to dissect them.I can start first with my first kind of nomination.I'm going in reverse order.I love all these lyrics I'm about to nominate,but I think I have a favorite,and I'll leave that for last.But my first shout out is going to be
42:05from Absal's Crazier with J.I.D.No shit.I wrote this sitting outside the psych ward.Cashing out, I'll be blacking out because it keep the lights on.I'm the illis.It's in the air.You should get the lights all.Lots of trauma from...
42:19So this.This song is just absolutely incredible.It's one of my favorite rap songs of the year.It is the classic case of two MCskind of competing on the same track,just kind of elevating each other,knowing and respecting each other as lyricists.And so that inspires them to kind of bring their best work as well,
42:42because both of these verses are crazy.And I did a video on one of my,other favorite lines from this song, the Justin Herbert flip, which I thought was really clever.But maybe my favorite lines from this song are these from Absal's verse.So he says, bag full of blue strips like dirty diapers, you ain't the shit.If I had a genie, my only wish would be you and a genie.So I don't know.Am I the only one, Tori, you have kids?
43:1517 and 15.Okay.So I have two daughters.this is this is like I think I like these lines because it speaks to me as a parent so let's break it down a little bit bag full of blue strips like dirty diapers uh so he's talking about a bag full of high dollar bills bag full of money blue strips being the anti counterfeit blue stripe that's inserted into high monetary bills but also dirty diapers if you have changed diapers before there is a yellow thin yellow line that runs down the center of the diaper and it turns bluewhen it's dirty or wet.So he's making that correlation,which then sets up,you ain't the shit.
43:55Obviously, dirty diapers,shitty diapers,clever there.I usually actually don't like shit,like toilet bars,but this is a rare casewhere it's like really,really clever and thought out.
44:07Because then he says,if I had a genie,my only wish would be you and a genie.So it's kind of a weird,confusing bar.Obviously, he's talking about,like,genie in a bottle and wishes.
44:17but if you're a parent, you know there's a thing called a diaper genie, which is specifically atrash can meant for diapers. So he's saying, my only wish would be you and a genie, meaningyou, the piece of shit in a literal diaper trash can, which is all that, the consistency,the conciseness of just those three bars, clever wordplay. I could have plucked out essentiallyany line from this song and dissected it, but that was one.I thought was just really clever.So that's my first nomination.Toray, you want to start with your first?
44:55Sure.I'll give you my first.Let me call up so I can read it.And since you guys are only talking about male MCs.For now, I got, for now.Bring some diversity.It's this conversation.Patriarchal conversation.
45:15I'm kidding.Dochi's first verseon Nissan Ultabais fucking ridiculous.her vagina.Why did she died orBenihana? Fine. Whatever.And then she goes,
45:55I'm the new hip hop Madonna.She says that twice. I'm thetrap brace Jones.And then she's going to follow us with a third.I'm likeCarrie Bradshaw, sex in the city,with a back brace on.I've been carrying you bitches now for
46:10way too long. So threetimes she relates herselfto a dominantalpha woman who was shaping and directing culture who is highly influential.This is funny.The vagina tsunami is hysterical.And the way that she spits this is so quick and rapid and the flow and the breath controland the mouth control.
46:39This is an extraordinary verse.And, you know, I mean, this is the year that we all were like, okay, so here's anotherperson who's one of the topemcees in the gameI'm told there'll be a new albumfirst quarter second quarter so likesuper excited about that.Beautiful I'm glad Don't you got highlighted I might
46:57be coming back to hershortly. Greenyou want to go next?Yeah, I'm going withthere's lines from pie andthere's just two couplets that areextended metaphors. Jay Cole'spie with a daylight
47:13so it's likeI like where bricks get karate chopped to maximize the dojo,comprende, I wonder will my friends make it past the pearly gates so we could kick it.But based on what their sense say, probably not.Blood spilling monthly rather weakly as a myriad of bodies drop.Where bricks get karate chopped to maximize the dojo, comprende, I wonder where my friends make it.I can't. Extended metaphors for me since, like, as a writer, they're hard.They're hard. They're just hard to do. And that's what the ab sole one is too.
47:43So it's like when you're taking that and then having double or triple meetings with this extended metaphor, it's like, what are you doing, Jay Cole?What are you doing, Absol?It's like that Absol line was crazy.And yeah, in that verse, there's another one where he talks about since birth, the kid knew his worth, never wallowed in sorrow.The game is dispersed in these verses, bring a gilly potential or milly from pencils.But before that, he says to test my ability with this thrilling agenda, but it's hard to meet.eat my match or my rap saying really that tender. It's like the money versus the writingbars throughout the whole thing. It's just crazy. And it just puts my brain in a paradox loop
48:25and I'm like, I can't deal with, why are you doing this on this verse? It's like crazy. But yeah,so I just, I'm going with pie. I love that verse. Except for, say for a few lines.There's a few lines that are questionable. And that's the thing with Jay Cole. I was going to say,that's not an isolated incident for him.Yeah, yeah.Yeah, that was my favorite song on that project, for sure.And Daylight killed his verse as well.James, what do you got?
48:56Yeah, I'm looking at my list now.One of my picks was a Rhapsody song.It's Marlena from Please Don't Cry.Been two piece in a two pieceI found peace on the islandIn the southeastSingle soloBut I ain't ringless
49:16I drive the AudiLike TyreseMy soul attached to meBut yeahShe's got a bar onThere was two bars in this projectBut umYeah
49:23One of her bars is single soloBut I ain't ringlessI drive the Audi like TyreseMy soul attached to meLike a SiameseUmSo like she'sIt's a Tyrese bar from
49:36What's the film?From Fast and FuriousSo she's saying like, I'm single, but I'm not ringless because I've got an Audi.And that was another bar.What was the other bar?She had a bar from asteroids, which was like industry plants.I eat them like Dr. Sabie.Yeah, just a load of clever bars on that whole project.
50:03Yeah, I'm glad that got highlighted.That's a great album that came out early in the year.So I feel like it, all the early releases kind of fall victim to people forgetting about them a little bit.And especially at this last quarter, we've had the tsunami of releases.So I'm glad that you gave that some love.Okay, so I'll go with my second nomination, which comes from Lupe Fiasco's Cake off of Samurai,one of my favorite hip-hop albums of the year.So talk about extended metaphors like Siberian area.
50:40Ship is slip on the slick.So talk about extended metaphors.Strap up because this one is very extended.He says,authoring in August wordplay is December.That means my pen is in cinders.And my delivery shivers like Siberian areas.This all rhymes.
50:58I'm not saying it in the way,the inflection that he makes all these words rhyme.Because what I love about cake is both verses are just masterful in their alliteration.and density of rhyming.So I'm going to read a couple more lines,but he's sending up this hot, cold dichotomy,saying authoring in August,so August, hot weather,
51:19wordplay is December, obviously cold.And then he says,my pen is in cinders,cinders being the remnants of ashes or flames or what have you.And then delivery shivers like Siberian areas,of course,Siberia being cold.But then that delivery is setting up
51:36the next extended metaphor, which is going to be based on both a literal ship and a shipping,like a UPS, like shipping mail.So he says,shippers slip on the slickest icicles drip from the tip of my scriptures,like fucking,holy shit.Yeah, this whole loop album is insane.It's insane.
51:59So that line plays off both the cold and this now emphasizing this delivery motif sayingshippers slip on the sick slickest icicles that and i just love tip of my scriptures is just beautifuland then he says if you a ship on a trip don't hit the tip of my glacier so again literal ship butnow he's sending up a titanic reference which he pays off on the next line he says swim with the fishand flippers i finish my pictures so swim with the fishes he's referencing you know which essentiallymurder i'm going to be killing you and then i finish my picturereferencing the end of Titanic with the ship sinking,obviously tying back to the swim with the fish,
52:43but also paying off on ship,don't hit my glacier from the line before.Classic lupé stuff,but again,I could have plucked any line from this album essentially,but specifically this song.And the whole fucking verses are exactly this,like literally,
53:01just density,super dense in meaning,pivoting from motif to motif,to motif and like somehowstitching them all together at the endjust masterful stuff what we expectfrom Lupe obviouslyone of the best I would probably call them the best
53:16lyricist in my lifetime for surejustlyricist but Toraywhat's your second nominationI searchedfar and wideandkissed a lot of frogs to get to this
53:32one andit's a piece of eminenceof Eminem from Fuel and a lot of peoplereally zoned in on the whole RAPER diddy thing.And that was clever.This later in that verse,he kind of goes nuts,which is kind of a cousin of what you're talking about
53:54with the Lupe verse where he goes,you know,and in a way it's like,it's just Eminem doing Eminem things.And this is who he has been training to besince he was a teenager.I once talked to him about howproof they would have a game.
54:10Proof would call him in the middle of the nightand they would start to immediately talk in rap.But you couldn't just wrap the last word.You had to wrap like the whole sentencewrapped with whatever the other person said.So they've been doing drillsto build up these pathways in their mindto see the world, to see the language of this way.
54:29The most content on the continentand constant compliments can be confidenceto cross the common sense and incompetencecognizant that conflicts a consequence of accomplishments andcompetition.This has got the most content on the continentand constant compliments give me confidence to cross of common sense.I'm a cross of common sense and incompetence.
54:54That is Eminem.Common sense times incompetence.I'm cognizant that conflicts a consequence of accomplishmentsand comp is no competition.So there he's making reference to him being a battle rapper, right?The conflict is a consequence of accomplishments.He's a winner.I've conquered and conced him into unconsciousness.
55:20No conscience I conjure this.King Kong or just, that's where he kills me.King Kong or just rhyming with unconsciousness.Call me Kazakaz.Call me Kamakazi.I'm concocted this.And just, you know, just to zone in on that sound over and over.But this is not meaningless.
55:40This, these, these lines actually make sense to tell a little story about him and who he is.It's an extraordinary bit.And the way he spits it is far superior to the way that I said it off.That's beautiful.Green, what you got?Yeah.I love that.I love that part.
55:59So I'm, most of the time I'm thinking about things from a technical aspect.So I thought about the Eminem.I thought about the Lupe album.But then I thought about difficulty for a rapper tooand complex writing in the sense ofthe third verse are not like usto make a hit song and give out a history lessonis the most incredible task.
56:28Once upon a time, all of us will send chains.Homie still double down, calling us some slaves.Atlanta was the meca building railroads and trains bear with me for a second.Let me put y'all on game.Like it didn't fall flat.It didn't feel like you were preachy.Everyone understood it.Or if they don't understand it, they still were able to ride with the song and feel like,
56:48yeah, yeah, yeah.You know, you ran to Atlanta.And he talked about settlers coming to Atlanta and talked about with a history of Atlanta in a snapshot.That was insane for me as far as what the,that whole, you know, once upon a time all of us was in change.Homi still doubled down calling us some slaves.Atlanta was the mecca building railroads and trains.Like, what are we, like, I just couldn't deal with how great.
57:14Once that verse came on, I'm like listening to him like, the audacity of you to want to do this.After doing two verses of just quotables, it's I'm going to give you a history lesson.With quotables in there, yeah.With quotables in it.And for me, it was like the content.was more amazing than the technician's abilities because there were so many technical feats like this year as per usual. I mean, everybody dropped. So it's like there was amazing raps all year.Yeah, that way that he holds the audience's hand throughout that verse, because that concept easily falls flat with a line that misses or doesn't carry the narrative that he's building.like any momentum shift or loss of momentum,
58:02I think it all falls apart.So the intricacy with which he weave that all together to,again,to go back my similar point of having this punchline in your back pocketand trying to work towards it to where that punchlineis going to hit in the way that it does,it's just so mad like in talks about just like authorship ofof penmanship of someone,
58:28mind being able to do that.It's one of the, yeah.It's the focus on being or the, in the skill set of not being able to have a throwawayand not for it to go over somebody's head.Because what you're educating, and this happens so many times when I try to write rhymes,because I'll write a rhyme about, like, and it'll be like educational.But it's like, it's going over someone's head.People read at a fifth grade reading level.
58:51Why are you using those big words?Anybody could understand the seller was using town folk to make them rich.Richard, fast forward 2024, you got the same agenda.We can get that or once upon a time.Just that statement, we all know that a story is going to be told by somebody who is a storyteller.I can't deal with that.The whole analogy there of white people went into Atlanta, took black stuff and made money out of it.And now you're doing that.
59:21Like, that blew me away.I mean, you know, yeah, it's a history lesson.And I'm like, okay, now I'm a history class.but I'm like, I love this history glass.Love it.This is hysterical.Oh, it was, oh.And I think it's harder to do than a lot of technician stuff.
59:38Yeah.Equally, yeah.And in a hit song, to your point.Yeah.Yeah.Crazy.All right, James, what do you got for your second?For my second, I was, well, I was going to do the, I was going to do crazier as well, but for Justin Herbert part.
59:55But also, you've already covered it.So I'm going to switch it out for, I'm going to switch it out for plate of collard greensand that last chunk of Coles Vercell and play of Collar Greens,the deep down I hated Halloween with all that I have seen,who needs another way to cause a scream,dangerous as the king of pop,how well they spin your block, no moose minimal, smooth criminals,the whole gang doing an insane amount of lean.
01:00:23The saint prescribed for, because there's no doc for pain that hard,There's just so much, so much there.Halloween, Michael Jackson,the whole thing is a Michael Jackson flip.Deep down I hated Halloween with all that I have seen.Who needs another way to cause a scream?Dangerous as the king of pop.How will they spin your block?
01:00:41No moves, minimal, smooth criminals.But yeah, Halloween is the film music video.There's no way to cause a scream.King of Pop, spin your block.It's like from the, like, things lighting upin the, I can't even remember which, I think it's the thriller music.Thriller, yeah, thriller.And then no moves, minimal, smooth criminals,
01:01:03the whole gang doing insane amounts of lean,like the Michael Jackson lien.Yeah.And then prescribed for,because there's no, there's no dock for pain the harboring.It's such a, it's like a triple,because also dock and harbor as well.Just, there's so much there.
01:01:21But yeah, insane, sane rang from Jay Colber.Yeah.Yeah, I can't argue with that.That was one that definitely caught my attention on the first listen.I definitely, the lean part was really clever, I thought.Because that's such an iconic visual to literally lean into that.It's pretty clever.Beautiful verse, beautiful verse.
01:01:42Okay, so go, yeah, go ahead.You say you don't like shit bars, and I usually don't like MJ like bars.Okay, right, yeah.But when someone, and that's what's beautiful about rap, it's like someone will find a new.way to talk about it and make you interested in because I think that MJ that whole sequence wasamazing. I was like, this usually would be corny for me. But that lean bar, just like you said,it's so, it's so clever. Yeah. It's so clever. All right. So my final nomination, which might,I guess, would technically be my number one. This was really hard. And I gave you guys two
01:02:18nominations of lyrical miracle stuff. But I think the most memorable line and the most cathartic linefor me of the year is off of Dochi's Boombap, where she says, it's everything, I'm everything.The way, I mean, it's just two words, I'm everything.And I talked about this with her on the interview that we did together.But where it's placed in the album, where it's placed in the song, the album is so much about her,kind of convincing herself of her own greatness and shutting out outside opinion.trying to embrace who she is as an artist,someone that rap, someone that sings,
01:03:10someone that dances,that has this whole bouquet of talentthat she's not trying to box inand she feels like there's pressuresfrom the outside,kind of trying to influence her artistic output.And the way that she bottles all that up,and it's on the album,
01:03:29but it's also on the song,where she's kind of mimicking rap,but also like paying homage to rap at the same time.And it kind of represents this relationship that she has with the expectations of rap.And then to just blur out kind of like it feels like we're discovering it with her in real time the way that she performs.It's everything.I'm everything.It's like this was the epiphany.
01:03:54And we got to witness her just expressing that epiphany in real time.Because the way she screams, I'm everything.it just totally goes off the rails in terms of like it's like doesn't really rhyme with anythingit's off beat and she's just kind of yelling it but it's also that in itself is expressingexactly who she is because she is everything and she's not in a box and she's not on beatand that's fine that's like that's why she's great is because she's not she's an anomalyshe's doing something different and so everything about that line and just how succinct it isthe way that I described it to her as I felt like it was kind of like her thesis statement,
01:04:35yet it's only two words, you know.And so for someone to like, we could talk about extended metaphors, we could talk aboutentendras and everything like that.But I think the important part about lyricism about everything is just how it hits youemotionally.And there's different ways to go about evoking different emotions in the listener.And this one, this year, I felt like more than probably any moment.in any album was kind of like the one that every time I hear it, I feel it. I feel it for her.
01:05:06I feel it inside myself somewhere. And then seeing her perform it live and seeing the wholeaudience scream it. It was just kind of encapsulates everything about what I love about her,the year that she's had, the way that she, I mean, we're coming off the heels. We're recordingthis the day of the day after her performance on Colbert show, which was absolutely incredible.And again, showed you why she's like the artist of the future.I had to go with Boombap.I'm everything as maybe my lyric of the year.Toray, what you got?
01:05:39Same as you as far as the last oneis just more direct.I mean, the first verse of Meet the Gramsis just this direct kickax to the brain.Dear Adonis, I'm sorry that that man is your father,let me be honest.It takes a man to be a man, your dad is.not responsive.
01:06:01I look at him and wish your grandpa what a war a condom.I'm sorry that that man is your father.Let me be honest.It takes a man to be a man.Your dad is not responsive.Honest and responsive don't really rhyme, but it does.I look at him and wish your grandpa would have wore a condom.Now we'll play the dozens.
01:06:17I'm sorry you've got to grow up and stand behind him.Life is hard.The challenge is always going to beat us home.Like, wow, you cannot escape the problem at home.I'm going to jump ahead a little bit.because this makes me laugh.It's so serious on the record,but when you read it on paper,
01:06:35let me be your mentor.Since your daddy don't teach you shit,right?Because he's a good kidwho needs good leadership.What's the first piece of advicethat he gives the kid?Never let a man piss on your legs, son.
01:06:52That's not the first piece of adviceI'm giving a kid.But as Drake's son,you do need thatbecause you need to learnto stand up for yourself and be a man, you know,because either you die right there or you shoot him in the head.But like there's no other option.
01:07:09But like just this is just an extraordinary direct to the frontal cortex.Like just I'm killing you.I don't even know.None of us got through that without stopping and putting our face in our hands and going,what happened?Where are we?What's going on this Saturday night in my life?yeah i was like legitimately disturbed after that night for like the family matters video kind of disturbed
01:07:36me just seemed like i thought it was at first i did think it was like the real real good kid mad cityvan getting crushed so i was like oh man that kind of sucks like that's like iconic but then i foundout it's fake which i mean what a symbol for drake's whole fucking position in this battle thatyou got a fake minivan to do this w wf fucking like gimmick thing but in the moment i was like oh shitthat kind of sucks and like then oh fuck it's like kentrick really like did he really beat beat whitneyand you know what i mean so it's like the truth of it wasn't quite clear yet and then meet the gramscomes and like after meet the grams i was like genuinely disturbed that night like it was like it wasdark and i woke up like feeling kind of gross about the whole thing and then just to get back to
01:08:22not like us once again the way that he was able just flip the the mood theAnd the color of the battle, just like snap of the finger, like, okay, it got dark, but let's have fun again.And just the temperature switch of that was just so brilliantly strategic to highlight that.But yeah, Toray, great pick, I think.My picks, I tried not to do ones from the battle, but obviously I think all the most memorable lines historically are going to be from the battle.So, great pick.green what you got. Yeah, I try to do three different picks toone was like technician, one was content, and this one is
01:09:07delivery, and it's Dochi. Well, they all obviously havelyrical capabilities also, but Dochi on Tyler's verse,I think that's my favorite verse of the year.I don't even want to say a line because the entire verses of me.I need some pita for this pussy.They want the crock print.I'm going to air these D-on niggins like the closet.I let it eat.
01:09:34She's floating on this track.I, where the swamp is, flies bitch up in the room.I need a cockpit right there.You got an entendre right there.I need some pita for this pussy.Like, they want the crock print.It just keeps going from all the way there.And the whole gay bar from where she says,
01:09:53I'm going to air these DL niggas out the closet.I let it in, let it out.I'm a bye bitch.but I need that pussy now.If he is gay, then I am gay and we are nouns.I was in.It's so well written.What are we doing?
01:10:07This is like she's floating too on this entire,floating on a song called Balloon.And it says,that's my favorite dogy verse outside of spooky,uh,spooky, uh,and she's,she's probably one of the few female rappers,
01:10:23women rappers that when they talk about their pussy,I'm all ears.I'm just like,this is.The bars are always fresh when she's talking about her pussy.I'm like, this is, that was hard.Yeah.She thinks outside the box.
01:10:37That's why she's, as far as upcoming rapper.I even like the reference on, I know it's supposed to be lines, but I said it's the whole verse.I even like the reference from where she calls back to her alligator bites album on the, on this verse where she's like, I'm out in New York, walk around bear toad.I don't need a passport.I'm a swamp bitch because she's just going back to like, this is where I'm from.And I'm like, I'm in New York walking around Bear Toad.And I'm being me.I'm going to put my whole self out there and I'm being me at all times.
01:11:10And she started off from the beginning to the end.And also the airing the DL guys out of the closet being Denalas the River fromAlligator Bites.Right, right.Yeah.And you didn't even mention the most iconic line, which, okay, it's the Keefe line, right?So, which, okay, it's just iconic on its own, but I love the way that she gives you the entire verse stops, right?There's that pause between her verse and then when she comes back with the queef line.
01:11:41So just that pause to me is like, because she could have just done the verse that you talked about and like, that's it and we'd still be floored.But then to come back with the most iconic memorable line after that, just insane.that whole the whole like i think it's four linesum it's so cool like one of my favorite lines from thatis where she said air your whole block out with the flooryeah which is like a nod to his perfers his fragrancewhich i thought was just so cool like so clever uh such a clever flip on airing it outum so beautiful pick i love that doche's got three nominations uh spray your whole block
01:12:20oh yeah sorry sorry yeah playing off of it play yeah playing off the airing out likeBeautiful.It's great.I consider that a bridge, kind of.But yeah, it is probably like the second end part of the verse when I think about it.Is that technically the chorus?Because she's playing, she's playing off of Tyler's air this, air that out like a balloon.It's a flip of that, which I think might be the chorus.
01:12:42Does it have a chorus?It doesn't even matter.But it's just so iconic and catchy, like that whole part.Yeah.And to see her reform it at Flognaw.was another moment.You saw her live too in San Francisco, right?Was it?
01:13:01Yeah, I saw her in Oakland.I don't know if you guys got to go to her show,but it was absolutely phenomenal.Did she do that or was that before?She did.So that came out right before her performance.So she closed, her encore was come back.She came back out and performed.
01:13:17Her verse on balloon was so cool because it was so in the moment.I think it was the Friday after the Monday,release. So it was super fresh. I think it was her first performance of it. So,and that's just, since we're here, like, that's another part of, not that many people gotto go to see her tour because she was playing, like, the venue I saw her in was like,maybe 200 people at the max. It was super small. And the level of performance and effort thatshe gave was absolutely incredible. She had a great, like, stage setup aesthetically. Heroutfits were great. Like, it was like a, a thing.
01:13:55theater level show in an intimate venue and you can just tell like the connection she haswith the audience is really special like she's going to yeah we've talked about it she's going to beone of those ones so um james how what was your is this going to be your your lyric of the yearuh yeah it was i've been debating because i've been stuck between two gnx versus so either likethe last verse on TV off, because there's so many, like, Super Bowl flips on that.Or the last verse on Reincarnated, because that's just insane writing.For me, I think Reincarnated is probably taking that pick.Father, I'm not perfect.
01:14:40I got urges, but I hold them down.But your pride has to die.Okay, father, show me how.Tell me every deed that you done and what you do it for.Just the whole rewriting of Isaiah 14, the whole conversation.with God on that song.And also,it's the first time
01:14:59really on that albumwe saw Kendrick beatintrospectivein a way,like in a tangible waythat was about the beefbecause like,waxed out murals
01:15:10was still reallyfor everyone else.Like, reincarnated,it was very much like,okay,where am I being hypocritical?Where do I actuallystand in terms of
01:15:21like my,my,my, my,my,ethos. Because evenWatch the Party diewas still, that was still for the culture.It wasn't really, where do I stand?
01:15:32Right. Yeah, I had moments like thechorus where he's talking to God, you can tell.He's shown kind of those moments ofintrospection throughout the BV. I'm thinking of likethat portion on 616.He's talking to God again. But yeah, I thinkI agree where reincarnated.God, Reincarnate is such a conceptually
01:15:50brilliant song because to your point,it is very introspective, but it's also likeI think it's a big commentary on like Drake as a symbol, which, you know, obviouslyDrake kind of became this symbol for something larger.And the cleverness of reincarnated is not only that is Kendrick, I don't know if he reallybelieves it or if it's more theoretical, but obviously naming these black musicians thathe felt like some kind of spiritual kinship or lived literally as past lives.And then using that to reflect on how do I use.
01:16:23by influence for ultimate good.And am I doing that correctly?But it's like he's,that is also the story of Drake, right?And Drake is one of those artists that Kendrick feels like is abusing his power.And, you know, the, what is it?The first verse, the first example he gives is someone using his influence for his owngluttony and dies in gluttony, which is what from Kendrick's point of view is making the case that
01:16:52that is also Drake's story right now.and that he's not taking this microphone that he has seriouslyand not even really considering those thingswhere it's Kendrick, I feel like he's battlingwith the imperfections and the errors that he's made,but at least he's trying, I think, is kind of like the big pointthat he comes to make.Yeah, it's the whole work in progress thing.
01:17:12And I feel like, I feel that difference is part of whatlost Drake the battle, that just a complete lack of self-awarenessbecause I think Kendrick,because Kendrick gets a lot of slag.black still of the savior angle, even though he's let go of the moniker of it.But the thing I've always...Well, we can have that conversation because I feel at some degree on GNX,he's also picked it back up again.
01:17:38But I also think reincarnated as him being honest about it,which I think...which is what I think I appreciate about Kendrick,because Kendrick is honest about, like, for a hip-hop artist,there's this side of me that's just egoand just wants to say that I'm the best.And there's this side of me that's like,wants to pick up the culture and that there are odds at some level.
01:18:01And I think instead of Kendrick being like,oh, I'm a savior who's like inaccessibleand I can never do any wrong.He's like, no, I'm a hypocrite who's trying to work out their differences.I prefer that personally.Yeah, is that something, Green, I was going to ask you,because I think this is something that maybe you,I may if I'm recalling this wrong let me know but like the the the superiority or like that that
01:18:29holier than now you could have that perception about Kendrick specifically with thisbattle with Drake you could just kind of say this was a petty beef and he this is all ego andhim wanting to flaunt his ego uh and be crowned the undisputed champion so to speakor and or it's Drake is a symbol of something largerthat Kendrick sees as problematicin this culture that hebeloved. And maybe those two thingsactually can exist.
01:18:58Maybe they're both at the same time, right?Like those, it doesn't have to be either or, right?Maybe, maybe I'm too into the,maybe I'm too Kendrick-pilled,but I do believe that he isa deeply mission-based,righteous-based person.And some of the,
01:19:18some of the stuff we hear on 60s,where he's saying,I was minding my own business.I was living peacefully.I don't want to go to war,but then I have to.And like,this was about a mission to
01:19:32ridfakeness,anti-blackness,anti-African-Americanness.You know, a fake personis in our midst.We go let that slide.But also I want to go back to
01:19:47James said somethingto the fact of that's why Drake lost the battle.I don't feel like this is like,sometimes two teams or two opponents,like get into a sporting contest and like,you know, if you had done better with that,with your run game or whatever,you could have won.
01:20:05Yeah, no, I don't mean that you could have won.I don't think there's any way Drake could have won this at all ever.There's nothing that he could have donewith the exception of Kendrick,like falling on his face and failing to release.at all. There's not a technical abilityin Drake to be able to be on the same levelas a Kendrick. But even
01:20:29there's a line that sticks with mefrom a man on the street thing that happened actually inEngland where they asked his brother about the battle and he saidDrake is talking to us and Kendrick is talking to Drake.And just that perspective differencewhere Drake is like, can you believe this short guy? He keepsdissing me like, and Kendrick's like, you're a pedophon.file. You're a horrible person. You're not African American. Stop saying, like, God damn. Like that,
01:20:56there's no way to win when your perspective is completely in the wrong direction. But I don'tthink there's a technical ability for Drake to be all, like, you know, earlier, like Jay Z andNas, those are two equally talented MCs. They were at totally different places in their livesat that moment of the battle. This is, this is, you know, varsity against the JV. So like, it would begreat to see, like, God forbid, Wayne versus Kendrick were actually able to happen. Then you'dsee two serious emcees going at each other. You know, really haven't seen that in a real wayin a minute. What do you think about that, Green? Because I, I get what you're saying, but part of medoesn't want to disrespect Drake's artistry because it's... Why not? Because I think like, I think a push
01:21:46Like, I thought you were on my side, Cole.I know, I'm just, you know, I'm trying to be a good host here.But, you know, like, you know, push-ups showed some promise.And it's like, one song versus one song, I don't think it's like clearly going to be Kendrick game over.I think the long, the extended kind of length of the battle is what really showed Drake's weakness and his lack of strategy.and maybe Kendrick beingsuperior intellectuallybecause I don't
01:22:21I mean obviously I prefer Kendrickand I think he's the better artistbut in terms of like making songsI don't know what do youwhat do you think about that greenyeah I think there's a lot ofwhen it comes to the battleI want to talk about like my perspective
01:22:35going through it it's likeyou were living in a worldof just abundance of musicand then this bomb comes like thatand it's likethis guyguy came out and said something and said he's, there is no big three. I'm enjoying first personshooter last week or the day before that song drops. Now I'm like, oh, it's happening. And me and my
01:22:56friends, all my rapper friends were like, why ain't Kendrick and Drake ain't Drake in battle yet?For 10 years. For 10 years we're having this discussion. And then it finally happens. It's likeSuper Bowl. It's okay. But one pushups drop and we know Kendrick, we all feel like Kendrick's a betterwriter. Push-ups drops. We're kind of worried. We're like, is there an angle here? Like, what are you,what are you saying? You, euphoria drops. We love it, but it was not what we thought Kendrick would do.I'm not, I'm like, you didn't kill Drake. This didn't kill Drake. Euphoria did not kill Drake.Family Matters comes. I'm like, whoa, they might, there's a video. It's just such a spectacle.like they might
01:23:39this might crumblelike the house that hip hop builtwhich is Kendrick Lamarand what he representswhich and I'm going to go into the wholereincarnated thing tooCole but what he representsthis this mission statement
01:23:53of we want hip hop to beto surviveit's like crumblingand then meet the gramsmeet the grams is what I was asking forand he gave me too muchI said yo I wantI want a burger
01:24:07someone gives me 17 burgers with bacon and cheese.It was too much.I was like, and that's the writer I knew, right?And I think about, when I think about Drake, I don't know.He collaborates, he writes.The guy has hits.It's undeniable.This guy makes great songs and has great, has produced great music.
01:24:30So it's possible, however you've produced this music, you could have, with the rightangle, if you were a different human being, he could.could have won that battle if you were a different human being and that's the problem.Yeah. Well, yeah. Yes. No, no. How could I meet Kobe Bryant in one-on-one if I became a differenthuman being? No, Kobe Bryant, listen to what I'm saying, is that you have, we're talking aboutbeing a good person or different human being versus this technical skill of creating and writingsongs and the team you might have behind. I don't know, boy, when it comes to drink now.So we know that he has the ability to write a song. It's now, it's the perspective and the
01:25:07cultural cachet that was missing.Which is, by the way, Kendrick's point, right?So it's like, his point played out within the scope of the battle.And that's where I'm saying, like, the long term of it, one v.one song versus one, that's in a vacuum.Yeah.Drake's right there, I think.Also, but...
01:25:25Do you know what I was thinking about the other day is that the whole angle of push-ups isabout Kendrick's label split?Yeah.Now, push-ups, when you scrutinize it, especially in retrospect, but you, you know,it at fault like the angle he tried to take was just that really just objectively bad um in the momentit kind of worked and it was funny and it was lighthearted but it didn't the the dirt of it didn'tstick in the way i think drake uh thought because of the context as you were seeing more context asthe battle goes it it changes yeah but when we're just talking about like one two yeah
01:26:01technical skill yeah technical skill things being fun you having a good timehe provided good times for us every single time he drops until somebody until a grownup cameuntil a grown up came in a room and said excuse me kids um you are a bd but let's talk about thereincarnated thing in my perspective of what mr morale is saying and i think from the beginning ofgood kid mad city this is just his ethos of like there's there's this duality of i'm a good kid in aMad City to Pimp a Butterfly,we're being damned.I am always, I battle with myself and these ideas and the environment and the world
01:26:47that I'm in.And I think it's just what a beautiful, what art is.And he's just going to have that consistency.And reincarnated is like, to me, the end of to Pimp a Butterfly.It's just, it's just him saying, because, you know, I remember I was conflicted,misusing your influence. It's like, okay, so he's talking to Tupac. Wait a minute, I am Tupac and I amthese other artists. You are those other artists as well. And we have this battle. And I rewrote thisstory of a fallen angel. Like Lucifer is a fallen angel. We have this duality in all of us. So before you
01:27:27point a finger, you point a finger at me, there's three pointing back at you. That's what that reincarnatedis saying in the simplest.Yeah, that's, I mean, that was one of the points I was going to bring upbecause one of the lines that I was going to nominatewas every individual is only a version of you.How can they forgive when there's no forgiveness in your heart?And that's God talking to Kendrick slash Lucifer.And the way that that extends the scope of the song beyond Kendrick,
01:27:56beyond Drake, beyond black musician with an influence.it is a story of a fallen angel is a story of all people right especially from a biblical's perspective of original sin and of you know of us working through so that's that was the beautiful part of reincarnated that i don't i think he's actually kind of getting overlooked is that it's it's a little heady but it's just like yeah we're all reflections of each other we're all on this extendedkind of evolutionaryhumanitarian journey togetherand we're only as good as the personnext to us, we're only as good as the personwe see in the mirror and how all these thingsconnect, how Kendrick's stories connect
01:28:45with our story. You know, it's likethe way that he was able to express thatsubtly, but I think it's all in there and it's also in the titlereincarnated. It's also in the fact that he isreincarnated as Pock but never says anything about Pock.It's like all these thingslayers on layers on layersand at the biggest scale
01:29:05when you zoom out the furthestit's the story of humanitywhich is fucking wildlet me ask two questionsand this is for everybodybecause of thatand like the theme of thatbeing throughout the entire album
01:29:20it's also the theme of himas an artistrightand that's what makes me himlike my favorite artistin hip hopkind of like ever because they havelike a voice
01:29:31this albumhave you guys figured out where it setswithin his catalogor are you guys still thinkinguhwait and hold on before you answer that questioncan I get greento refine the question because you
01:29:48youhave shaped my thing on thisby and both of youhave laid it like it's a mixtapeand you guys don't even call it an albumon your TikToks.You just say it's a mixtape.So should we not
01:30:03view it differentlythan Mr. Morale, et cetera,because we can see it's not an album, it's a mixtape?Well, I think that isn't that part of the questionthat we have about it at this moment, right?Yeah. I feel like there's too muchup in the air at the moment.Because, yeah, I even,
01:30:20because my thesis statementfor my review was like, this mixtape is weird,but excellent, which I got a lot of flack of peoplebeing like, oh, this is a mixtape.But yeah, I'm fine.Yeah, they disagreed.A lot of people, because a lot of people are like,oh, you're only calling it a mixtape because you're like,
01:30:39oh, it's not good enough to be an album.Which I was just like, you don't understand how.Yeah, it's like, you just don't understand how mixtapes work.It's like, you know, Alligator Bites.It's a mixtape, right?It got nominated for a Grammy for an album.So, but yeah, I'm finding it so difficult to play.it because it's also non-conceptual, like, as in it is conceptual, but it's non-conceptual in the way
01:31:05that Kendrick usually frames his albums. So I've found it so difficult because it's stillbeautifully sequenced. I would argue it's one of Kendrick's best sequenced albums.Interesting. Okay.But it's still the least conceptual.Better than anything else, though, do you?Um, I think...This is so difficult.I think for different reasons,
01:31:32it works on its own merit betterthan Mr. Morale does,which is a bit crazy to say.Because it's non-conceptual,but it's sequenced perfectly.Like, there's nothing that feels out of place.There's, like, five songs that are the West Coast sound.There's seven songs that are more of, like,
01:31:54services fans,he's still keeping the same narrative thread from the beefand still doing flips of like,have you ever done, have you ever had caps and crunch cereal with waterinstead of have you ever, like, conceptually and time-wise,it's, I think it succeeds more on its merit than Mr. Morale did,and even for Kendrick.I mean, the conceptual point is really the point
01:32:21where you really marked the difference and marked whyit is a meaningful difference that it is that it is not conceptual and a snapshot,ergo a mixtape rather than a time capsule and an album, right?Like the contextuality is what makes the difference meaningful.And the lack of that element that James is talking about, to me, is everything.It defines the difference between a great album and a good album.And even if I don't love every song, if every song is working toward a point and reflects a vision that we're going to tell a story, that to me is more meaningful than, you know, 12 bank.I go back to Thriller versus Off the Wall.
01:33:10Thriller is a collection.It's a greatest hits collection.There's not a meaningful thread that pulls it together off the wall as an album because it is sonically and lyrically in terms of the meaning of.that story he's telling about a young man in the clubs,trying to find love, trying to dance.That is a singular memoiristic story, right?That's an album.And when Kendrick and others create off the walls,
01:33:36I am much more excited,even if I only actually love half the songs,then a great collection where the songs don't have any relationship to each other.Yeah, that's kind of where I am with it too.I would say generally speaking,it's hard for me to place what it is at this moment.I think conceptually, yeah, it's not giving us the classic Kendrick concept record,but you can also view 2024 as its own kind of concept or conceptual framework
01:34:06that you can't really view this album.I mean, the album works on its own, but the conceptual stuff we're looking for from Kendrickis actually all implied with what came before this album.But I think things could very much easily change and our perception of the album can change over the next couple months depending on what he does if he does drop something else or if he gives a deluxe version.I think once that question is answered, I think I'll have more confident thoughts about what this project is and where I place it.But I would say personally, if I'm talking about just like my favorite or my most enjoy it, like I really enjoy the album, I skip a lot of songs a lot of times just depending on what mood I'm in, which is a weird phenomenon for me with a Kendrick album.With a Kendrick album, yeah.Because usually if I'm putting on a Kendrick album, I'm listening from start to finish and I am not skipping songs at all.
01:35:05Not the conceptual art to me.And that's why I respect Kendrick so much is because he creates albums like that.So with that said, I don't put it above any of his past work, good kid, butterfly, damn, morale, all are above this album for me personally.That's not to say it's not a great album and I don't enjoy it, but it's just a different experience for me as a Kendrick fan and someone that is kind of studying him as an academic, I guess.So, but it's a great album.I fucking love playing it in my car.I would say that.some of the songs are just like so fun.
01:35:42And it's really,it is fun.It is nice to have a Kendrick.It's not a,I wouldn't say it.It's a fun album,but it's nice to have an album that I can't skip around.I can't add songs to playlist,
01:35:51not feel guilty.So that's,that's my thoughts on it so far,I guess.Okay,so let's move on to the last couple categories.We don't have to spend like a ton of time on each of these,but,
01:36:04and I'm going to actually sit this,this cat,these categories out myself,because next week I'm going to have my second part of this year-end wrap-up episode,which is talking about my favorite albums, my favorite songs of the year.So I'm curious, this is going to act kind of like a bridge into that episode.I'm curious to hear your guys is first, your favorite song of 2024.And if you want to do best song, favorite song, I don't really care.
01:36:29Just whatever you want there.And then your favorite album of 2024.So Toray, you want to start with your favorite song and then favorite album.Wait, I had best song and I'm now you're saying, when you said favorite, now that's a little bit different.Okay. Best song. It's fine.Well, I mean, you know, best song. I mean, I returned to meet the grams in the sense of like, you know, your dad or your grandpa has like the special whiskey or the special wine.We don't pull this out for just everybody. We don't. This is for special. I cannot listen to Meet the Grams.99% of the time.
01:37:10But every once in a while, it's like,oh my God, that is a special achievement in hate, right?And even just yesterday, Green,we had a great conversation on Rap Lattebecause there's like, there's no anger in that song.It is hate.It is calm, surgical hate.And in a world where like we kind of like love hate
01:37:33and give some special props to peoplewho can really, really hateon like a high level.Like that is an extraordinary thing.If you want favorite,oh my God, you know,Glorilla, just every time she opened her mouth,she didn't say nothing and it was incredible.
01:37:55She's a phone book artist.She could read the phone book over a trap beatand I would be all into it.Right, TGIF, you know,what else she had?What was the joy she had?With Meg and Cardi, that shit was hot.She had like four fire joints this year that just blew me away.
01:38:18It's 7 p.m. Frat.It's 95 degrees.I ain't got no nigger.And no nigger ain't got me.Let's go.I'm about to show my ass.So, I mean, just glow had an incredible year, even though, as we've been talking about,Kendrick had maybe, maybe one of, let's, let's, that's, let's, that's, one of the,
01:38:37very best years in hip hop history. And God forbid he released an actual album between December 12th and15th. Forget about it. All right. What about you, Green? Favorite song. So I'm going withwhat they talk about. They talk about nothing. What they talk about nothing. Huh? They talk about none.They talk about none. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, that's my bitch. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey,Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, with all that fake shit.Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, that's my bitch.That's, that probably is triple platinum in my house.My girl mad at fuck at me because I just be singing that for no reason.
01:39:21That is my fake hands-down favorite song of the year.And surprise, bitch, is Jackie Chee.That's funny.He's like, FaceTime my ops.I'm up the street.Like, it's so ignorant.It's so beautiful.It's one thing about this album that I love that isn't talked about enough is the ability, like
01:39:49I've said, Kendrick to create character and create these new moments.Everyone's creating hooks that we've heard before.They're triple time.It's melody driven.He's creating hooks that are memes.He understands the internet.internet, never on the internet, but is using meme tactics for all of these records.What they're talking about?
01:40:09They talk about, man.What they talk?Is that even on the beat?Like, where are we at?It's the most beautiful 24 chorus ever.And we're going to yell it in these stadiums when he's playing with Siza.I can't, I just can't deal with how good he is at rapping right now in 2024.and the things that we take for granted, like, his ability to change tone voice,
01:40:37just meme records that have substance behind them.The most substance-filled guy is making meme records.Do we not, like, can we sit in that for a second?Like, the most, the guy that we sit here and think about one line for five hours did this.Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, my bitch.It's thePika-boo.Pika-boo.
01:41:0280-pointers like a Kobe game.Pick-a-boot.Like, I don't know.I'm just popping my collar all day to that song, and I can't.You know the funniest thing about it is, it's the last one where he's doing the back and forth.And I'm just like, you're trying to make me believe that this isn't a meme chorus.Yeah.They're just like, this is, oh, sorry, this song's hilarious.
01:41:27It's amazing.All right, James, what's your favorite song of the year?Favorite song?If we're talking best song, it's not like us.Favorite for me is take your mask off on Cremicopia.Okay, great.You ain't got to hide from the truth to your family while you're such a recluse.Tell your spirit why you feeling it's a rap in the booth.
01:41:49Dog, how day you try to ruin her marriage claim you never wore a mask and how you don't...Because, yeah, I think watching Tyler grow up in his album,has been, I mean, it's been kind of, it's kind of emblematic of the story of 2024in terms of your original point at the top of this conversation of like the differencebetween 2023 that like, I, the fact that Tyler grew up in his music this year, I thinkit's just emblematic of the whole conversation, especially that last verse of him critiquinghimself. I was just like, yeah, hip-hop is so far removed from how,like down hip-hop heads were about it last year.
01:42:32Yeah, I think that might be my favorite song off of that album.But I'm going to talk a lot about Chromacopee in my next episode.So I'm going to save my thoughts for that.But beautiful pick.You guys want to share your favorite album of the year?Let me do one first.Let me go first just because I don't know.I don't think these two are going to say it.
01:42:51My favorite album is Ka's album, Thief Next to Jesus.Can't afford to have one way to foredo.It is the most beautifulIt's a beautiful to have one way to the fault thoughIt is the most beautifullyLike I just feelIt's a beautifully soulful albumThat I've heard in a long time
01:43:13And coming from this neo-boomba soundThat has resurged within like the 2020sThis is a great culmination of everything that was happeningThis is a guy that I found out about years agobut didn't dive into his record till probably this year.Like I started listening to all his albums.And then before he passes away, he drops a masterpiece.Like this is a masterpiece thinking about like black people's space in religious space,
01:43:44black people's spirituality, his own spirituality.It feels like he's thinking about and contemplating his own death.And before he passes away and coming terms into peace with so many things in life,his own religious perspective, his own perspective on family and community and culture.And the second song, Beautiful, is exactly what it is.It's one of the most beautiful things I've heard in rap music.And just like, I love that album.I've listened to it.
01:44:13That was over and over before Chromocopia.There's so many great albums this year.It's actually stupid.It's crazy.It's actually crazy.Torre, what was your album of year?So again, I got to come back to the definition of an album.It is a cohesive statement that says something about what the artist thinks about sound
01:44:37or what the artist thinks about themselves and what they're going through in their lives.So you really get it like that, G&X is not an album.Chromacopia is an album that has something to say about the way hip hop could sound,that is something to say about what Tyler is going through.as a person who is 30 and trying to figure out,do I have children?What does that mean?What is that going to look like?
01:45:02What is my life at this point?Chromacopia.And perhaps one of the most dramatic moments in2024 hip-hop outside of the battle,Tyler's mother, telling him,actually your father totally wanted to be part of your life,I blocked him.Sorry about that.
01:45:29After years of Tyler's father being,the central villain in his music,come to find out we had it wrong,you had it wrong the whole time.And like, that's a really deep moment.And the way it's rolled out and presentedis a really deep moment.And there's so much on this that's ear candy with,
01:45:51I killed you and sticky and, you know,thought I was dead.But there's so much here that's beautiful.We, on rap latte, last week,talked about, there's very few musical creators in hip-hop who aren't just, give me a beat,let me rock over it. But people like Kanye, Travis, Tyler, is that the whole list, greed?There's more than that, right?Yeah, there's more than that. If you want to include Farrell in there.
01:46:23For sure.But Farrell is a producer.Not really a writer.Not really rapper.But like, there's these people that we're talking about create dynamics within their music.The music will have movements.It will flow upward, downward, the song will stop.Different things will happen.
01:46:42And you're really interacting with the music in a way that other genres do more often,as opposed to hip-hop, like I said, which is quite often.You get a beat and you rap over it, and that's the song.And that can be great.but when you have an artist like Tylerwho can bring different thingsout of the mix and make the song have shapesthat blows me away.
01:47:05So yeah,chromocopy is an extraordinary momentfor Tyler and for hip-hop.Beautiful.I will be sharing my thoughts,which are very similar to you next episode.But James,you want to end this category
01:47:19with your favorite album?Yeah, Ithis, I mean, I said this before,but I struggled with this album pickbecause too many great albums this yearbut I landed on Chromacopia as wellYeah, quick fastniggas popping off and niggas stepping on the gas
01:47:43Yeah, I think it's justYeah, it was just such a momentwhere I was like, the rollout was perfectIt was so well thought outAnd then, yeah, just seeing Tylerinvest in every song. The sequencing was beautiful. The only other album that I almost picked in frontof this was Blue Lips. Because, yeah, just, and just a great hip-hop album. There's been othergreat hip-hop albums. But yeah, it's Crom and Cope for me. Beautiful. Okay, great picks all
01:48:22around. I think that's going to wrap today's episode. Thanks all three of you guys for joining.That was really fun. I'm going to be joining the Rap Latte podcast after this. So if you want to hearthat episode, I'm sure it will be out by the time that you're hearing this now. So go followRap Latte on YouTube, Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts and you'll hear Toray and Green.On that show, I'm going to have all your guys's links to social media.in the episode description.So make sure you follow all three of these guys.They're doing great work.
01:48:58And if you like dissects content,you'll 100% like their content as well.But thanks, guys.This is just really great.I'm going to have to have you guys onmaybe next year to do the same thing.Thanks, man.Thanks for having us.
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