ROUNDTABLE #3

Roundtable #3

Pill-Glass

BPerl: Good song and I like the grittiness of the video. Sounds kinda like a mellower version of Tupac’s Hell for a Hustler mixed with the drums of Slim Thug’s I Aint Heard of That.

JStine: I know we’re just talking music here, but I just gotta say that the video is dope. I wasn’t a huge fan of Pill’s “Trap Goin’ Ham,” but this is better. Pill’s flow and content are on point in both songs, but when his flow and content are combined with a more raw beat, like in “Glass,” his message comes through a little better. “Trap Goin’ Ham” was too much, but “Glass,” people are ready for. If anything, it might be too subdued.

Chops: Wasn't sure what I'd think with the first 30 seconds, but once he got going it worked. To me this rap song shows you don't need to have an R&B chorus with Alicia Keys, throw in a guest appearance by Kanye or Lil Wayne, or have production up the ass. To make a good rap song you have to have one thing. A good rap. I like it.

Grawedog: great track with powerful lyrics. love the beat. i bet bobito says he hates it.

Big Poppa: there's no chorus, but it's still kind of ill. as a fellow convicted felon, i got nothin' but love for my brotha. ATL, baby!

Chivato: A new artist from the South who's got true lyricism? You got a future star here.

Colin Munroe & Wale-Bittersweet

BPerl: This one’s ok but Wale’s verses aren’t memorable. I think after a few listens this one loses its appeal and gets skipped over on the iPod.

JStine: I’m totally biased here. Wale is awesome. Plus, I heart British artists, so a well-done cover of the Verve is okay by me.

Chops: Reversing the chorus and adding a couple of synthesized drums doesn't make a song good. It makes it sound lazy and half-assed. Blows does this song. Try harder next time dickheads

Grawedog: don't get the point of this track. why not just rhyme over the original song? or come up with an original beat?

Big Poppa: wow, this must be one of the worst songs i've heard... ever. NEXT

Chivato: Huge fan of both separately, but this just doesn't work.

Nobody Famous-Don't Act Like I Never Told You

BPerl: I liked the “damn it I messed up” part of the hook. Other than that I wasn’t feelin it at all. Flow was weak and muted.

JStine: His flow at the beginning is even slower than Mase and his content is wack.

Chops: Mellow techno instrumental ends up being distracting and sounds kinda like a default ringtone to me in what would otherwise be a song with pretty good lyrics. The chorus ain't that great though. Decent song, but it could've been better.

Grawedog: "you want to fuss and fight? you want to fight and fuss? you want to cuss and yell? you want to yell and cuss?" you want to spend more than 6 minutes on your lyrics? the theme and beat are good but tighten the lyrics up.

Big Poppa: this beat sucks. this guy should stay not famous so we don't have to listen to him

Chivato: I've been a fan of Nobody Famous' production but I'm just not feeling his voice and delivery. Nice concept and lyrics but its all about how you spit that ish.

The Kickdrums-Things Work Out

BPerl: Liked the song, despite the terrible video and its stale Crash/Babel-like message. Vocals get a little whiny but chorus and harmonies are nice.

JStine: It’s catchy, but the video totally distracted me.

Chops: Good instrumentals, last I heard this beat was from Arrested Development (pretty much as hardcore as they come). Pretty good, the only thing I noticed was that reading the subtitles ended up being distracting from listening to the song. But then again I am an idiot. Probably right in the middle for me as far as these songs go

Grawedog: ery chill song. would have worked better with Munroe's lyrics actually, compared to bittersweet.

Big Poppa: i dig this. no, i do not listen to miley cyrus. but i do sometimes like catchy songs like this one.

Chivato: Haven't heard anything I didn't like from the Kickdrums.

Sha Stimuli-Sometimes

BPerl: A few of the lines are pretty original but the flow and instrumental are boring.

JStine: Now this is a true lyricist! He had me snapping at lines. Whether it was ‘cuz they were deep or just straight up comedy, his lyrics are real. I’d love to hear more of this artist. My favorite by far!

Chops: Starts at slow and keeps building and building. Not feeling it at the beginning, by the end I was lovin' it. Bah dah dah dah daaaah. Probably my favorite song out of the group, just not a song I could just play in my car while driving around though. Great use of the organ by the way.

Grawedog: really good song. bonus points for incorporating the phrase "electoral college" into a rap.

Big Poppa: chivato likes this song so i had to give it a second chance, but i'm still not loving it. not gonna lie.

Chivato: Haven't heard a song which kept me following each word this closely in years. "Sometimes I wish the label wasnt so scared of making something like this a single, but in the club this aint what I wanna hear."