The 11s: (4) Disappointments...

1:10 pm - Mon, Dec 26, 2011: 3 notes

The 11s: (4) Disappointments…

…or as the Slander Set would call it, “Recycle Bin Muzik.”

Actually, that’s a little harsh. Let’s just call these albums that I’m sorry I bothered with or albums that I expected so much more from. With some of these, I was genuinely excited to listen to them and got disappointed. Others I listened to out of pure obligation to this “job” and got mad at myself for even bothering.

It’s the season for giving, so I’ll try and keep the hate and slander to a minimum (we’ll see how that goes - none of these posts are edited - ever):

2Slaves - T.R.U. Realigion: I don’t get it. I tried. More than once. I still don’t get it. You people thought this nigga wasn’t shit when he was calling himself ‘Tity Boi’, but one name change and ‘Similac’ joke later and he’s good money now? Fuck outta here. I listened to this for 2 reasons: his BET cypher appearance (it was genuinely entertaining) and his verse on Wale’s ‘Bait’ remix (it had some clever moments, then again a broken clock is right twice a day). This shit was lame. 2Slaves combines the worst features of Gucci Mane and Lil’ Wayne. Fuck that.
Wale - Ambition: Speaking of lame, what the fuck was this shit about. This nigga had the nerve to put 5 singing ass niggas on his album. Trey Songz is still wondering how he didn’t get an invitation to be on this shit. Even worse is that Wale seems to have lost any traces of personality he had. I guess hanging out with that schizophrenic fat fuck will get you rich AND confused. Happy that Wale is commercially relevant though, he’s a genuinely skilled MC and he didn’t deserve to go out on ‘Attention Deficit’, which, by the way, was superior to this mess.
LEP Bogus Boys - Now or Neva: These guys make music that’s right around my alley - i.e., gangsta shit. But the execution has never really worked for me. I didn’t like their project in 2010 and I disliked this even more. It pains me to say that when it comes to me and LEP, the verdict is “Neva.” Pun intended.
Fiend/International Jones - Everything: Yeah, as in everything he dropped this year. I thought he was onto something with this new International Jones character, but he never really held my interest with any of his projects. I kept downloading, listening and deleting. It hurts me to write this, given that I’m big booster for the lifestyle music movement.
Wiz Khalifa - Rolling Papers: Holy shit this sucked. The rare album that gets ONE, just ONE listen from me, before slipping into the iTunes abyss. I mean, this nigga got on by doing him. Kush & OJ wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty darn good and if you add a hit like ‘Black & Yellow’ to the best songs from that mixtape, you’re on to something. Instead, he decided to get even more vapid than he normally is over more accessible (read: boring and soft) production than usual for his mainstream debut. Amber Rose’s poon might be pretty, but it has ZERO #BaduBox powers (Kanye was always decent).
Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch The Throne: I’m not as bitterly disappointed in this album as I am in the rest of the list, but I was still pretty underwhelmed by this set. It was all just “meh” to me. I don’t know if I think it’s good or bad. I know there are at least 5 excellent songs on it, but that’s a pretty poor batting average for these two alleged geniuses. At least we’ll always have ‘Niggas In Paris’.
Slim The Mobster - War Music: He’s affiliated with Dr. Dre & Snoop and makes gangsta rap. In theory, he ought to have been good money with me. We’d been hearing about this guy for years, then we got the project and it was just there. How did Dre let an MC like Freddie Gibbs pass through his fingers at Interscope, but hold on to this generic rapping ass nigga? Actually, that’s a blessing we should thank BasedGawd for. Rap would be shittier with Gibbs being stuck in the Doctor’s cooler.
Dr. Dre: ” But he didn’t even drop shit this year!” Yeah, I know. He’s here for a reason known as “just because.” I like to pretend I don’t care about ‘Detox’ anymore, but I do. Fuck this old ass weightlifting addict for not dropping this shit this year. Fuck you coons for buying his shitty and overpriced fuckass headphones AND turning them into luxury/status symbols. And fuck Dre again for that ‘I Need A Doctor’ bullshit. Fookin rubbish. Maybe we’re better off without ‘Detox’ if that’s what you’re coming with. *Still saves $15 for ‘Detox’* (Sidenote: If I delete all the Detox and weightlifting references, I can use this exact same paragraph for that lazy Andre 3000 fuck too).
Common - The Dreamer/The Believer: I actually BOUGHT this shit - with real money. But that was out of a sense of obligation to Lonnie. I wasn’t buying too much shit when he was at his peak (I was young and his shit never seemed to make it to the muthaland) and I never bought ‘Be’ even though it deserved a purchase, so I got this shit off rip. This album isn’t bad by any means, but it took a few listens to grow on me. I just expected more (of what? I dunno) outta Lonnie and Dion. The set just lacks grit and Common fades into the background a little too often for my liking.
Childish Gambino - Camp: Nigga, get a shrink. We don’t want to hear this shit. Your life is cool. I will only tolerate one whiny sing-rapping pop poof, so you’ll have to kill Drake (maybe even Weezy & Yeezy too) for me to listen to your shit again. Go write some jokes dun, you’re good at that.
Yelawolf - Radioactive: To be honest, I’d been souring on Yela for a good minute. I don’t know what changed, but around the time his buzz got pretty healthy I just tuned him out. Dude just started sounding wack to me. Can’t really explain it. Then he dropped ‘Trunk Muzik’ and I was back on board, but not as vehemently as I once was (circa 2007/8). Then I heard this shit. Sigh. I’d blame Interscope, then again, Yela just sounds wack to me. Here’s to him recovering on the next go around. My seat on the bandwagon is vacant now.

FOCK! This shit wasn’t even mildly cathartic. Shit. Notice that I didn’t mention Lupe Fiasco up there. He probably deserves his own post, but I won’t defile my blog with his wackness.

Aight, I think this went okay. I didn’t insult anyone or call them names. So I’ll pat myself on the back and go get some lunch. Good boy.

Two epic posts in one day? I spoil you guys. You’re welcome. Now go listen to some good music…