Sunday Hip Hop

Excuse the pun, but there have been a couple big hip hop releases recently that have been getting a lot of spins from me - specifically Big Boi and Big K.R.I.T., with Sir Lucious Leftfoot: The Son of Chico Dusty and K.R.I.T. Wuz Here respectively. Both albums capture the feel of Southern rap without pandering too much to the traditions of that genre. Where K.R.I.T. is a young gun reflecting back on dirty South roots, Big Boi is a legend continuing to push the bounds of hip hop. Both albums are completely great.

One track off of each album has particularly wormed its way into my ears. From Big Boi's Sir Lucious Leftfoot, that track is "Tangerine." I don't think it's the best track on the album - that's probably "Shutterbug" or "Shine Blockas" - but it certainly is the one I've found myself playing on repeat the most. It's a bit darker, bass-ier than most of the album, and it has a swagger that I just can't ignore.

Big Boi - Tangerine (YSI) (filesavr)

From K.R.I.T. Wuz Here, that track is "Viktorious," a dope jam spun around a sampled that sounds like the piano riff from Army of the Pharaohs (the Philly hip hop supergroup featuring a few dudes from Jedi Mind Tricks). Krit makes and produces all of his own beats and materials, which makes this song all the more impressive. It's full of signifying, but it's also completely sick sick sick.

Big K.R.I.T. - Viktorious (YSI) (filesavr)

As a bonus, here's the Army of the Pharaohs track that shares the flavor for "Viktorious."

Army of the Pharaohs - Bloody Tears (YSI) (filesavr)