http://www.djbooth.net/index/tracks Listen to new songs from Hip Hops hottest artists. en Copyright 2009 2009-11-07T04:07:25+00:00 http://www.djbooth.net/index/tracks/review/saukrates-hot-like-summer/ Oh, Canada, what have you brought us this time around? Toronto native (and hip-hop up-and-comer) Saukrates makes his premiere in the Booth today, and as the modern-day father of philosophy, he’s here to invent a way to make it Hot Like Summer year round. On his first solo track feature, Saukrates puts his talents to use over a hauntingly catchy production thrown together by Tone Mason. His deep vocals and steady rhyme pattern reflect his experience in the game, and the feature from Andreena Mill takes the track’s energy to another level with her beautiful contribution on the hook. As a part of Big Black Lincoln (and Redman’s Gilla House Group), the man clearly knows how to grab the listener’s attention and shake it to the core, with intro bars like “I was drunk when I wrote this/So you know that I’m giving you truth.” Damn. If you like what this track has to offer, stay tuned to the Booth for Sauk’s album, Season One, dropping soon.  Underground, North of the Border, Collaborations 2009-11-07T04:07:25+00:00 http://www.djbooth.net/index/tracks/review/810-issues/ When I was 19, I had issues. They most often involved which classes I wanted to show up for or which sorority girl I wanted to unsuccessfully spit game on, but hey, they were still issues. While it’s been an entire 905 days since I was that age, I know for a fact that I didn’t have the amount of Issues that 810 does now. On the latest (and last) single leak before his mixtape drops, the Maryland native touches base on a variety of topics, including politics, domestic abuse and third world slavery (oh yeah, and cutting class). Backed by an equally impressive beat from Mydus, 810’s effortless flow allows him to showcase his true creativity and wit on the track: “It’s like I’m running from reality, leaning on technicalities, the pressure makes me want to get high like snack calories.” Check back in with the Booth for his Glass Half Full Mixtape, sponsored by DJBooth.net, 2DopeBoyz.com and illroots.com, out next Thursday. Download Issues at RefinedHype.com! Street, Exclusive, Mixtape, Northeast 2009-11-07T04:06:54+00:00 http://www.djbooth.net/index/tracks/review/ludacris-how-low-can-go/ Despite all the rumors - and actual onstage announcements - it appears that Shawnna, the female head of the DTP family, has not left Ludacris’ label to become one of T-Pain’s Nappy Boys, in fact she’s proceeding as scheduled with the release of her upcoming collaborative album with Luda, The Battle of the Sexes. In order to build some buzz around that sure-to-be-fire album Shawnna’s released the stripper-pole oriented How Low Can You Go, a track that’s centered around T-Minus’ absolutely banging production (though I could have done without the helium voice on the intro). Lyrically, Low is everything you’d expect from a Luda banger, but minus a couple words on the hook Shawnna’s completely absent. By Low’s line of thinking, every football game is a “collaboration” between the team and the water boy. Battle of the Sexes will come out sometime in 2010, hopefully with far more Shawnna on it.  Street, Dirty South, Midwest, Collaborations 2009-11-07T04:05:21+00:00 http://www.djbooth.net/index/tracks/review/alicia-keys-broken-heart/ Regular readers know all too well how deep my love for Alicia Keys runs (a love which she’s sadly unaware of) so I won’t rehash my feelings again here, except to say that I love nearly everything the R&B goddess does. Nearly. The rare exception is Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart, the disappointing follow up to her DJBooth-approved lead single Doesn’t Mean Anything. As opposed to her usually piano-oriented word, Broken Heart is an electronically soaked track that booms with heavy bass and dense synths, a production style that gives the cut a distinctly 80s sound. And while Alicia delivers yet another resonant vocal performance, the soul I love so much in her work is almost completely drowned out by the heavy-handed production. I’m all for experimentation, not every track needs to be Fallin’, but I sincerely hope Broken Heart’s sound won’t become a trend for Keys. I’ll now be somewhat nervously awaiting the release of her upcoming album The Element of Freedom, due in stores on Dec. 15. R&B 2009-11-07T04:04:50+00:00 http://www.djbooth.net/index/tracks/review/kida-holla-rmx/ Just how many guest verses can you fit into one remix without breaking the five-minute mark? On his first Booth feature, Inglewood emcee Kida attempts to answer that very question. With a whopping nine verses (counting the headliner’s bars) and a 4:38 runtime, this version of mixtape track Holla! is about as packed as a late-sixties telephone booth. Seige‘s minimal boardwork (featuring samples from Missy Elliot‘s hit single Get Ur Freak On) sets the stage for a parade of big names. After Kida’s opener Busta Rhymes, Rapper Big Pooh and Phonte of Little Brother, Kurupt, Crooked I, Talib Kweli, Jay Rock, and Willie B. each get their eight bars in the spotlight. Just about everyone should be able to find something to like here, but a few questions remain – the first, obviously, being “Who comes out on top?” Second, and perhaps more importantly, does this star-studded remix leave the headliner enough room to make an impression on first-time listeners? As always, Booth readers get to be the jury. If you like what you’re hearing, download a copy of Kida’s DJ Skee-presented The Endemic mixtape when it hits the ‘net later this month. Street, Westcoast, Collaborations 2009-11-07T04:03:05+00:00 http://www.djbooth.net/index/tracks/review/j.-cole-unabomber/ After rocking out to Lights Please and listening to DJ Z’s recent interview with the up-and-coming J. Cole, I was impressed by the young Roc Nation signee’s intelligence and maturity, but if I could extend him any bit of advice, it would be to avoid naming tracks Unabomber; you know, considering that the Unabomber was a crazy white guy with a beard who lived in a cabin and sent people mail bombs. But questionable title choices aside, Unabomber is actually a damn good track, a hip-hop catharsis that allows Cole to release his frustration with all the fools in his path over some melodically rocking production from Cole himself. And for any Cole fans out there concerned about his mental health, remain calm. As he says himself, “Don’t worry, I’m just ventin, the late night thoughts of a n**ga on a mission.” Unabomber isn’t currently attached to any album, but with building buzz like this, it’s only a matter of time until Hova sets Cole loose on the world with a debut album. Street, Dirty South, Unreleased 2009-11-07T04:02:35+00:00 http://www.djbooth.net/index/tracks/review/trae-the-truth-something-real/ Most rappers are willing to exercise a little artistic license to entertain their fans, but Trae the Truth is all about keeping it one-hundred. On Something Real, the lead single off his first studio album since ‘07’s Life Goes On, the Houston emcee teams up with two Southern-rap cohorts to give listeners Tha Truth and nothing but. Over Mr. Lee‘s laid-back organ-synth beat (featuring a hook sampled from Jodeci‘s Jodecidal Hotline and backing vocals by Day26 member Brian Angel), On his opening verse, Slim Thug lets listeners know exactly how he feels about the game’s all-too-numerous poseurs, and the headliner follows him up with some agile, quietly intense middle bars. Always game to reassert his realness, Plies ends the track on a swag-heavy note. If you think this street-certified cut’s the real deal, you’re sure to find more to your liking on Trae’s Tha Truth LP when it hits stores and online retailers February 16, 2010. In the meantime, fans can look forward to the release of similarly-named prelude mixtape The Incredible Truth, coming soon. Street, R&B, Dirty South, Collaborations 2009-11-07T04:01:34+00:00 http://www.djbooth.net/index/tracks/review/jamie-foxx-speak-french/ I know I’m gonna have to address this sooner or later, so we might as well get it over with. Here’s the deal: if you wants us to stop posting tracks from Gucci Mane, tell your favorite artists to stop putting him on their tracks. After all, when one of the most famous actors/rappers alive, Jamie Foxx, includes Gucci on his new single Speak French, we have to post it. Gucci overload aside, Speak French features production by Bangladesh, whose production work is so minor it’s barely there, more than a couple complete tempo changes, some decent vocal work from Foxx, absolutely no actual French and, yes, a verse from Gucci, who does spit a pretty hilarious line involving a camera and his penis. But seriously, how does a track called Speak French include literally no French? Regardless, Speak French is off of Foxx’s upcoming, untitled album, due out in the beginning of 2010. Let’s hope the album’s better – much better – than this. Club, R&B, Collaborations 2009-11-06T02:08:39+00:00 http://www.djbooth.net/index/tracks/review/pill-hear-somebody-comin/ Many artists use their origins as an inspiration for their music, whether it’s their state, city, or neighborhood. Pill, who hails from the “Pink City” block in Atlanta, has found exactly such inspiration on his new track Hear Somebody Comin’. The record has a gritty, realistic feel that proves Pill is an artist on the rise. Produced by Tha Bizness, the second the beat drops, a loud siren blares in the background and Pill immediately drops the ominous hook: “I think I hear somebody coming.” His first verse comes in quick and fast, but is smooth, and his flow is reminiscent of rapper Papoose. Pill has his fingers on the pulse of pop culture and proves it with lines like “I’m the caped crusader, you gonna have to unmask me.” Hear Somebody Comin is the first leak off the new Evil Empire & DJ Skee Presents 4075: The Refill Mixtape, which is set to drop November 17. Street, Mixtape, Dirty South 2009-11-06T02:05:53+00:00 http://www.djbooth.net/index/tracks/review/june-summers-im-gone/ As winter continues its oppressive march (ok, not here in L.A., but everywhere else), it’s good to know that there are warmer times to look forward to. Here to bring us all a little heat is the aptly named June Summers, a New York based crooner who’s making his DJBooth.net main feature debut with the premiere of his catchy as hell new track I’m Gone. Behind the boards, producer Stacks puts together a head-nodding, hand-clapping beat that captures your attention without resorting to gimmicks, and Summers responds with some perfectly on pace vocals, dropping female-related lines with the ease and expertise of a young Usher, if young Usher was more up-tempo dance inclined. If you can’t tell I’m really digging this track, and I imagine the Booth will be as well. For more heartwarming love be sure to check out Summer’s upcoming album The First Day of Summer, set to hit stores and online in June of 2010 (hey, he couldn’t drop the album in the winter, now could he?). R&B, Exclusive, Pop 2009-11-06T02:04:46+00:00