Let's explain G.O.O.D Friday -
Every Friday, Kanye would release a song that was free for everyone to download that may or may not be on his upcoming album
Dark Twisted Fantasy, which is set to drop November 23rd. These were new songs featuring a slew of top tier hiphop artists and full of Kanye being Kanye, with elements seen as far back as
College Dropout.
Unfortunately, all G.O.O.D things must come to an end. He went on a twitter rant today claiming "it would have seemed like since I give free music every week that even the lowest form of human being would respect that enough not to leak unfinished songs" More below:
This is why I don't do leaks! Bloggers need to respect at least the legal wishes of musicians and not pirate music, especially if no one adds insight to what is being presented. Most of these blogs are just "here's the new Rah Digga CD," for example, and don't give any sort of preview or review of how good or bad it is. Hell, some of these sites will post up stuff they know is garbage, all in an effort to get more viewers.
That's not me. Bubble Gum Pop Rap is here to inform you, and at some times influence you, and your consciousness to think about what goes on your iPod or what you are bumping in your car.
Oh well, rant's over
because he just brought it back. Read more on that
here.
Here's a recap of G.O.O.D Friday:
Friday, August 20th: Power Remix featuring Jay-Z, Swizz Beatz and John Legend (maybe)
The original version of this summer hit was meganormously (yeah, I made that up out of not wanting to say greatly or some other dull adjective) dope. Although I had my own personal tiffs, I will admit that from the introductory clap to the Dwele vocals at the end, "Power" had all types of insane energy. Kanye's lyricism was alright for the most part, setting his cockiness aside, but in the remix version he definitely had the matching delivery and a few good punchlines. In addition to the remix, Jay-Z did great continuing his "I am not in the Illuminati" Illuminati rap/campaign, and Swizz Beatz did a wonderful job giving the beat a remix-kind of tweak. The highlight of this joint was most certainly the "
I've Got The Power"-sampled beat drop at the end, packed with a strong finish from Mr. West.
Friday, August 27th: Monster featuring Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Bon Iver, Charlie Wilson and Nicki Minaj
"Monster" had a highly interesting introduction from Bon Iver and Rick Ross - creative, eerie and everything else that is creatively Kanye. His flow however was not. The beat (which has like hella samples and probably nothing original in it; ok, maybe the bass), was the greatest thing about this G.O.O.D Friday. A close second, which whom I hardly ever give props to, was Nicki Minaj (but doesn't really attest to her at all). Her lyricism is untouchable among the rest of the rappers on here, but her delivery just throws it all away. Minaj comes off as fake in this song, and many other songs, with all the extra personalities and accents. I understand there is an element of acting in emceeing, BUT it isn't to the extent that the Harajuku Barbie tries to create and call it hiphop. The ending, with a surprise appearance from Charlie Wilson, was dope. If only this song wasn't six minutes long!!!!!!!
Friday, September 3rd: Devil in A New Dress
In this single, Kanye takes a more mellow approach as opposed to his grand repertoire in the past G.O.O.D Fridays. Although this song sounds unfinished, and very repetitive, the beat is probably the greatest to come out of these Fridays that he blessed us with G.O.O.D gifts. I truly am a sap for broken streams of consciousness, so the following statement may be slightly biased... but this is MY blog, sooo... This is the second best song of the Friday collection! Instead of talking about himself, Kanye spits a story about a materialistic chick that is always scheming to get to the top. The moments between, where he drops the hook, is pretty strange, like he's reverting to the only thing he knows and the only thing that will be familiar to the listeners ("Put your hands to the constellations"). However, the hook can come off as a play on church talk, as after every verse about the conniving and deception he repeats the hook. If, and only if, this is true, then this makes "Devil in a New Dress" the most creative song out of G.O.O.D Friday.
Friday, September 10th: Good Friday featuring Common, Kid CuDi, Big Sean, Pusha T and Charlie Wilson
A feel good song that takes Kanye fans back to College Dropout? Ok. If only he stopped getting outdone by his guest artists, like he did on College Dropout, then it would be a total thumbs up. Fortunately, this song has all the family fun and barbecue playlist vibes, so no need to complain, right? Nope. Not at all. The chorus is cool, until Cudi starts smacking between his hook. Doesn't that end after the voice lessons? Sheesh. Next to the excessively light-weight (oxymoron intended) misogyny from Big Sean and typical drug rap from Pusha T, this song has the potential to be a perfect hood anthem.
Friday, September 17th: Lord, Lord, Lord featuring Mos Def, Charlie Wilson, Raekwon and Swizz Beatz
Another mellow Friday, but this takes a more depressing mood than "Devil in a New Dress." Alongside the vocals from Charlie Wilson, the smooth rawness from Raekwon the Chef and Mos Def, it is apparent that the intent has little to do with the lyrics (which aren't in sync with the four emcees at all) and everything to do with the aura, the vibe, and everything BUT the lyrical content. I, just as any hiphop head, would hope that a collaboration with Mos Def and Raekwon would be epic and of huge proportions. Instead, it's just entirely played as low-key, as if it just happened. And after several other tracks with Kanye and Swizz Beatz, hearing him rhyme makes him annoying. He's becoming the fly that you've been swat away, but won't die and continues to return. Enduring his part, the six-minute joint is a masterpiece at capturing the emotion appropriate for the song. The dark and moody, late-night beat, the tone that everyone had (including Swizz Beatz ol' goofy self), and the overall sense of tending to a "Drive Slow" atmosphere gives Kanye a creative force for everyone to enjoy.
Friday, September 24th: So Appalled featuring RZA, Jay-Z, Pusha T, Swizz Beatz and Cyhi the Prince
Yay, another Kanye/Swizz collabo!!! *sigh* Moving on, this song surprisingly carries a concept. Although it's an overused concept (The fame/hate is ridiculous), the stories told by these rappers manage to be creative. Jay-Z somehow takes a shot at Hammer (oh, that's why Hammer mad!?!?!) saying "Hammer went broke, so you know I'm more focused / I lost 30 mill so I spent another 30 / 'cause unlike Hammer 30 million can't hurt me." He did bite the mess out of Drake's flow, so his appearance becomes unimportant. Lyrically, Pusha T was the best out of all G.O.O.D Friday artists! He kept to the concept, threw in some smart punchlines and gave the most effort amongst the rest of the guest artists. Can't say he gave a better effort than 'Ye because 'Ye gave all he had in his lyrical arsenal, which isn't much, and I want to be nice about his lyricism since as an rapper dude came from nothing but beat-making and jacking some of the most prominent figures in poetry, but that's another story.
Honorable Mentions:
Theses are songs that didn't make a Friday, but did make a lot of noise when it leaked.
Runaway featuring Pusha T - only because he made a hook of the year, "Let's have a toast for the douchebags / Let's have a toast for the assholes / Let's have a toast for the scumbags / Every one of them I know"
Runaway Love (Justin Bieber featuring Raekwon and Kanye West) - People can no longer act like the Biebs is going away anytime soon....... Ok, maybe when he graduates from high school, but not in the next few years. Plus, it felt great to hear Raekwon hop on a track highly reminiscent of moments where the Wu gave the hottest 90s songs a Shaolin twist.
Overall, the Fridays were indeed exciting to look forward to, like if he's finally going to drop something off his highly anticipated album or if he got something that is close to the prime of the Kanye we fell for in
College Dropout, which I see some elements, but he's too far away from that hunger now. Kanye West is on another level, artistically and financially, so he seems to be waiting on us to finally get over
808s and Heartbreaks.
" (at the mere age of six years old), I learned right then and there exactly what hip-hop was. This song was the premiere song for Public Enemy in what they really contributed to hiphop - the idea that hip-hop was revolutionary through its ability to be urgent, street smart, knowledgeable and fun simultaneously.
" and Guy's "Teddy's Jam
" to blend in with the lyrics and the beat. Not to mention the powerful speech in the beginning by Thomas "TNT" Todd, one of the best orators and Civil Rights attorney ever.
." This song, compared to the rest of their collection, was like the entrée of a three course meal. In this case, the meal was the knowledge dropped by this powerful hip-hop group.
and Malcolm X
. This song was the precedent for ALL politically-driven songs, far beyond the hip-hop genre. Any metalhead, punk rocker, or backpacker will refer to "Fight the Power" as inspiration to their personalities.
).
" off their timeless album 
, taking a hiphop record and adding dub elements enhance the hell out of a rapper's ammunition, especially a rapper like Omar LinX.
(which he addresses in the first verse) and Slug from 
, Omar LinX sounds pretty good, just not great.
