« What's Slappin' In My Trunk by HookedOnHipHop »

This week I've been bumping some real Bay shit...

In my trunk this week has been Yukmouth's June 1st, 2010 release Free At Last. Being one of the Town's Hip Hop legends I was expecting a lot from Free At Last, and it delivers. Yuk has been a rapper of many different styles over the years and on Free At Last he returns to his more raw clear voice which I actually prefer it since his rhymes seem to roll to the beat better. Yuk opens the album with the title track Free At Last which is the history of Yukmouth's journey through the music industry. Free At Last is a sonic hood epic, letting us see past his rally striped Viper and into the struggle that is the music industry which is especially hard for an artist from Oakland. Free At Last has the regular line up of tracks you would expect from a Yuk album such as Smokin Treez, a B.I.G. inspired weed anthem. There is Da Town (Remix), an Oakland banger featuring a wealth of Town rappers such as Beeda Weeda, Richie Rich, and G-Stack as well as others. And there is West Iz Back, which has a real West Coast G-Funk feel; you know Yukneezy is always reppin' the West. Yukmouth has always been known for his weed, turf, and gangster themes in his songs but he will often surprises us with conscious (I hate using that word to describe Hip Hop songs but it fits) songs. The Hard Way is that "conscious" track on Free At Last; it chronicles the life and choices of a young lady and her ultimate demise and warns that if you take the easy way you will have to learn the hard way. There are several other songs I know you will be bumping in the trunk like Pac-Man, The Life, and Smell It On Me. Free At Last has a really cool West Coast feel to it, as soon you pop this in your ride and hit the freeway you know what you are in for some hard hitting beats and street lyricism from a real Oakland Raider. 

 

I love when artists put out their whole album as a free download, so this week I have been bumpin' Cousin Fik's No Gravity. The newest member of E-40's Sick Wit It camp, Cousin Fik delivers a fresh young sound to the Yay Area. Cousin Fik has a slow but precise flow that lends itself well to the down tempo heavy hitting beats of No Gravity. The lead single off No Gravity, as seen on ThizzlerontheRoof is Bay Area 51. Bay Area 51 featuring E-40 is an official trunk slapper that we as Bay Area Hip Hop fans are always looking for. It also has a really cool alien theme such as the name suggests that I find different and pretty fresh for a new Bay artist to attempt. Another banger on No Gravity has to be Kaboom (How Da Beat Go) featuring DJ Juice, which is more hype then most of the other tracks. it If you play this track make sure you have some beat in your trunk and you are doing over 80 on the freeway. Other highlights on No Gravity include Sick Wid It Voodoo, How Can I Get Rich, and Fo 15's which features Yukmouth (Yuk puttin work) and Sick Wit It partner Turf Talk. The title track No Gravity is one of the dopest tracks on the album. No Gravity has a real laid back feeling due to its drawn out synths; its a track where you can just light your L and cruise. Cousin Fik has a fun rap style where he takes his time with his rhymes and they have a pop to them. I'm excited to see whats to comes next from Cousin Fik, he will have to continue to step it up to keep afloat in the Bay Area rap scene. I will be looking forward to seeing him at the Bay Area Freshmen 10 coming up on the 17th at SOM in the city, its free and put on by ThizzlerontheRoof so you know its going to be fresh. I have included the link to get the free Cousin Fik album, DONT SLEEP

http://www.box.net/shared/09jm9izt4c