Bruno Mars - It's Better If You Don't Understand EP review
The It's Better If You Don't Understand EP was released only as a digital download on May 11, 2010 by Elektra Records in the United States and in France on August 11, 2010 by Atlantic Records to iTunes. The French edition of this EP does not feature Count on Me on the tracklist. Fueled By Ramen helped with digital distribution.
It's Better If You Don't Understand was the debut EP written and composed by Hawaiian rapper Bruno Mars. All the songs for his debut EP were produced by The Smeezingtons. All of the songs from the It's Better If You Don't Understand EP were later included on Bruno Mars' debut album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans later that year.
In 2010, Bruno Mars decided it was time for him to make his debut into the music industry. He released this EP so people could understand that he was a "real artist". He decided to embark his music career into the digital download market as a business move before making any of his albums or EPs available as physical copies. Bruno Mars wrote songs that strongly came from his emotions and experiences. Most if not all of these songs are geared towards being pop oriented with a minor hip hop touch. The EP’s title came from the final lyrics of the song The Other Side.
Somewhere in Brooklyn is the opening song to his debut EP. The theme and mood are romantic. Somewhere in Brooklyn was produced by The Smeezingtons.
The song takes place in Brooklyn, New York where Bruno Mars meets a girl while he was waiting for his train to arrive. He develops an interest in this girl through the song. The whole premise of the song is Bruno Mars finding the perfect woman that got away in Brooklyn.
The song begins with Bruno Mars chasing a girl. This 21 years old girl was covered in expensive flashy clothing of leather and gold. Bruno Mars lost her in the cold somewhere in Brooklyn. It gets as cold as 21ºF degrees (-6ºC). Cold is the way Bruno Mars felt when he lost track of her hence the sadness. Cold is used as metaphor also in this case. Anyway, Bruno Mars knows she's somewhere in Brooklyn.
It all started when Bruno Mars was waiting at a train station in Brooklyn, New York. At the train station is where he meets a girl. The two start talking. This is where he started to get really interested in her, however the girl’s train arrives and she has to leave before her train departs. This leaves Bruno Mars with just a memory of her. The only thing he knows is that she was somewhere in Brooklyn.
He starts searching everywhere for her. He circled around the Flatbush and Greenpoint neighborhoods of New York City. He checked every shop. He asks people if they have heard of this girl. He then later goes back to the train station in hopes of finding her. Sadly he has no luck of finding her as she is nowhere to be found. He feels an arraign of disappointment because of this. He wishes he could find her again.
The Other Side features Cee Lo Green and B.o.B.! The song is a vocal collaboration amongst the three. The Other Side is about the lifestyle you live when you’re an artist. This song showcases the darker side of Bruno Mars. Many music critics consider this song to be the best song from the EP. This song can be described as a pop song due to its pop sound since this was a pop ballad with a hip hop touch layered over rap.
The whole song discusses how Bruno Mars, Cee-Lo, and B.o.B live in a different world compared to the normal citizen. People would not understand unless they have actually been there to experience it. When people get there, they tend not to appreciate it as much, so in this case it would be better if they just didn’t understand at all. They live in a whole different world.
Being in the realm of stardom, fame, and fortune is the barrier that divides the normal citizen from the upper class (elite class). Being on the other side is a metaphor for becoming elite. Bruno Mars made sacrifices to get to “the other side” by selling his soul and conforming to music industry standards set by corporate executives.
He has made the sacrifices it takes to get to this other side, selling his soul to the devil and therefore becoming a monster. The fame, fortune, and stardom is not cracked up it’s made to be. People just don’t understand. B.o.B. explains reality of fame is nothing like a dream.
Count On Me was inspired by songwriting of both Jason Mraz and David Cook. The song has a laid back vibe with a tropical music influence. The song is about comfort found inside of a friend. The song is also about being present for those who are important in your life.
At the beginning is where Bruno Mars explains that it is nice to have a friend when things are going right, even when times get tough. Counting on someone only to have them count on you is a balancing at. It’s sharing a friendship that counts. Being loyal to a friend is a part of friendship. Being loyal does not work in all friendships however. There are some friendships that have an all-take-no-give relationship. Those relationships usually don’t last long.
Bruno Mars explains how he is a good friend in the bridge. He shows an example of being loyal in a friendship as a friend.
[Bridge]
You'll always have my shoulder when you cry
I'll never let go
Never say goodbye
Talking to the Moon is the closing song for his debut EP.The instrumentation used is percussion and piano. The song was written in using the key of C# minor set at 4|4 time signature. This song uses chord progression in the vocals. Its tempo is 73 BPM.
Sadly his debut EP failed to achieve commercial success peeking only at #99 on the Billboard 200 for only one week. Yet it peaked at #13 on the Billboard Digital Albums chart. The EP was not a top charting bestseller. The EP failed to chart anywhere else besides the UK and France.
5/5*****!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bruno Mars - 24K Magic album review
It’s great to hear another album from a Hawaiian rapper (if you want to call him that). 24K Magic is an album that explores the genres of funk and R&B/soul. That is why his album has that 90s R&B sound and 90s influences with a 70s soul touch to it. Nevertheless, the album was a breakout success selling millions of units within its first year. Not only that, that album garnered many streams and downloads.
The song Versace on the Floor was a slow paced R&B song that written by Bruno Mars himself along with the usual frequent co-writers. A majority of the song is performed in D major with a tempo of 87 BPM. The track was originally released by Atlantic Records for digital download and streaming on November 4, 2016. Versace on the Floor was the song that made 24K Magic a mainstream pop album.
Bruno Mars vents about his obsession of Versace on this song. Bruno Mars himself is quite familiar with Versace brand as he has worn this design many times before. Remember what he wore for his halftime Super Bowl 50 performance in February 2016? Versace is an Italian luxury fashion company whose clothing is very expensive.
Too Good to Say Goodbye is a breakup song that written by Bruno Mars himself along with the usual frequent co-writers. The song gets very depressing.
He’s made mistakes. He could have treated her better but he let her get away from him. So much for his happy ending. At this point in the song, he has to face the face that he’s made some mistakes he needs to correct for his girl to come back in to his life.
In the pre-chorus, Bruno Mars makes reference to his 2013 song called When I Was Your Man. She is more than his girl. She is his best friend. It was them against the world. Nobody can love her the way Bruno Mars can. He knows she feels the same way. This is the chance so let's take it.
It’s her that he is missing. Girl won't you listen? He wants her to take that chance so she can come back into his life.
4/5****!!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
True Hustlers - Ain't No Room Fo No Protenders album review
True Hustlers - Ain't No Room Fo No Protenders is a much forgotten classic Lansing rap album from the 90s. Many rap fans slept on Lansing rap as a whole altogether. The album is filled with dope beats, street savvy lyrics, and well arranged samples. The album itself was a minor success as it did not sell many units outside the state of Michigan. It sold fairly well in Lansing even though the album was a minor hit there. In fact, the album sold fairly well in Lansing and Flint. Not much rap comes from Lansing, Michigan besides Simken Heights, Cap 1, and True Hustlers.
The album Ain't No Room Fo No Protenders was released on Da May Records and distributed by Boomin Distribution in 1993. This was when Boomin Records has a warehouse facility and distribution office in Lansing, Michigan during the mid-90s. True Hustlers was a rap group from Lansing, Michigan during the 1990s. Most of this album was recorded at Boomin Studios in the Boomin Records store off of Dort Highway in Flint, Michigan.
True Hustlers does not have time to deal with pretenders, fakers, liars, and posers on Ain't No Room Fo No Protenders. The song is filled with funky lyrics and funky rhymes. The song Ain't No Room Fo No Protenders uses a low budget production cymbals kit over several of the samples used in this song.
Beatboxing is used at the very beginning of Ain't No Room Fo No Protenders. One MC uses a Jamaican Patois accent over the sample of Zapp - More Bounce To The Ounce. People in Lansing are jealous of the minor success True Hustlers has over their success on their first album. The way people played True Hustlers was so damn shady. No matter what happens regardless of good or bad, True Hustlers stay true to themselves.
Brandon "Crazy Caz" Henderson headlines the dance rap song by taking charge as the lead MC. Dance music meets rap on the song Shake It. Shake It is a True Hustlers posse cut. Crazy Caz produced Shake It all himself. Shake It samples The Whatnauts & The Whatnaut Band – Message From A Black Man / Dance To The Music.
The song was heavily influenced by the sounds Miami bass and electronic hence the upbeat BPM. Electronic meets rap music on Shake It. The bass is what really stands out about this song.
Droppin Bombs uses a funky hodgepodge of G-Funk samples throughout the song. The song uses samples of DJ Quik and Zapp among many others.
Droppin Bombs is about a lunatic who’s son to get money from a robbery. Robbing people is a job. That lunatic is dropping bombs. You are not getting your stuff back from this lunatic. A lunatic will treat your possessions like crap.
Kickin' It With The Big Fella has a lot more hip hop sounds than the other songs as most of the songs on this album are rap oriented. The rhymes are very poetic.
Gettin' Kinda Rough samples Roger Troutman - So Ruff, So Tuff, Zapp - Dance Floor, and Zapp - More Bounce To The Ounce. The song has a heavy Zapp influence obviously. Of course anyone can sample More Bounce To The Ounce by Zapp. The whole song itself is funky.
The Hustler Interlude is a gangsta rap interlude that uses a funky James Brown sample. As a matter of fact, The Hustler Interlude uses a funky hodgepodge of various samples. The interlude is very short of course.
Mind Games is about the pressures of life and society. Society is so critical at times. The song samples Steve Miller Band - Time Keeps On Slipping. Don't Shake It Till Ya Make It is about people who are fake. Song uses a funky guitar sample which of course is carefully looped.
4/5****
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
True Hustlers – Down 4 Tha Hustle EP review
True Hustlers – Down 4 Tha Hustle is a forgotten EP from the Lansing rap scene that has been overlooked. The EP is filled with dope beats, street savvy lyrics, and well arranged samples. The EP itself was a minor success as it did not sell many units outside the state of Michigan. It sold fairly well in Lansing even though the EP was a minor hit there. In fact, the EP sold fairly well in Lansing and Flint. Not much rap comes from Lansing, Michigan besides Simken Heights, Cap 1, and True Hustlers.
True Hustlers – Down 4 Tha Hustle was an EP that was released as a 12” vinyl on Boomin Records in 1999. Not many copies were pressed onto CD. All of the songs on this vinyl EP were mixed at Boomin Records off Dort Highway. These song came from the Down 4 Tha Hustle album.
Brandon "Crazy Caz" Henderson headlines the dance rap song by taking charge as the lead MC. Dance music meets rap on the song Shake It. Shake It is a True Hustlers posse cut. Crazy Caz produced Shake It all himself. Shake It samples The Whatnauts & The Whatnaut Band – Message From A Black Man / Dance To The Music. Shake It was featured on their debut album from 1993 called Ain't No Room Fo No Protenders.
The song was heavily influenced by the sounds Miami bass and electronic hence the upbeat BPM. Electronic meets rap music on Shake It. The bass is what really stands out about this song.
N-Tha-Kuffs is a song that deals with police brutality and about the treatment of law enforcement towards African Americans. The song mostly deals with police brutality. Law enforcement towards African Americans has not always been considered lawful or professional. The sound is very ghetto tech.
DJ Clay produced, arranged, and co-wrote N-Tha-Kuffs with Onixxx and Daddy Boy. The final mixing for this song was done at Daddy Boy Recording Studios in Flint, Michigan.
DDS is a dance rap song to shake it or groove to. The song was mixed at Daddy Boy Recording Studios in Flint, Michigan. DJ Clay produced, arranged, and co-wrote DDS with Onixxx. Badd Azz Kidz is very reminiscent and similar to Bebe’s Kid’s.
4/5****
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Danny K - Destined For Hip Hop album review
Danny K - Destined For Hip Hop is an early Detroit hip hop album that was sorely overlooked by hip hop fans and those from Detroit, Michigan. His unorthodox rhyming style brought people so much joy. There's something about his tone and delivery that makes you stick and listen. His Ben Stein-like voice influenced a generation of Detroit hip-hop musicians.
He was the first white rapper from Detroit to make noise from back in the day by putting out albums, singles, and EPs. This was before Shaggy 2 Dope, Violent J, Kid Rock, Uncle Kracker, Jumpsteady, Myzery, Twiztid, Eminem, and Artfull Dodgers. He was the innovator of 80s Detroit hip hop.
The album was released on vinyl in 1987 and 1988 on Kold Def Music. The album was later remastered and reissued on CD in 2004 when Danny K was going by Danny Kae.
Yo Bummin is a classic cut amongst Danny K fans which is considered a favorite. The song will have you nodding your head for weeks on end.
After School Snack Attack is a dope song where Danny K uses backpack raps and freestyles. After School Snack Attack is another classic cut amongst Danny K fans which is considered a favorite. Freestyle rap meets classic rap on After School Snack Attack. After School Snack Attack is Danny's most notorious track as Detroit Metro Times calls it. Even Eminem considers the song to be a favorite! Danny's beatboxing and scratchbox techniques directly inspired Eminem's later works.
Scratch Box is a hip hop song where Danny K both simultaneously beatboxes and does scratchboxing by imitating the sound of a DJ scratching a record. This is the song where he busted an impromptu rap.
Give It Some Bass is a super dope hype bass song that will rumble your speakers for days on end. The song was influenced by electronic music.
Track and Field is a light hearted, humorous rap song about sports. The song is mainly about the sport of running. Rap is what he does best.
Hip Hop Addict is laced various hip hop sounds and beats from the production. Producer Marvin Lewis narrated the song as well.
5/5*****!
No comments:
Post a Comment