G.O.O.D Music & Cruel Summer Review

Album and EP reviews can get a little tedious...but I couldn't really help myself in this case. In just 12 tracks; Kanye and his G.O.O.D Music crew have proved to the industry who the real power group are.

You don't really have to look further than the group members to realise that the collective have everything. Kanye's recruited what can only be described as a supergroup of Rappers, vocalists and producers at the top of their respective trades. Starting with rappers; Pusha T, Kanye Himself, Common and even Q-Tip make sure that the crew has an element of experience to it...whilst the new school is headed up by the lyrical talents of 2 Chainz (who has more than enough experience himself), Big Sean, Kid Cudi and Cyhi Da Prince.

The fact that G.O.O.D has probably four of the best current MC's in it (Pusha, Big Sean, 2 Chainz and Yeezy) alone is a reason to rate them - but then have to look at some of the vocalists they're home to as well....John Legend, D'Banj, Teyana Taylor and Mr Hudson. The youth in Teyana, the unique abilities of both Mr Hudson and D'Banj and of course the soul and experience from John Legend make hook making an easy problem to solve for the team. It's hard to think of any crew who competes on that vocal level....Young Money have Nicki and Drake, MMG have Omarion, TDE have BJ The Chicago Kid...but are any of them capable of calling on artists the likes of Kanye West to John Legend for a hook? Didn't think so...

It's no myth that production is a huge part in making good music (see what I did there?). Another category where Kanye's team is far stronger than their competition. Again, the collaboration of experienced producers like; Mannie Fresh, Q-Tip, Kanye, No I.D and Devo Springsteen (John Legend's 'Get Lifted' and Kanye's 'Late Registration') with fresh talent like Hit-Boy and Lifted is something that not many crews can call on. It's just a testament to how powerful they are Kanye can call on producers like Deaf and Ignorant favourite; Hudson Mohawke and highly rated Andrew 'Pop' Wansel (Nicki Minaj/ Big Sean) to help with the collaborative album.

A lot of the tracks may have been leaked early, but when an album contains bangers like; 'Mercy', 'Clique', 'New God Flow', 'Cold' and the remix to 'I Don't Like' you have to give credit where it's due. The difference between G.O.O.D and a lot of other crews is that they don't only create straight Rap anthems...the album shows that they are as capable of calling on John Legend, Teyana Taylor and Warp Record's Hudson Mohawke to produce an Electronic infused RnB ballad or an easily charting Hip Hop number with 'The One' featuring Kanye, Big Sean and 2 Chainz. It's the artistic variety that every music group would love to have..

Hip Hop has changed over the years, it's as mainstream as it's ever been - with influences coming from all types of genres. G.O.O.D Music has the balance of experience with new talent and variety to create pretty much any urban genre of music - that'll probably chart as well. That's enough now. Just go and buy the album..it's pretty G.O.O.D.

Cruel Summer Promo Trailer - G.O.O.D Music

Kanye's youtube channel just dropped the promo trailer for their first collaborative release 'Cruel Summer' - available on the 18th September. Does the video remind you of another promo?

Pierce (Remix) - Dominic Lord X Grimes X Pusha T

Dominic Lord (the man behind the A$AP X Black Scale collaboration) grabs experimental songstress Grimes and G.O.O.D Music's Pusha T to remix his latest track 'Pierce'; produced by Deaf and Ignorant favourite; Hudson Mohawke. Keep an eye on Dominic this year...

G.O.O.D Music on the cover of Complex Magazine

At the BET awards; Kanye mentioned MMG and Young Money when picking up 'Best Group Award' with Jigga explaining that the reason they keep making better music is because the competition are doing the same. Kanye's assembled a pretty strong team going into what's already a 'collective' dominated Rap game with the likes of MMG, ASAP Mob, Black Hippy/TDE, Taylor Gang, Raider Klan, Pro Era....yeah you get the picture. With 2 Chainz on the front cover with G.O.O.D Does that mean he's part of the regime? And does that make them some sort of Rap superteam now? 

You can wait for the physical print on August 7th...or you can read the article Complex did with Kanye and G.O.O.D here.

Lambo Furnace - Hudson Mohawke (Mercy Remix)

Having already added production credits to Kanye's 'Mercy' - arguably the Hip Hop track of the year....the Glasgow producer has further stamped his claim on the now Platinum Record with a remix. Hudmo takes his track 'Furnace Loop' and collaborates the ridiculous instrumental with the G.O.O.D anthem. As if that wasn't exciting enough for you - he even stripped Kanye's verse from the remix, skipping straight to 2 Chaaaaaaaaaaaaainz' verse. Hudmo knows whats up..

New God Flow - Kanye Ft Pusha T

I've been wanting to post up on G.O.O.D Music's latest leak 'New God Flow' for a couple of days now, but thanks to about 400,000 fake youtube and Soundcloud clips, it's been impossible to get a decent sounding version until now..

If you're thinking it sounds familiar....maybe its because you caught Yeezy drop his bars for this new one during G.O.O.D's performance at the BET Awards on Sunday. 


Download Link

G.O.O.D Music at the BET Awards

Finally found a video for G.O.O.D Music's performance at the BET Awards. Kanye and his team performed 'Mercy' and 'Way Too Cold' aka 'Theraflu';

Mr. Bangladesh - 100 (Official Video)

The video for Mr Bangladesh's ridiculous track featuring Pusha T, Jadakiss and 2 Chainz has finally come out. Do you need an excuse?

100...100...100..100

There are songs that come along now and again. The type of track that make you get up from whatever you're doing and just start 'cooking', bumping your head at an alarming pace or just do the awkward 'throw your hands in the air' in amazement at what you're hearing. 

If you're a Hip Hop head, you'll agree that only the likes of 'Mercy', 'Shook One's' or even Rozay's 'BMF' are all pretty much benchmark tracks now if you're looking to make a 'hit'. Bangladesh is pretty much the king of making 'THE' Hip Hop banger...tracks like this or this, and even beat's as recent as 'Did It On Em', Rihanna's 'Cockiness' and Brandy's revival track prove that the Atlanta beat-smith is one of few producers who has the ability to make hit after hit. 

'100' is probably one of the best songs i've heard in a long time. If you're a fiend for Hip Hop, good music, or anything with bass...you really need to grab yourself some headphones and take a listen. Oh and did I mention that Mr Bangladesh calls on Pusha T, Jadakiss and 2 Chainz for the verses.. 

And a cheeky behind the scene's to the upcoming video; 

Mercy (Official Video) - G.O.O.D Music

Everyone has been waiting for this video to drop since Kanye tweeted the visuals last week; 

But when all of your most recent video's have been so well made, and highly publicised as 'Niggas In Paris' and 'No Church In The Wild' - the expectations were always going to be high, especially as 'Mercy' is potentially the biggest banger to come out this year. Dare I be a hater and say that I expected more from the video....never the less, the visual graphics in the video are pretty impressive.....all of them look like Givenchy Ninja's, and there's a cheeky cameo from Cudi getting ratchet. 

Pusha T takes shots at Weezy

Pusha T + The Dream + A Notorious B.I.G sample = any music blogger's dream....and then you listen to the track and realise that the G.O.O.D Music rapper is taking shots at Cash Money and it's prodigy Lil Wayne. The ex Clipse MC serves up lyrics like "You signed to one Nigga that signed to another nigga that signed to three niggas, now that's bad Luck.", which pretty much confirmed that he was talking about Weezy. And the Dream get's involved as well singing; "Them nigga's ain't dying for you" before Pusha adds, "Throwing that flag up, thinking you hot nigga's taking half of everything you get." I think we can expect a response on this one.

Lord Have 'MERCY'

In typical Kanye fashion, he's chosen to use G.O.O.D Friday to unleash some more G.O.O.D Music on us. As he said through his label's website, Mercy was always going to be dropping today, but not many people expected the track to be filled with so many names. Nor did they expect him to drop 'Theraflu' yesterday, or basically confirm that he's now with Kim Kardashain.....all in 48 hours for the man. Big Sean, Pusha T and in particular the ignorant 2 Chainz verse keep the track going over yet another ridiculous beat from another G.O.O.D music beatsmith; Lifted (joining the likes of Hit-Boy, Mannie Fresh, No I-D and of course Kanye himself). 


Also, thanks to Fact Magazine for letting everyone know that one of my favourite artists; Hudson Mohawke has an 'Additional Instruments' credit on the track......now it makes sense when he said to Zane Lowe that he couldn't tell him which rapper he was working with in New York a few weeks ago. Listen or buy the track below; 


iTunes link