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Mike McCray
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Opinion / Mike McCray / News Retiring the summer hip-hop anthems of 2009
Posted By Mike McCray on Tue, Sep 22, 2009 at 9:47 AM
With today marking the end of summer and the first day of fall, it's time for Charlotte to say goodbye to its summer anthems. You've heard them blasted in every club and out the windows of every Chevy on rims since May. Now we can we cozy up to tracks and albums that are a little less party and a little more hip-hop. (Apologies in advance for the woman's anthems that were most likely overlooked on this post, lol)
Drake Feat. Lil Wayne & Young Money - "Every Girl"
Admit it, after a couple drinks, you sang along and if you're like me you probably pointed! But when you think of the shear logic of wanting to fuck every girl in the world, you're probably kinda disgusted. Seriously, think of what that encompasses.
Mario Feat. Gucci Mane - "Break Up"
I literally just got this joint stuck in my head by typing it! Uugh! Gucci was everywhere this summer. I mean who would have thought the man behind "Shirt Off" and "Bricks" would end up on tracks with Mariah Carey, Wale and this joint with Mario. As much as you want to hate the guy, you love him.
Drake - "Best I Ever Had"
Yeah, the Kanye-directed video flop made it lose some steam, but before that it was hard to go an hour without hearing it as someone's ringtone or in a clothing store. Wheelchair Jimmy managed to get girls to really believe we (dudes) thought they were at their prettiest when they rocked sweatpants, with their hair tied up and no make-up on. I'm all for low-key but damn.
Kid Cudi Feat. Kanye West & Common - "Make Her Say (Poker Face)"
They managed to flip Lady Gaga and make a summer banger and created my favorite line of the summer, "Hold up! Born in '88? How old is that? Old enough!"
Dorrough - "Ice Cream Paint Job"
Cream on the inside! Clean on the outside! When you were "rollin' like a big shot" this summer, chances were this song came on multiple times.
Jay-Z - "D.O.A."
It was most hip-hop heads' middle finger to the radio and the summer anthem for those against the current incarnation of rap music, which was funny considering Jay-Z is about as mainstream as you can get. How can you illustrate the impact of this track? It was released just a day before his Hot 97 Super Jam performance and when he hit the stage to perform it, the crowd knew all the words.
Monday, September 21, 2009
News / Mike McCray The three minutes I believed Prince was dead
Posted By Mike McCray on Mon, Sep 21, 2009 at 10:15 AM
There has to be a university study somewhere that says alcohol makes you believe anything, right?
Because Thursday night, there was enough of it in me to believe some random guy with hipster clothes on was as trustworthy as MTV News.
Like most Thursday nights, I decided to bounce around Plaza-Midwood and take advantage of the beautiful green driver's license which I like to call, the "all-access pass."
The problem with the intoxication that "all-access pass" allows is that when drunk people start talking, just about anything sounds plausible.
Sitting on the patio at Common Market, a Michael Jackson song came on, making one drunk guy say, "Why are they playing this when Prince is the one who died today?"
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
CD Reviews / Mike McCray / News CD Review: Kid Cudi
Posted By Mike McCray on Wed, Sep 16, 2009 at 3:10 PM
Kid Cudi
Man on the Moon: The End of Day
Motown; Release date: Aug. 25, 2009
The Deal: The "emo guy" from hip-hop's freshmen class drops his long awaited debut.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Opinion / Mike McCray / News Mr. Me Too is killing the music
Posted By Mike McCray on Tue, Sep 15, 2009 at 11:29 AM
It's no secret that the glory days of hearing more than just a catchy hook and cookie-cutter, flavor-of-the-month beat on the radio have passed.
But what's really ruining hip-hop isn't the South or one teenage rapper who is named far too much, it's the attitude of many of the genre's future one hit wonders.
See they didn't start rapping because they had something to say or any particular passion for the music. They started rapping because they saw someone else who was getting cars, clothes and money by manipulating the game and said to themselves, "Fuck that, if he can do it, I can do it!"
And thus launches the seemingly endless cycle of new rappers who weren't scribbling lyrics down and daydreaming of hip-hop glory in high school or even freestyling where ever they could find a challenge. These guys were like you and me — they listened to the radio and instead of bashing their heads against the windshield when they heard, "Becky" for the fourth time in two hours, they decided they'd do that too.
Monday, September 14, 2009
News / Mike McCray Wale + UCB's introduction to the mainstream
Posted By Mike McCray on Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 2:15 PM
Somewhere between Russell Brand's babbling, Lady Gaga's bleeding and Kanye West embarrassing the shit out of Taylor Swift, you may have noticed DC-area rapper Wale and popular Go-Go group, UCB, serving as the MTV VMA house band.
2009 has seen Wale's celebrity rise tremendously. With his single, "Chillin" (featuring Lady Gaga), getting major network airplay and what's sure to be Asher Roth-like hype for his upcoming album, Attention Deficit, you may have overlooked his Twitter fame and mixtape, Back To The Feature, which was produced by North Carolina hip-hop icon, 9th Wonder and released this summer.
But for UCB (short for UnCalled 4 Band), backing up Kid Cudi, Jay-Z, 3Oh3 and others during the VMA's, it was viewed as a huge step for national exposure for a genre of music I outright detested when I heard for the first time.
My first exposure was actually my first day of college. Having two suite mates from Maryland, I learned early that what I grew up on listening to WPEG was a whole 'nother world from what WPGC plays up there. I called remember calling it "boopity boop, bullshit" (yes, I said boopity boop) and literally throwing a temper tantrum like a 6-year old when my suite mate would "crank it" every morning before class.
Long story short, by the time I graduated I was bumping go-go tracks in my iPod. The music really grows on you once you see the music in action, whether that's the club or a party, you kind of understand what they're getting at.
We've heard the Go-Go sound before. If you're a little older, you may be familiar with Chuck Brown's music or remember Junkyard Band's "Overnight Scenario," EU's "Doin The Butt" in School Daze. More recently Amerie's "One Thing" but in terms of groups like UCB, BYB (Backyard Band) and others getting exposure outside of the DC Metro Area and places where large populations of DMV (DC-Maryland-Virginia) kids land for college, it was huge.
I don't know if everyone enjoyed the glimpses of them performing coming in and out of commercial breaks but if they did, I think the mainstream music world will get a huge dose of good, live, party music and actual bands and underrated instrumentation.
Friday, September 11, 2009
News / Mike McCray Another MJ Tribute...
Posted By Mike McCray on Fri, Sep 11, 2009 at 11:43 AM
In honor of my alma mater, North Carolina A&T, getting a big 19-10 win over Winston-Salem State last weekend, I thought I'd share a Michael Jackson tribute our band, the Blue & Gold Marching Machine, performed almost a year before his death. Hey, its a reason the movie Drumline was based on our school. Enjoy!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Opinion / Mike McCray / News An ode to the rap concert chaperone
Posted By Mike McCray on Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 10:21 AM
Here's to you, rap concert chaperone.
Some people would call you overprotective, but we know you only mean the best. We know that this is your way of taking an active interest in your child's life (and making sure your daughter doesn't end up leaving with the guy dressed just like the rapper on stage that night).
We know you've gone the extra mile to buy good tickets, then chauffeur your kid and crew to the concert, even being cool enough to drive around the parent drop off section because we know, seeming cool is all you want to do tonight.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Mike McCray / News / Live Reviews Live review: Lil Wayne w/ Young Jeezy & Soulja Boy
Posted By Mike McCray on Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 4:05 PM
Lil Wayne w/ Young Jeezy & Soulja Boy
Verizon Wireless Ampitheatre
Sept. 4, 2009
The Deal: "America's Most Wanted" tour slides into Charlotte obviously referring to the teenage girls that want them, not their criminal records.
The Good: Probably the most time-conscious rap concert I've ever been to. The opening acts kept it brief, even Soulja Boy, sticking to this hits and skipping the highly unknown and unnecessary album cuts. Young Jeezy has mastered his "trap" star shtick, masterfully going through a set that include old hits and new. Actually did better with a band than a DJ, wouldn't be surprised to see him use them more in the future.
Lil Wayne is officially a bonafide rock star, putting together a brilliantly, yeah I said brilliantly-choreographed stage show that lasted for roughly two hours and featured "un-rap" things like a excellent backing band, lots of pyro and explosions and lights that made me forget I was at Verizon Wireless for a while. He was the ringmaster of a circus on Friday and he let all the other elements shine while still showing he was in control. I was blown away by the execution.
Nicki Minaj's ass also deserves a round of applause, although it could probably give itself one. Yeah, that good.
The Bad: Like most rap concerts, the bass drowned out the artist nine times out of 10, making it hard to hear any actual lyrics and forcing people to rap along with a familiar tune. Soulja Boy's set was forgettable (Gucci Louie followed by Gucci Bandana left me all Gucci'd out). Without Drake, the Young Money All-Stars were mediocre stand-ins and the mini-concert in the middle of Lil Wayne's set was frustrating. "Man Fans" were as creepy as ever! Hard to be a thug when you take your shirt off and scream another grown man's name, just saying.
The Verdict: Shockingly good. Soulja Boy is huge but he can learn a thing or two from Young Jeezy and Lil Wayne about how to tear through a set, mixing singles, album cuts and mixtape hits, and leave the crowd blown away.
Young Jeezy setlist
Get Allot
Who Dat
Bottom of the Map
My Hood
Bang!
Go Crazy
Trap Star
Get Your Mind Right
Trap Or Die
Put On
Live In This Club verse (w/ live band)
I Luv Your Girl (w/ live band)
I'ma Do Me Remix (w/ live band)
Dey Know Remix (w/ live band)
I Luv It (w/ live band)
Go Getta (w/ live band)
Soul Survivor (w/ live band)
Black President (w/ live band)
Lil Wayne setlist
A Milli
Got Money
Sky is the Limit
Phone Home
S.L.U.
Mr. Carter
Go DJ (w/ DJ 4our5 blended w/ Nolia Clap)
Fireman
Money On My Mind
Get Money (Biggie Cover)
Ambitionz As A Ridah (2Pac Cover)
Black Album Interlude (Jay-Z Cover)
Best Rapper Alive (w/ Lil Wayne guitar solo)
Walk This Way Cover (w/ Lil Wayne on guitar)
Medley of tracks from his rock album, Rebirth
I'm Me
Turning Me On Remix
Kush
Pop Bottles
Get Back To The Money
We Takin Over (w/ Birdman)
I Run This Bitch
I'm Paid
YOUNG MONEY MINI-CONCERT
I'm On It (backing band returns)
Let The Beat Build
Comfortable
I'ma Diva Remix
Mrs. Officer
Lollipop
Tie My Hands
Shoot Me Down
My Life (from Game's album)
Every Girl - Finale
MJ Tribute - I'll Be There & Billie Jean
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Mike McCray Long live the album leak
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Thu, Sep 3, 2009 at 10:25 AM
Album leaks are awesome.
There, I said it. Nothing beats walking around a week or two before your favorite artist's new album drops with all the tracks in your iPod, (like millions of people are doing right now with Jay-Z's Blueprint 3). It's like preseason football, you know its not the real thing but it is a taste of the goodness to come when you can go buy the album, flip through the artwork and hear it in studio quality.
As to be expected, not all artists are happy about their work being spread to masses for free but in an era when even a Donny Osmond album would leak online, they should just embrace it.
Of course, there is the downside of falsely-leaked material like unfinished or unmastered tracks, unreleased videos and other things that may be a false representation of the artist and tarnished public perception of an upcoming project.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Mike McCray / News Hip-hop needs a shot of youth
Posted By Mike McCray on Tue, Sep 1, 2009 at 2:13 PM
I was watching Jay-Z on Real Time with BIll Maher the other night, listening to the legendary rapper chop it up with one of the nation's foremost political voices and couldn't help but smile.
His appearance on the show, in my mind, was somehow announcing hip hop's settling down era to the masses. Long gone are the raucous pour-champagne-on-a-chick tracks, overflowing-machismo beef records and videos dedicated to just overt waste. In now is the acquiring-wealth, let's-get-married, settle-down-and-talk-about-how-far-you've-come era. All of which is admirable, then I felt weird. It was like watching my parents.
As much as hip-hop head's may cringe looking back on their history, I kind of miss the ignorance.
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Rock & rap arms race at the two political conventions 1
Republicans are paying top dollar for Democratic-leaning music acts; The Roots coming to Charlotte
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Reverb Fest, Snug 600 announce lineups 1
Plus, Rolling Stones announce gig in Raleigh.
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Hey, pothead! Want two tickets to see Crobot?
Dude, you know what we should invent...?
