Nas - Life Is Good CD

Life Is Good CD music On their fifth group album, the eight surviving members of the Wu-Tang Clan had some big shoes to fill--their own. After a hard-felt six-year absence and the death of their most colorful member (the mighty ODB), the Wu were out to squelch any doubts that they lost a step as a collective. Of the 14 tracks that make up 8 DIAGRAMS, few would immediately strike listeners as quintessential Wu. Gone are the lo-fi Shaolin Soul beats and the sped-up vocal samples. And the once-fiery vocal deliveries take on tones of muted, subdued energy. Still, there is a great deal of innovation here. The RZA enlists George Harrison's son, Dhani, and Chili Pepper John Frusciante to provide instrumentation for their ambitious take on the Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." The Clan's tribute to the above-mentioned Ol' Dirty, "Life Changes," with its melancholic piano chords and verses of staircase reminiscing, is most evocative of that classic Wu sound. While it may not be the equivalent of a revolution on wax, 8 DIAGRAMS remains a rarity in the contemporary hip-hop world--an air-tight album, inventive and unpredictable from start to finish, and rife with first-rate contributions from all involved. George Clinton, Erykah Badu, Sunny Valentine, and Gerald Alston are featured. The Wu-Tang Clan is a New York-based lineup of 9 American rappers who are solo artists, record producers, film stars, writers, TV stars, product spokespersons, business owners and major motion picture composers. Wu-Tang Clan proved to be the most revolutionary rap group of the mid-90s. The members are known as: the RZA, Genius/Gza, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, U-God, Inspecta Deck, and Masta Killa. They created a hazy, surreal soundscape out of hardcore beats, eerie riffs, and samples. Tracks feature Dexter Wiggle, Erykah Badu, Dhani Harrison, John Frsuciante, George Clinton, Sunny Valentine, Gearald Alston, and Tash Mahogany. This title carries a parental advisory. Wu-Tang Clan: RZA (guitar, strings, programming); GZA, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa, Method Man, Raekwon, U-God. Additional personnel: Shifu Shi Yan Ming (spoken vocals); Stone Mecca (guitar, keyboards, bass guitar, drums); Dhani Harrison, John Frusciante (guitar); Soundguild (strings, bass guitar); Marco Vitali (strings); Uncle John (horns); Shavo, Trevor James, Gary Foote (bass guitar); Easy Mo Bee, Mathematics (programming); Tasha Austin, George Clinton , Sunny Valentine (background vocals); Tash Mahogany, Dexter Wiggle, Erykah Badu, Gerald Alston.

Life Is Good buy CD music Initially intended to be an EP, Watch the Throne -- from rap superstars Jay-Z and Kanye West, aka the Throne -- took on a number of forms prior to its release as a full-length album. Nailed down during January 2011 sessions at Mercer Hotel in New York City, the aggressive and boast-heavy set features vocal appearances from Beyoncé, Frank Ocean, and La Roux's Elly Jackson, as well as writing and production assistance from the likes of Swizz Beatz, the Neptunes, the RZA, Om'Mas Keith, and Terius "the-Dream" Nash.

Life Is Good songs The Nas and Damian Marley collaboration Distant Relatives came together as a way to earn money for schools in Africa, but before any corny "charity album" misconceptions get in the way, know that this is one purposeful monster and a conceptional bull's eye that fully supports its title. Actually, it all comes together in the album's first few seconds as Marley and Nas loop a sample of Ethiopian jazzman Mulatu Astatke for "As We Enter"'s effective and infectious beat. Rapidly trading the lines (Nas): "I've got the guns"/(Damian): "I've got the Ganja"/(Nas): "And we can blaze it up on your block if you wanna" just raises the excitement level to a "Welcome to Jamrock" or "Nas Is Like," but when the following "Tribes at War" creates a cinematic big picture of Africa crumbling while its people are unwillingly scattered across the globe, the album turns compelling. On the track, guest K'Naan offers the provocative "I drink poison/Then I vomit diamonds" while the devastating "Leaders" features Nas' "Malcolm on the podium/Shells drop to linoleum/Swipe those/Place them on display on the Smithsonian." Still, there's much more hope and pride here than anger and darkness. The majestic "Strong Will Continue" marches forth with a positive spiritual message, while "Count Your Blessings" is musically akin to Damian's Bobby Brown collaboration "Beautiful" and father Bob's's "One Love" lyrically. The magical moment that explains it all comes in the form of an old Dennis Brown interview which is sampled for "Land of Promise." Answering the question "What do you think of Africa?" Brown replies "Just to mention of it man, is like, you call mi name man" in a voice that displays a whirlwind of emotions, from the very best to the very worst. Distant Relatives is this African contradiction explored further with hip-hop, dancehall, and by way of samples, jazz, and African music showing the way. It's a royal and a striking reminder of why these two artists have reached legendary status. ~ David Jeffries Audio Mixers: Charles Wakeman; James "Bonzai" Caruso. Recording information: Circle House Studios, Miami, FL; D.A.R.P., Atlanta, GA; Henson Recording Studios, Los Angeles, CA; Hit Factory, Miami, FL; Lion's Den Studios, Miami, FL; NRG Studios, Los Angeles, CA; Setai Recordings, Miami, FL. Photographers: Nabil Elderkin; Neville Garrick.

Life Is Good album for sale Def Jam's contracted edition of Frank Ocean's Nostalgia, Ultra never materialized. The label nonetheless released two of the mixtape's songs as singles. One of them, "Novacane," clashed with everything else on the radio, reached the Top 20 of Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart, and crossed into the Hot 100. The singer's presence spread with appearances on Goblin, 4, Watch the Throne, and The OF Tape, Vol. 2. He then completed this album with Malay, Om'Mas Keith, and Pharrell as his co-producers. Journalists present at June pre-release listening events speculated that some of the lyrics revealed Ocean's bisexuality. Ocean subsequently published a screen shot of a document, dated December 27, 2011, that included details of a crushing romantic relationship with a male. Ocean also revealed that he wrote for the sake of his sanity and credited his inner circle: "I'm sure these people kept me alive, kept me safe." One listen to Channel Orange makes it obvious that he is as free as an artist as he is as a man. The album doesn't have as many slyly powerful hooks as Nostalgia, Ultra, but Ocean's descriptive and subtle storytelling is taken to a higher level. He's up there with Bilal. As easy as it is to listen to Ocean's voice in long stretches -- he's casually expressive -- the number of deep ruminations over slow tempos requires some patience. Even the lone song that could be termed a banger is a ten-minute suite that takes 90 seconds to get on the floor; the song with the widest and most creative scope as well, "Pyramid" shifts from "my black Queen Cleopatra" and ancient Egypt (over swift synth funk) to "Your love ain't free no more" and a strip club (over booming, low-profile slickness). The lighter moments, such as the loose and bright "Sweet Life" and the relatively exuberant "Monks," both of which would be standouts on any N.E.R.D. album, offer more than bright coating, dealing in surrealism and sharp observations that are equally penetrating. On the other end, the most personal song is "Bad Religion," a phenomenal brokenhearted ballad consisting of organ, piano, strings, and handclaps: "This unrequited love/To me it's nothing but a one-man cult/And cyanide in my Styrofoam cup." Everything that falls between, counting the rumbling drug dependency tale "Crack Rock," the snapping/swooning "Pilot Jones," and the longing falsetto shuffle "Thinkin Bout You," is vivid and worthy of complete immersion. ~ Andy Kellman Liner Note Author: Frank Ocean. Recording information: East West Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA; Henson Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA; Manhattan Sound Recording, New York, NY; San Ysidro, Beverly Hills, CA; Studio For The Talented & Gifted, Los Angeles, CA; the Record Plant, Hollywood, CA; Westlake Recording Studios, Los Angeles, CA. Photographer: Nabil Elderkin. Personnel: Frank Ocean (keyboards); J. Ryan "Malay" Ho (guitars, brass, keyboards, programming, background vocals); Taylor Johnson, John Mayer , André 3000, Charlie Hunter (guitars); Dave Eggar , Chuck Palmer , Sara Parkins (strings); Francisco Torres, Irvin Mayfield (brass); Pharrell Williams (keyboards, programming); Om'Mas Keith (keyboards, background vocals); Shea Taylor, Jeff Babko (keyboards); Matt Chamberlain (drums, programming); Stacy Barthe, Lalah Hathaway, Raymond Buck, Juliet Buck, Elizabeth Paige, Danielle Miranda-Simms, Crimson Tide Cheerleaders, Auntie Rosie (background vocals). Audio Mixers: Frank Ocean; J. Ryan "Malay" Ho; Mark "Spike" Stent; Jeff Ellis.

Life Is Good CD music Sure, he grounded two commercial air flights after suffering some minor seizures, but if his Twitter account didn't alert you, his recent singles should have proven that the Teflon Don is well and all good. Both "You the Boss" and "I Love My Bitches" land on Ross' 2012 album God Forgives, I Don't, a slick and star-studded effort with guest stars that run from Jay-Z to Mary J. Blige, and production that comes from the likes of the Alchemist and Just Blaze. Photographer: Clay Patrick McBride.

Life Is Good buy CD music A more laid back, if equally blissed-out, West Coast complement to Method & Red's similarly named meeting of true hip-hop minds of nine years earlier, BLACKOUT, BLAQKOUT pairs Dogg Pound-er Kurupt with one of L.A. gangsta rap's first stars, DJ Quik. Mellow, but sexually charged, is the tone throughout, from the smooth-jazz intro to the title track to the Soul II Soul sampling "Do You Know." The comfort level between the two cagey veterans is in the stratosphere, and the hazy, traded rhymes are of the caliber fans would expect. Personnel: DJ Quik (sequencer).