It’s been an extremely eventful summer so far for hip-hop: Kanye’s Yeezus, J. Cole’s Born Sinner, and Mac Miller’s Watching Movies with the Sound Off all dropped on a crazy June 18th, the new New York has been holding it down with top flight releases from Action Bronson and Joey Bada$$, and Jay-Z/Samsung/King Arthur gave us a July 4th album/app/subject for the Monty Python reunion flick, Magna Carta Holy Grail.
However, there has yet to be one defining Summer Jam, a song you hear out the window of every car, a chorus that everybody can recite on command. Last year saw “Mercy” from Kanye and crew, 2011 had “Otis” from…Kanye and Jay-Z. So either something off of Yeezus is going to blow up, or somebody else is gonna have to step it up. But until then, WRMC is throwing you, in no particular order, 13 solid hip-hop tracks from and for this summer.
1. “Work (Remix)”–A$AP Ferg ft. French Montana, Trinidad Jame$, ScHoolboy Q, and A$AP Rocky (prod. Chinza & Fly)
Ok, this came out a little bit before the summer started. But it’s a certified banger, friendly for the club, the car, and the crib, and a big showing for the new hottest member of the A$AP crew.
2. “Showroom 2”–Curren$y (prod. Cardo)
3. “Killers”–Curren$y ft. Trinidad Jame$
Summer ain’t about shit if it’s not about relaxing. And nobody knows how to relax quite like Curren$y. Spitta rapping about chilling over some laid back beats makes a great recipe for a relaxed state of mind.
It should be noted that the “$” sign has been used as an “S” 8 times already in this list.
4. “The Rockers”–Action Bronson ft. Wiz Khalifa (prod. Harry Fraud)
5. “Hillary $wank”–Joey Bada$$ (prod. Lee Bannon)
6. “Palm Trees”–Flatbush Zombies (prod. Erick Arc Elliot)
Three pillars of that New York Renaissance mentioned above. Hard to pick just one song to represent Bronsolini and Harry Fraud’s Saab Stories and Joey B’s Summer Knights, so if you haven’t yet listened to these two releases in full, do yourself a favor and do that. Flatbush Zombies putting out a real trippy one out there. Maybe a little weird. Pretty wavy beat though.
7. “Send It Up”–Kanye West ft. King Louie (prod. Kanye West & Daft Punk)
Obviously, Yeezus is gonna be represented here. If I had to pick one track to be a real crossover success up off this album, it would be “Bound 2”. But it could really be on any Kanye album. “Send It Up” best combines the sound Kanye has been developing, whether or not you like it, with his still invincible lyrical skills. King Louie holds his own, and the Beenie Man sample at the end is awesome. Lou Reeds says it better than I just did.
8. “Forbidden Fruit”–J. Cole ft. Kendrick Lamar (prod. J. Cole)
Cole shouts out A Tribe Called Quest near the end of this one, and the simple bass line and snare beat sound a lot like some old Tribe. The perfect sound for sitting out on the stoop as the sun sets.
9. “Get It”–Run the Jewels (Killer Mike & El-P) (prod. El-P)
From Mike Bigga and El-P’s newest project, Run the Jewels, available in full for free over at Fool’s Gold Records. A rollicking beat with the two MC’s at their most chest-puffed-outest. Careful though, that hook will play endlessly in your head if you listen to it too much.
10. “Freddie Soprano”–Freddie Gibbs (prod. Big Jerm)
From Freddie’s ESGN. Although his frantic, non-stop delivery doesn’t exactly conjure up images of piña colada sippin’ or cookouts in the Hamptons, Gangsta Gibbs does purport to brush his teeth with Hennessy. No better time to treat yo’self than the summer, no?
11. “Feds Watching”–2 Chainz ft. Pharrell (prod. Pharrell)
Now this is a song made for the summer. Easy lyrics, feel good subject (unless you don’t fuck with Comme des Garçon OR Alexander Wang. In which case, just get over yourself), and Pharrell. And the timing? Perfect. Play this one as you roll past the alphabet boys.
12. “Collard Greens”–ScHoolboy Q ft. Kendrick Lamar (prod. THC)
Sometimes we let a little too loose during the summer, but that’s all part of the process. Q encourages us, “We gon’ turn it out until the neighbors wanna party too”. Also, Kendrick does a bunch of his verse in Spanish.
13. “ATM Jam”–Azealia Banks ft. Pharrell (prod. Pharrell)
Miss Banks kills this one, great hook, but scope, Lil Skateboard P strikes again! Is he winning the summer so far? Banged out smashes with Daft Punk and Robin Thicke (not without controversy), got to star alongside Gandalf in that MCHG add, and now, he’s featured TWICE on WRMC’s Summer Jams so far playlist.
Note: I apologize for not being able to embed the tracks within the post, you’ll have to follow the jumps. It’s worth the damn effort. Hope you enjoy. Final “$” as “S” count: 11.
I was schooled by this arti. I learned a lot. I feel great about it. It was v. appreciated.