80z Babies
Episodes
Saturday Dec 21, 2019
Saturday Dec 21, 2019
The 80z Babies are back with another quarterly recap, this time discussing the following topics:
(1:53) Rhythm & Flow
(29:35) Wu-Tang: An American Saga
(49:38) T.I. controversy with his daughter
(54:42) Queen & Slim
(1:08:27) Gang Starr - One of the Best Yet
(1:11:30) Nicole Bus - KAIROS
(1:23:13) Griselda - WWCD
Friday Oct 04, 2019
Friday Oct 04, 2019
Part II of the recap including the following topics:
(:31) Sugarhill Gang - Rapper’s Delight
Not the first Hip Hop release, but the first big hip hop single that pushed the genre into the spotlight; at the time, Hip Hop records were considered "specialty records", and the song was released an R&B/Disco EP.
(2:41) LL Cool J - Walking with a Panther
"Jinglin' Baby" and "Going Back to Cali" are the standouts.
(3:29) The D.O.C. - No One Can Do It Better
Yinka still revisits this album; Yinka ponders if D.O.C. would have contributed as heavily to projects like The Chronic and Doggystyle had D.O.C. not gotten injured; Outlaw poses the question if rappers offer their best bars when they ghost write for other artists.
(7:57) Warren G - Regulate… G Funk Era
Warren G's inclusion on Dej Jam helped save the label; "Regulate" was a summer smash; Outlaw poses the question if certain Hip Hop singles help keep the original sampled songs in the limelight.
(12:05) Da Brat - Funkdafied
Da Brat was the first female artist to go platinum; everything dope that JD did, he copied from someone else that came before him; Yinka feels Da Brat is criminally underrated, as she's one of his favorite female emcees.
(16:47) Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - Creepin on ah Come Up
Bone had an unparalleled knack of creating intoxicating singles; despite this being an EP, the sound was ubiquitous .
(19:51) Coolio - It Takes a Thief
Coolio is an artist whose singles were way bigger than his albums; despite some middling music, he was a legit popstar; Yinka and Outlaw somehow deviate to a discussion about Hot Ones and Nardwuar.
(25:20) Organized Konfusion - Stress: The Extinction
Outlaw respects Pharoahe Monch, but thinks his fans slightly overrate him; Yinka suggests a "Put You Up" episode for this album.
(28:19) UGK - Super Tight
Pimp C should be in the conversation for Best Producer on the Mic; Outlaw includes Pimp C in his 4th tier; Yinka claims Pimp C is one of Hip Hop's top personalities; in today's cancel culture climate, would UGK still exist if Pimp C were alive?
(33:50) Ja Rule - Venni Vetti Vecci
Ja Rule's pivot to commercial pop was annoying.
(36:36) Missy Elliott - Da Real World
Yinka's favorite Missy Elliott album; we invested money in the artists from the '90s, which is partly why we feel such nostalgia for them; Outlaw asks if this album helped reshape the word "Bitch".
(41:50) Lootpack - Soundpieces: Da Antidote
"Real Hip Hop", but Yinka acknowledges Outlaw probably would get bored with this album.
(44:42) Gang Starr - Full Clip: A Decade of Gang Starr
Gang Starr deserves a dedicated episode.
(47:36) EPMD - Out of Business
This was Yinka's introduction to EPMD; "The Symphony" is the clear stand out.
(49:06) Memphis Bleek - Coming of Age
A 10 minute rant from Yinka about how disappointing this album is; Outlaw makes the groundbreaking claim that water is wet.
(1:00:27) The Beatnuts - A Musical Massacre
Not as dope as we remembered; the filler is poor but the good tracks are really good; Outlaw reevaluates his stance that Juju is a 4th tier emcees (he's way lower).
(1:03:18) GoldLink - Diaspora
Outlaw likes the project; Yinka likes the idea of the project.
(1:04:51) Chris Brown - Indigo
Neither of us listened to the album; we devote this segment to market manipulation.
(1:07:58) Dreamville - Revenge of the Dreamers III
Yinka says "I told you so"; this project is dope; Dreamville is having a good year.
(1:10:27) Inspektah Deck - Chamber no. 9
Outlaw likes the project; Deck still has bars, but doesn't skip around on the beat as well as he used to.
(1:12:00) YBN Cordae - The Lost Boy
Dope project; Yinka and Outlaw ponder why DMV artists don't collaborate as much as artists from other cities.
Monday Sep 23, 2019
Monday Sep 23, 2019
The 80z Babies return with another summer recap where they discuss Jay-Z and the NFL, Lizzo and the VMAs, Beyonce and The Lion King, and much more. Details below:
(1:29) A$AP Rocky Update
A$AP Rocky was released from Swedish prison; his attorney was shot.
(3:04) VMAs - Lizzo
Yinka appreciates the internet for capturing highlights, allowing us to otherwise ignore silly award shows; Lizzo's music isn't for us be respect the artistry; candid responses to Azealia Banks twitter; discussion on Lizzo's status as a sex symbol;
(13:35) VMAs - Missy Elliott
Praise for her performance; middling reviews for her Iconology EP, with a preference for her to zig where others have zagged;
(21:43) Lil Nas X - Record for Most Consecutive Weeks at No. 1
Outlaw uses this segment as an excuse to play the sample from Nine Inch Nails in the backdrop.
(24:56) Jay Z's NFL Deal
The deal is an odd one for Jay Z, but we concede there's probably some nuance we're not seeing; you can support Jay Z without being disrespectful to Colin Kaepernick; Outlaw has hated the NFL for awhile and thinks it's evil; each time Jay Z tries to rationalize the deal, he makes it sound worse; Yinka brilliantly dismantles the false narrative that we're past kneeling and that the protest was ineffectual; Yinka provides a challenge to the "seat at the table" narrative when it comes to systems that were not designed for black people.
(37:49) Beyonce - The Lion King: The Gift
Outlaw the Heartless is not a fan of the original Lion King movie; despite the diverse range of artists and regional sounds, the overall sound feels very Nigerian inspired; songs feature artists from regions that have nothing to do with the subject matter of the songs themselves; it feels like a #travelnoire album; do yourself a favor and explore the catalogs of all the featured artists.
(44:31) Burna Boy - African Giant
'Ye' is still so big, you don't even hear hits from this record when out; 'salute me or shoot me' Yinka claims that Burna Boy will go down as one of the all-time musical greats; Burna Boy has the je ne said qoui.
(50:08) Jidenna - 85 to Africa
Outlaw's favorite album of the summer thus far; the musical growth is evident and the production is dope; Jidenna's "rebrand" has not gone unnoticed; we see you out here, brother.
(53:36) Juls - Colour
Juls is great at merging and re-contextualizing sounds from regions all over the world.
(55:41) Rapsody - Eve
Yinka apologizes to Rapsody for not previously checking for her, but both liked this album a lot; the musical direction and mixing is incredible; even tho Rapsody doesn't push the needle forward as a vocal talent, she manages to find her own voice on the record.
(1:03:03) Little Brother - May the Lord Watch
It's a good album, even Outlaw enjoyed it, but both agree it doesn't offer anything new that we haven't previously heard from this group.
(1:06:49) Freddie Gibbs and Madlib - Bandana
'Album of the Year' thus far according to Yinka, Outlaw wholeheartedly disagrees; while Madlib's production is excellent and Gibbs excels on Madlib beats, ultimately his lyrics are interchangeable between songs as each has the same 'I move weight' subject matter.
(1:11:34) Chance the Rapper - The Big Day
Outlaw, who does not like Chance but is only vaguely familiar with his prior work, found the album palatable; Yinka, who thinks Chance is one of the foremost talents of his generation and is a fan of Acid Rap and Coloring Book, found the album underwhelming.
(1:16:41) Nas - The Lost Tapes 2
As always there is the good and the bad with Nas; he should embrace maturity and just make a throwback album for the old heads.
(1:24:05) Big K.R.I.T. - K.R.I.T. Iz Here
KRIT is a generational talent, but needs to take more chances.
Thursday Aug 15, 2019
Thursday Aug 15, 2019
The 80z Babies join the circulating "Top 50" emcees debate. #80zBabies
Thursday Jul 25, 2019
Thursday Jul 25, 2019
The 80z Babies get together to discuss the recent arrest and detainment of Harlem hiphop star A$AP Rocky. #80zBabies
Tuesday Jul 23, 2019
Tuesday Jul 23, 2019
(0:35) De La Soul - Three Feet High and Rising
Yinka laments how streaming is erasing musical history; Outlaw feels Posdnous deserves credit for the flow and style of the early 90's conscious Hip-Hop sound.
(6:05) Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - Road to the Riches
Outlaw notes the contrast between Public Enemy and The Bomb Squad projects, and others of the time; Outlaw highlights Black Thought's breakdown of Kool G Rap's lyrics on 'Road to the Riches'.
(8:08) Gang Starr - Hard to Earn
Guru shines on this album; Outlaw and Yinka salivate over DJ Premier classics 'DWYCK', 'Mass Appeal', 'Code of the Streets', etc;
(12:43) Nas - Illmatic
In the conversation for greatest Hip Hop album of all time; Yinka laments that this album was rushed, and feels it could have been even greater; Outlaw draws an odd comparison between Illmatic and the Twilight novels.
(20:06) OutKast - Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik
Yinka recognizes how much he's underrated this album; props to Organized Noize.
(23:15) Jeru the Damaja - The Sun Rises in the East
Outlaw's never heard this album; DJ Premier in his prime; music for the throwback "hotep".
(25:12) Krayzie Bone - Thug Mentality 1999
Krayzie Bone, in a way, is the transcendent talent and mastermind of the Bone Thugs sound.
(26:11) Snoop Dogg - No Limit Top Dogg
Yinka breaks down ?uestlove's podcast, 'Questlove Supreme'; Master P helped save Snoop Dogg's career; Snoop's first record on No Limit was a No Limit record, the second was a Snoop Dogg record.
(28:39) Slick Rick - The Art of Storytelling
Yinka gets shot for suggesting Big Boi had a better delivery than Andre in 1999; praise for 'Street Talkin'; Clark Kent is a criminally underrated producer.
(32:10) DaBaby - Baby on Baby
Outlaw listened to the album once and forgot how it sounded, but no diss, tho; DaBaby been in the news for fightin' people; 'Suge' goes hard; Outlaw recognizes that DaBaby will be consistent name for awhile.
(35:38) Blu & Oh No - A Long Red Hot Los Angeles Summer Night
Outlaw likens the album to Prince Paul's 'A Prince Among Thieves' without the skits; he thinks he understood what was going with the story.
(38:30) Birdman & Juvenile - Just Another Gangsta
Outlaw got clowned for bumping to the titular track 'Just Another Gangsta'; he appreciates the Juvenile is still making music.
(39:46) Erick Sermon - Vernia
It was aight.
(41:05) Statik Selektah & Bun B - TrillStatik; & Curren$y - Gran Turismo
Outlaw was blown away, prefers the Bun B; Yinka prefers the Curren$y; Yinka likens the album to the Big 3 Basketball League; praise for Haile Supreme, who is everything Pharrell should sound like; Statik Selektah is an early candidate for producer of the year; Yinka breaks down the producer's evolution.
(46:15) Pete Rock - Return of the SP1200
Yinka somehow missed this; it's exactly what you'd expect: dope.
(47:22) Styles P - S.P. The Goat: Ghost of All Time
Another dope project from Styles P; he's the best executive producer of The Lox.
(48:49) Diamond D - The Diam Piece 2
Outlaw challenges the notion that Diamond D is 'the best producer on the mic'; the back half of the album is dope; Talib Kweli actually delivers a good verse in 2019.
(51:52) YG - 4Real 4Real
As a YG fan, Yinka thinks it's bad; Outlaw enjoyed it, despite how cheap sounding studio quality; sounds like an album to just keep YG's name in the mix.
(53:33) Skepta - Ignorance is Bliss
Outlaw is unimpressed; Skepta is the Drake of the UK; Outlaw doesn't care for the inside jokes and references on the album; Yinka informs Outlaw that Skepta was dating Naomi Campbell.
Tuesday Jun 25, 2019
Tuesday Jun 25, 2019
The 80z Babies recap some big moments and album releases from the spring. Timestamps and synopsis in the description below.
(1:23) Beyonce - Homecoming
Praise for the 'Before I Let Go' single; debate on whether the couple's display of Blackness is genuine or capitalistic; praise for the Netflix special; Yinka shares his fear of rubbin' shoulders while Swag Surfin'.
(21:34) Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men
Method Man was a poor drug dealer; the members lost confidence in RZA for the later projects; Divine's business mentality vs RZA's family mentality; Outlaw loves Wu-Tang, water is wet.
(36:24) DJ Khaled - Father of Asahd
Yinka's bored with glorified karaoke singers; debate on musicality vs merchandising; praise for 'Higher' and 'Big Boy Talk', Outlaw can no longer predict hits; DJ Khaled salty with not reaching #1; misuse of Buju Banton's talent.
(46:15) Megan Thee Stallion - Fever
Outlaw fucks with the album, but doesn't see Megan as a stallion; praise for the studio quality of the album; Megan can flow; appreciate the contributions of Juicy J and Project Pat; more women finding a lane for themselves.
(54:01) Anderson .Paak - Ventura
Ventura was the best album of the quarter, water is wet; praise for 'Make it Better', 'Jet Black', and 'Come Home'; 'Reachin 2 Much' resonates with Outlaw who admits to his shortcomings as a boyfriend; Anderson .Paak is very relatable while being amorphous, and connects really well with the mature generation.
(1:10:40) Schoolboy Q - Crash Talk
Yinka's disappointed with the project despite being a Q fan; praise for 'Attention'; 'Water' a surprise hit; appreciate that DJ Premier's getting sampled in 2019.
(1:14:04) 2 Chainz - Rap or Go to the League
Outlaw had high expectations but was disappointed, citing lazy lyrics; debate on LeBron James as an executive producer.
(1:19:59) Tyler, the Creator - Igor
Praise for the music production of the album, but Outlaw is absolutely disgusted with the vocals.
(1:23:25) Logic - Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Yinka opted out, but Outlaw was pleasantly surprised; praise for 6ix production; praise for features including Eminem, Gucci Mane and Will Smith; debate on Logic's image problem; online petition to revoke Logic's N-Word pass; Outlaw ironically shades a fellow mixed person; debate on deep seeded insecurities and succumbing to external pressures.
Saturday Jun 08, 2019
Saturday Jun 08, 2019
Bonus Clip: The 80z Babies take a second (or 6-0) to discuss the recent passing of legendary Los Angeles rapper, businessman, and philanthropist Nipsey Hussle. #RIPNipsey
Tuesday Jun 04, 2019
Tuesday Jun 04, 2019
In Episode 59, the 80z Babies discuss albums released from Dec-Feb of 1989, 1994, 1999 and 2019 including: Life is Too Short, Docs Da Name, Flesh of My Flesh, Lethal Injection, Things Fall Apart, and more... #80zBabies
Tuesday Jan 22, 2019
Tuesday Jan 22, 2019
The 80z Babies close out the year with their annual end of the year award show with categories from Album of the Year and '19 Disappearing Acts to Most L's Taken. #80zBabies
Tuesday Jan 08, 2019
Tuesday Jan 08, 2019
The 80z Babies give a quick wrap up of albums released in the 4th quarter of 2018. #80zBabies
Tuesday Jan 08, 2019
Tuesday Jan 08, 2019
The 80z Babies are back with a handful of updates on a busy end of 2018 and the start of a promising 2019. #80zBabies