Hello World.

“We want to make music that wouldn’t shame us to hear our little cousins singing it,” said Jacquelyn, one half of the experimental/Hip Hop/soul group Martin Parks. “The name originates from Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks, who were both revolutionaries. We combined them for our name because that’s what we want to do with music: Revolutionize it,” said Roman Lee. In this new age of Hip Hop’s genre blending, they bear similarities to a lot of artists but still manage to bring a much needed change to music. Originating out of Joliet and Lockport Illinois, the duo met, in a spark of complete chance, while both working on their individual projects in a studio they both frequented. They said Jazz as well as hip hop are major influences musically, noting artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Kanye West, and Andre 3000 and one could hear this records such as “Hello, I’m a Stoner” and “Imagination Flow.” Roman’s Lil Wayne inspired delivery on “Hello World” was a giveaway that Wayne was once his favorite rapper and Jacquelyn’s melodic “Blast Off (Love Launch)” was reminiscent of a Gwen Stefani club banger than Fitzgerald speakeasy slow jam but is an excellent song none-the-less. If your ears are okay with progression and change, then Martin Parks’ genre pushing sound if definitely for you.

They are currently working on an album aptly titled "Barefoot" and have a mix tape titled “Back of the Bus” which link can be found at the bottom of this article along with contact information.

Mixtape link: http://www.zshare.net/download/622220284a8e53f3/

http://www.myspace.com/martinparksbackofthebus
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Martin-Parks/109816500802?ref=ts
http://www.twitter.com/martinparks
http://www.twitter.com/romanlevi
http://www.twitter.com/mizzjacque

things fall apart....

"She told me that things fall apart, they tend to shatter..." - Black Thought.


You ever had something that you felt was sure fire? You felt that no matter what happened, as long as you had this thing, shit would work out? Well, for me that thing is Kanye West. Well, his talent more or less. It seems like just yesterday I was raving that Kanye was the future of Hip Hop. Hip Hop's prevalent savior and crown jewel. Oh, how wrong I was.

Kanye crowned himself as the new king of pop and this much is true. But in True King-Of-Pop fashion, Kanye is going insane. As if he was fed up with what he was doing, like his passion became a job. Apparently, when Kanye is home, Hip Hop isn't played. At all. Which is fine if that's your preference, but when Hip Hop is what you DO...not so much.

Kanye has been lamenting his success for quite some time now, hence his extensive verses in the "Grown Man Pop Rap" genre(Grown Man Pop Rap = verses with content often talking about the trappings of success). It started to come out more after his mother's death and officially began with his feature on Young Jeezy's "Put On" (I got the money and the fame and that don't mean shit), to his most recent stint on the mic Drake's "Forever" (I used want this thing forever, ya'll can have it back...) this coupled with Kanye's VMA incident &&& his unspoken tantrum at Common's benefit concert (http://showhype.com/story/kanye-spazzes-out-again-at-common-s-charity-concert/) leads me to believe that Kanye's robocop ass is on self destruct.

Man on the moon review....

Kid Cudi's Man on the Moon's ambitious concept is something that simply must be discussed as it goes over most people's heads. The title alone should give most the general feel of this records general theme and musical landscape with its implication of darkness and isolation which the main character's plight for most the album. From its somber, lullabye-esque beginning, to its the slightly sunny ending Cudi's always seems entrenched by solitude.

The best way describe Cudi's record is Neo-Psychedelia, with the album being riddled with drug references and a landscape to match his multicolored, lyrically dexterous style. The double entendre laced Enter Galactic(Love Connection) is especially stand out with its clever references and its surprisingly upbeat sound-scape. Its complex construction and Prince-inspired breakdown fool you into thinking its a love song with the first listen, but deception is hidden in it. The down-south drum pattern driven, Hyyerr marks the beginning of the albums turn around and distance from its dark theme. Its dope. Make Her Say sorta feels outta place musically from the rest of album, but none-the-less a very clever record.

And Sooooooo in conclusion, if you approach Kid Cudi's MOTM thinking that its a hip hop album, you will be severely disappointed. But if you give is a listen with open ears and embrace his sing-songy rapping, then there is much to be gained here. Its a definitely a buy. If 808s & Heartbreak was actually GOOD, it would sound like MOTM.
Go Cop it.

I came to bring the Rain....

This is my music's reviewer's blog. I don't discriminate what I listen to so there will be a multitude of albums being reviewed from rock to rap to R&b to Hip Hop. I will be doing editorials as on the game as well. So stay tuned, readers.....

Signed,
Luckee Leftee.