The overlooked / missed lessons of Straight Outta Compton

With the release of the Straight Outta Compton movie, I expect that NWA will have a bunch of new fans and people exposed to their music; which is a great thing. Lord knows we need people exposed to real hip hop and hip hop history. But while were caught up in the much deserved hype, it was a great movie their were some things that the average person that saw the movie probably overlooked/ didn’t know,  and some of them are great lessons/ messages that shouldn’t be overlooked, regardless of all negative things people have wrote about. * Warning possible SPOILER ALERTS

1. The Importance and complete leaving out of certain members. If you’ve seen the movie, it's heavily focuses on Ice Cube, Dr. Dre and Easy- E; the three best known members. But the movie kind of makes it seem as if MC Ren and DJ Yella were just back ground, which is not at all true

For those that don’t know MC Ren is one of the primary writers for the group, especially after Ice Cube leaves. In the movie DOC is given his props but not so much Ren. Also after the group breaks up, Ren has some solo success, his first solo album approaches gold, and his first EP goes platinum.

DJ Yella was the primary turnatablist for the group, but he was not just the dj. He was also a producer, often co producing with Dr. Dre. His work as a producer is on every NWA album, including Easy-E’s solo album Eazy-Duz-It. After the group split he overlooks the making of Bone Thugs N Harmony’s album and produced their hit “Foe tha Love of $”

Now the person you may not know and who was completely left out the film was a lesser known founding member named Arabian Prince. Why he was left out of the film entirely, who knows? However he was a kind of a do it all member providing writing, and production. He left the group in 88, but his work, vocals and contributions can be found on Straight Outta Compton, the previous lesser known first album NWA and the Posse.

2. Knowing the business. The people that were successful were the ones that knew the business and stayed up on the business. Ice Cube was insistent about getting his fair share and signing his contract. He noticed when he and the others were being exploited early on. When it was time to sign his contract, he insisted on letting a lawyer review it because he knew he didn’t understand the language.  He did the same thing with his solo career. He knew the difference and importance between being a worker and owner, when no one else did or would listen. 

Dr. Dre would learn this lesson the hard way, and learn that Ice Cube was right. And it’s a mistake he would not make twice.

3. The Strength, support of the women in their lives - The people that you have in your life can affect you rise and down fall also. The women that Ice Cube, Eazy-E and Dr. Dre pursued in the movie were instrumental in their growth and maturity as family men and business men.

The women in their lives encourage them to pursue their own dreams; they support them in it. The women in their lives that carry themselves differently and are not impressed by their celebrity are the ones that stick around.

Eazy-E doesn’t pay attention to his company’s financial situations until Tomica offers to look over the paperwork and shows him what she finds.

Ice Cube has the courage to leave NWA but he really gets focused once he meets Kim She helps him understand the debts to which NWA were dissing him, which lead to the greatest hip hop diss record of all time “ No Vaseline”. She was his business partner.  

Dr. Dre’s love interest Nicole, forces him to mature by what she accepts from him and the boundaries she sets for him. She lets him know that her child is her first priority, she doesn’t jump at the opportunity to sleep with him, she doesn’t jump at the opportunity to give up her independence and move in with him, she tell him she needs to think about things because its moving fast, and after the date she stops him at letting him walk her to the door, she doesn’t allow him to come up stairs and make it a night cap.

The women that carried themselves differently, had different expectations, and were supportive helped them grow and mature.

4. It’s Business not personal - One of the major lessons learned in the movie is that friends, even good friends can’t always work / be in business together.  Stubbornness and conflicting principles completely tore the group apart.  Ice Cube didn’t like beuracratcy, he didn’t want to talk to the group’s manager about money and contracts, he wanted to talk the owner (Eazy-E).

The artist also had to learn self preservation. They had to learn that they believed in themselves and loved themselves enough to leave bad situations. They had to wrestle with the notion that to leave a bad business situation was business, not personal. Ultimately they had to look out for and be loyal to themselves and their families, bad business is not good for friendships.

Even when the diss records started to fly and the embarrassment was being handed out on a silver platter, they were able to all understand that it was just entertainment. Nobody got shot, killed; and when they interacted with ach other in future, they were always able to talk regardless of how hot headed the entourages around them may have desired to be.

A lot has been written about the film. A lot was covered in the film and a lot left out. All in all it’s a really good movie. Could certain things have been covered or put in certainly. However with all of the criticism, its still a good movie and we’ve got to understand its business, The movie is two and a half hours long, and an hour was shaved off to make it that long, so we have no clue what was taken out.  Some negative events were left out, chalk that up to the benefits of owning your brand. People have complained about Ice Cubes son getting the role (even though he totally carried it) and Dr. Dre’s character being misrepresented as an uber nice guy to women and tough guy in the streets; but they were both producers of the film. When you are directing your own, biopic, and control your brand; you put in the parts that you want to know. History is defined by who is telling the story.


Slin-K

@slin_k_polymath on Twitter/ Instagram

Lil Wayne - Free Weezy Album

I'm not much of a Lil Wayne fan, but the Free Weezy Album is petty good. Glory id the best I've heard him rap for a whole song in his career, I actually pulled it up twice. He has a few songs worth of repeat on it. Its definitely a different direction for him in terms of everything. It seems to be a more focused output; the direction is focused, the beat selections, and most importantly the bars. They are not random, unfocused bars, it actually sounds like he wrote, possibly edited, and thought about the concept rather than throwing stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks. Its good, almost too good, so good honestly you have to wonder if he wrote it( and I will find out by the way), and if so why has he been holding back for this long. I don't know how much it'll be apreciated because its far from what his fans have gotten used to.  Its not a great or classic but Ill give it a strong 3.5 out of 6.

2014 Year end Review, Best of List

If No one has told you yet, happy New Year! 2014 has come and gone. Its was an up and down year in music, as usual for the last few years if you wanted the heat  you had to go looking for it because it could not be found on the radio or the video scene. Main stream did a pretty horrible job of putting out quality music, but the new crop of artist that are on the way up, took major risk that paid off and delivered us some projects that have a chance of being test of time classics, we’ll at least still be listening to them in years to come. Big KRIT gave us a stellar album that delivered on the promise he had been showing on mixtapes, but also delivered on the promise of him dropping a quality album that would raise his stock in hip hop.  It was a big year for hiphop’s flagship label Def Jam not only gave us the KRIT album, but also a strong album of the year contender from Logic. Gospel artist Lecrae dropped the gospel rap equivalent of The Chronic, meaning it will probably go down as a classic and be the blue print of Gospel Hip hop for years to come. And it was a #1 album.

When it came to breaking rules and gambling huge, no one did it better than J. Cole. On his Dollar and A Dream Tour, he basically did a show for the love; fans paid a $1 and got a show where Kendrick Lamar and Drake was the special guest. And in what had to be risky and probably scary move for the label, J. Cole decide to drop a surprise album at the very end of 2014, with only social media promotion and no radio single. And what an album it was, easily one of the best of the year, one of the best first week sales rates and definitely his best album to date.  Not all experiments were successful; Musiq Soul Child tried his hands at rapping, with horrible results.

2014 was a year of reconciliation for many, as a number of long standing beefs and miscommunications ended. Fat Joe and 50 Cent squashed their beef and appeared on a song together. Jeezy and Rick Ross also ended a long beef and recorded together. Toni Braxton and Baby Face united together to release a whole album together. Drake and Chris Brown squashed beef and were seen in the studio together.  G-Unit was seen together on stage at Summer Jam, for a while it didn’t seem like they were truly back together since none of the other members really performed at Summer Jam, but afterwards they went on a streak of releasing music the rest of 2014. Outkast reunited briefly to headline a few festivals, but basically broke our hearts when Andre announced that he had no plans of working on or releasing any new Outkast material in the future.  3000 also said that his heart wasn’t fully into the performances, so what ever underlying problems Outkast is having still exist, but he did say the performing got him back in a creative mood, so maybe he’ll record something in 2015 and we can get the long awaited solo album.

It wasn’t all good in music we had a number of separations and beefs jump off.  In a move that was the biggest jumping ship move since Ray Allen left the Boston Celtics to join the Miami Heat, Angie Martinez the voice of New York, decide to part ways with Hot 97 and join the rivals Power 105 team. After years of delays and being somewhat vocal about being unhappy, 50 Cent parted ways with Shady/ Aftermath.  Lil Wayne went off on Cash Money, expressing that they were holding him hostage, delaying the release of his album and that he wanted off the label.

Of course we had beefs. In the video that went around the world we say Solange and Jay-Z get physical in an elevator.  Jay and Drake had beef but kept it to music and the Internet.  Unfortunately for Drizzy Drake his beef with Diddy got physical as he caught a mean 3 piece from Diddy in the club. Drake caught L’s all over the place this year as he got into a small beef with battle rap champion Murda Mook. Murda Mook responded by dropping stellar verse in the BET Cypher, where dissed half the crowd, and Drake, and stole the moment of the Award show.

 Iggy Azela seemingly had beef with half the industry via twitter.  Most of her beefs seemed to be spill over from the controversy that quickly turned racial after Macklemore won the best rap album Grammy over Kendrick Lamar. While Iggy was catching hell Azelia Banks was giving it to the other half of the industry and leading the racial charge. Ms. Banks was quite vocal about white artist in hip hop profiting off of the culture, having unfair advantages, but not speaking out when social issues affected the culture like the Mike Brown and Eric Garner killings.  Lord Jamar of Brand Nubians was also very vocal in this regard.  What extended and expanded the beefs for Azelia and Lord Jamar are the fact they also attacked anyone that came to the aid of or associated with white artist. It was like the Benzino and Eminem beef all over again.  For all the controversy about white artist, all of hip hop was amazingly silent about social issues, especially the number of unarmed young black men killed this year by police. 

Not everyone was completely silent on the politics, artist like Macklemore and J. Cole were seen down in Ferguson Missouri marching with the people, protesting. And Common during brought out Trayvon Martin’s parents and Mike Brown’s parents during his BET Hiphop Awards performance and ended the set by having everyone in the audience do the hands up don’t shoot gesture.

  The divorce bug was rampant, Wiz and Amber announced they were divorcing, Mariah and Nick Cannon announced they’d be divorcing, Robin Thicke and Paula separated and he has spent the entire year trying to get her back through song, even releasing an entire album about her. Joe Budden aired all of his relation problems and filled in everything you may have missed on Love and Hiphop.

Hip hop had a number of significant moments. Steve Stoute released one of the most important hip hop documentaries ever The Tanning of America, and had us all tuned in to VH1 for four straight nights for something other than reality TV.  Dr. Dre sold Beats Electronics to Apple for 3 Billion dollars. Eminem became first hip hop act to headline at Wembley Stadium and brought out Dr. Dre as guest. Fashion Icon Jordan became a billionaire. The Aaliyah movie was an epic fail. So was Annie remake produced by Jay-Z and Will Smith. Sadly, Vibe magazine stopped printing this year.

Gucci Mane dropped 3 mix tapes on the same day from jail. Lil Boosie was released from jail.

And in sad news we lost one of hip hops pioneers, on November 11th, Big Bank Hank of Sugar Hill Gang passed. RIP

With that said lets focus on the musical releases. Here is Slin-K’s annual best of he year list. Enjoy, check out the music that you didn’t hear , you may discover some gems or some new artist to check out. Can’t wait to see what type of rollercoaster ride 2015 will take us on. Enjoy the list, share it and leave your feedback and opinions.

Disclaimer, the list is based on my opinion of the best urban albums I listened to and evaluated throughout 2014.

Best albums overall Rankings

1.     Swollen Members - Brand New Day

2.     May Day and Murs - MursDay!

3.     Leela James - Fall For You

4.     Logic - Under Pressure

5.     Royce Da 5’9” & DJ Premier - PRhyme

6.     Big KRIT - Cadillactica

7.     J Cole - 2014 Forest Hills Drive

8.     A-Villa - Carry On Tradition

9.     Joe Budden - Some Love Lost

10. Daley - Days & Nights

11. Sam Smith -In the Lonely Hour

12. Christian Gray - School of Roses

13. Teyana Taylor - VII

14. Kelly Price - Sing Pray Love, Vol 1. :Sing

15. GQ - Rated Oakland

16. Lecrae - Anomaly

17. Stat Quo - ATLA : All This Life Allows, Vol. 1

18. Ritzz - Next To Nothing

19. Kem - Promise to Love

20. Raf Almighty - G.T.F.O.M.Y

21. Jeezy - Seen It All : The Autobiography

22. Eminem - Shady XV

23. Dj Mustard - 10 Summers

24. Common - Nobody’s Smiling

25. Skyzoo & Torae - Barrel Brothers

Top 20  Hip Hop Major label

1.     Logic - Under Pressure

2.     Big KRIT - Cadillactica

3.     J Cole - 2014 Forest Hills Drive

4.     Jeezy - Seen It All : The Autobiography

5.     Eminem - Shady XV

6.     DJ Mustard - 10 Summers

7.     Common - Nobody’s Smiling

8.     Rick Ross - Hood Billionaire

9.     Fabolous - The Young OG Project

10. Stalley - Ohio

11. TI - Paperwork

12. Rick Ross - Master Mind

13. School Boy Q - Oxymoron

14. Ab-Soul - These Days

15. Wu-Tang Clan - A Better Tomorrow

16. The Roots - ….And Then You Shoot Your Cousin

17. Iggy Azalea - The New Classic

18. Nicki Minaj - The Pink Print

19. YG - My Krazy Life

20. Theophilus London - Vibes

Top 40 Indie / Underground Albums 

1.      Swollen Members - Brand New Day

2.     May Day and Murs - MursDay!

3.     Royce Da 5’9” & DJ Premier - PRhyme

4.     A - Villa - Carry On Tradition

5.     GQ - Rated Oakland

6.     Lecrae - Anomaly

7.    Stat Quo - ATLA : All This Life Allows, Vol. 1

8.    Ritzz - Next To Nothing

9.    Skyzoo & Torae - Barrel Brothers

10. Raf Almighty - G.T.F.O.M.Y

11. Trip Lee - Rise

12. Havoc - 13 Reloaded

13. Joell Ortiz - House Slippers

14. Bas - Last Winter

15. Iamsu! - Sincerely Yours

16. Rapper Big Pooh & Roc - Trouble In the Neighborhood

17. Tradgedy Khadafi - Pre Magnum Opus

18. Starlito - Black Sheep Don’t Grin

19. Slaine - King of Everything Else

20. Army of Pharoh’s - In Death Reborn

21. Apathy - Connecticut Casual

22. Dilated Peoples - Directors of Photography

23. Run the Jewels ( Killer Mike & El - P) - Run the Jewels 2

24. Tech N9ne - Strangeulation

25. Ras Kass & Apollo Brown - Blasphemy

26. Termanology - Shut Up and Rap

27. J-Live - Around the Sun

28. Chase N, Cashe - The Best There Is…

29. Killa Tay - RNS : Power to the people

30. Swoope - Sinema

31. Ca$his - Euthanasia

32. Divine - Ghetto Rhymin

33. Ghostface Killah - 36 Seasons

34. Black Milk - If There’s a hell below

35. Army of the Pharohs - Heavy Lies the Crown

36. 9th Wonder Presents : Jamla is the Squad

37. Reks & Hazardis Soundz - Eyes Watching God

38. Souls of Mischief - There is Only Now

39. Twista - Dark Horse

40. E-40 - Sharp on all 4 Corners : Corner 2

Best Male R&B / Alternative (Top 20)

1.     Daley - Days & Nights

2.     Sam Smith -In the Lonely Hour

3.     Christian Gray - School of Roses

4.     Kem - Promise to Love

5.     Calvin Richardson -  I am Calvin

6.     Toni Braxton & Baby Face - Love, Marriage, & Divorce

7.     Kindred the Family Soul - A Couple Friends

8.     Santana - Corazon

9.     Prince - Art Official Age

10. George Tandy Jr - The Foundation

11. Terrace Martin - Times

12. Pharell Williams - GIRL

13. J. Holiday - Guilty Concious

14. Chris Brown - X

15. D’Angelo & The Vanguard - Black Messiah

16. Jagged Edge - JE Heartbreak II

17. Trey Songz - Trigga

18. Omarion - Sex Playlist

19. Sebatian Mikael - Speechless

20. Dave Hollister - Chicago Winds...The Saga Continues

Top 20 Female R&B / Alternative  Album 

1.     Leela James - Fall For You

2.     Teyana Taylor - VII

3.     Kelly Price - Sing Pray Love, Vol 1. :Sing

4.     Maryanne Ito - Waking Up

5.     Algebra Blesset - Recovery

6.     Faith Evans - Incomparable

7.     Ledisi - The Truth

8.     Ashanti - Braveheart

9.     Marsha Ambrosius - Friends & Lovers

10. Keyshia Cole - Point of No Return

11. Syleena Johnson -  Chapter 6 : Couples Therapy

12. Mary J Blige - Think Like a Man Too Soundtrack

13. Mariah Carey - Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse

14. Mary J Blige - The London Sessions

15. Kierra Sheard - Graceland

16. Goapele - Strong as Glass

17. Kelis - Food

18. Jessie J - Sweet Talker

19. Jennifer Hudson - JHUD

20. Tinahe - Aquarius

Top 40 Mix tapes

1.     B.o.B. - No Genre 2

2.     Big K.R.I.T - See Me on Top 4

3.     Chris Webby - The Checkup

4.     Fashawn + Alchemist - FASH-ionably late

5.     Nino Bless - Roam 3 Audio Trip

6.     Flex the Antihero - Salem

7.     Troy Ave - BSB vol.4

8.     Cy Hi Tha Prince - Black Hystori Project

9.     Slaughterhouse - House Rules

10. Emilio Rojas -  ZeroFucksGiven

11. Troy Ave - BSB vol. 5

12. Jahlil Beats & CRMC - Legend Dynasty

13. Ransom - Pain & Glory

14. Don Trip - Randy Savage

15. Big K.R.I.T. - Week of K.R.I.T.

16. Kevin Gates - Luca Brasi 2

17. King Los - Zero Gravity 2

18. Nipsey Hussle - Mailbox Money

19. NORE - Noreaster : The 4:20 Mixtape

20. J Cole - Revenge of the Dreamers

21. Fred The Godson - Fat Boy Fresh

22. Flagrance and Youth - Dead Mc Society

23. French Montana - Coke Boys 4

24. Kevin Gates - By Any Means

25. G- Unit - Back to the Streets

26. Hustle Gang - G.D.O.D 2

27. Fame - Not a Role Model

28. Childish Gambino - STN MTN / Kauai Mixtape

29. 2 Chainz - Freebase

30. Hell Rell - Walking Brick

31. Papoose - Hoodie Season pt 2

32. Papoose - Cigar Society

33. Red Café - American Psycho 2

34. Vado - Sinatra

35. Gillie Da Kid - King of Philly 3

36. Onyx - Turndafucup

37. Young Roddy - Route the Ruler

38. Tony Moxberg - New York Times

39. Travis Porter - Music Money Magnums 2

40. Gorilla Zoe - Recovery

R&B Mixtapes ( Top 10)

1.     Marsha Ambosius - FVCK & Love

2.     Raheem DeVaugn  - King of Loveland

3.     Raheem DeVaugn - King of Loveland2

4.     K Michelle - Still No Fucks Given

5.     Adrian Marcel - Weak after Next

6.     Masspike Miles - Skky Miles 3 PT 2: Blocks

7.     Pleasure  P - Break up to make up

8.     Courtney Noelle - Love on the Run

9.     Chris Brown & Trey Songz - TRGA x BRZY

10. The Dream - Royalty : The Prequel EP

Top 20 EP’s  - Hip hop EP’s

1.     Joe Budden - Some Love Lost

2.     Supastition - Honest Living

3.     Ludacris -Burning Bridges

4.     M.O.P - Street Certified

5.     Rapsody - Beauty and the Beast

6.     G-Unit - The Beauty of Independence

7.     Dizzy Wright - State of Mind

8.     Black Milk - Glitches in the Break

9.     Ugly Heroes - Ugly Heroes EP

10. The Lox - The Trinity 2nd Sermon

11. Maino - K.O.B

12. Maino - K.O.B. 2

13. Vince Staples - Hell Can Wait

14. St da Squad - Pages from the Pavement

15. Erk Tha Jerk & Fly Commons - Junk Food & Vegetables

16. Skyzoo - Tomorrow Mornig

17. Camron - 1st of the Month vol.1 -6

18. Astro - Computer Era

19. Red Café - In Us We Trust : The Compilation

20. YG - Blame it on the Streets

R&B EP’s ( Top 15)

1.    KeKe Wyatt - Ke’KE

2.    Ne-Yo - 3 Simple Rules (EP)

3.    Lyrica Anderson - King Me 2

4.    Mya - With Love (EP)

5.    Chrisette Michele - The Lyricist Opus

6.    Mila J - M.I.L.A

7.    JoJo - #LoveJo

8.    Ciara Elise - No Turning Back

9.    Day 26 - The Return(EP)

10. Clare Maguire - Clare Maguire EP

11. Joey Rey - VI (EP)

12. Sza - Z

13. Beyonce  - More

14. Kimberly Cole - The Prelude

15. JRDN - JRDNEP

Top 8 Rookies of the year (No Particular Order)

·      Young Thug

·      Sam Smith

·      School Boy Q

·      Ab-Soul

·      Bobby Shmurda

·      Ty Dolla $ign

·      Teyana Taylor

·      Logic

Next on Deck (No Particular Order)

·      Action Bronson

·      Bas

·       Joey Bada$$

·      Stalley

·       Isiah Rashad

·      Adrian Marcel

·      Rico Love

Top 15 Most Dissapointing Albums (No Particular Order)

·      Mobb Deep - The Infamous Mobb Deep

·      The Roots - … And Then You Shoot Your Cousin

·      Pharoh Monch - (P.T.S.D.) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

·      50 Cent - Animal Ambition

·      School Boy Q - Oxymoron

·      Wu- Tang Clan - A Better Tomorrow

·      Ab-Soul - These Days

·      Joell Ortiz “House Slippers”

·      Step Brothers “Lord Steppington”

·      Boyz II Men “Collide”

·      D’Angelo (and the Vanguard) “Black Messiah”

·      Jagged Edge “J.E. Heartbreak II”

·      Joe “Bridges”

·      Trey Songz “Trigga”

·      Mariah Carey “Me I Am: The Elusive Chanteuse”

Top Producers

1.     DJ Mustard

2.     DJ Premier

3.     Boi - 1da

4.     Timbaland

5.     Dj Dahi

6.     J Cole

7.     Big K.R.I.T.

FIRST-WEEK URBAN CD SALES RANKING (TOP 40):

1.     J . Cole - 2014 Forest Hill Drive ( 371,000 1st week)

2.     Nicki Minaj “ The Pink Print ( 244,000 1st week)

3.     Rick Ross “Mastermind” (179,000 sold 1^st week)

4.     Michael Jackson “Xscape” (157,300 sold 1^st week)

5.     Chris Brown “X” (145,700 sold 1^st week)

6.     Schoolboy Q “Oxymoron” (139,000 sold 1^st week)

7.     Shady Records presents “Shady XV” (138,000 sold 1^st week)

8.     Young Jeezy “Seen It all: The Autobiography” (121,200 sold 1^st week)

9.     Pharrell Williams “G I R L” (113,000 sold 1^st week)

10. Linkin Park “The Hunting Party” (110,600 sold 1^st week)

11. Trey Songz “Trigga” (104,800 sold 1^st week)

12. Weird Al Yankovic “Mandatory Fun” (104,100 sold 1^st week)

13. Wiz Khalifa “Blacc Hollywood” (90,500 sold 1^st week)

14. Lecrae “Anomaly” (88,600 sold 1^st week)

15. Kid Cudi “Satellite Flight: The Journey To Mother Moon” (87,000 sold 1^st week)

16. T.I. “Paperwork” (79,900 sold 1^st week)

17. Rick Ross “Hood Billionaire” (79,300 sold 1^st week)

18. Logic “Under Pressure” (72,600 sold 1^st week)

19. Jhene Aiko “Souled Out” (69,900 sold 1^st week)

20. August Alsina “Testimony” (67,000 sold 1^st week)

21. YG “My Krazy Life” (61,000 sold 1^st week)

22. Mariah Carey “Me, I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse” (58,600 sold 1^st week)

23. Future “Honest” (53,000 sold 1^st week)

24. Iggy Azalea “The New Classic” (51,000 sold 1^st week)

25. Prince “Art Official Age” (51,000 sold 1^st week)

26. Kid Ink “My Own Lane” (50,000 sold 1^st week)

27. Pitbull “Globalization” (48,700 sold 1^st week)

28. 50 Cent “Animal Ambition” (46,700 sold 1^st week)

29. G-Eazy “These Things Happen” (46,100 sold 1^st week)

30. Aloe Blacc “Lift Your Spirit” (45,000 sold 1^st week)

31. Big KRIT “Cadillactica” (44,000 sold 1^st week)

32. Jason Derulo “Talk Dirty” (44,000 sold 1^st week)

33. Tech N9ne Collabos “Strangeulation” (36,000 sold 1^st week)

34. The Game presents “Blood Moon: Year Of The Wolf” (32,900 sold 1^st week)

35. Jennifer Lopez “A.K.A.” (32,900 sold 1^st week)

36. Young Money “Rise Of An Empire” (32,000 sold 1^st week)

37. Prince & 3^rdEyedGirl “Plectrum Electrum” (26,400 sold 1^st week)

38. Andy Mineo “Never Land EP” (26,000 sold 1^st week)

39. Jennifer Hudson “JHUD” (24,000 sold 1^st week)

40. Robin Thicke “Paula” (23,800 sold 1^st week)

TOP URBAN SELLERS:

[SINGLES CERTIFICATIONS in 2014]

John Legend – “All Of Me” [5x Platinum]

Meghan Trainor – “All About That Bass” [4.5x Platinum]

Jason Derulo/2 Chainz “Talk Dirty” [4x Platinu,m]

Sam Smith – “Stay With Me” [4x Platinum]

Ariana Grande/Iggy Azalea – “Problem” [3x Platinum]

2 Chainz – “Birthday Song” [2x Platinum]

Iggy Azalea/Charli XCX – “Fancy” [2x Platinum]

Iggy Azalea/Rita Ora – “Black Widow” [2x Platinum]

Nicki Minaj – “Anaconda” [2x Platinum]

Sia – “Chandelier” [2x Platinum]

Pitbull – “Don’t Stop The Party” [2x Platinum]

Jason Derulo/Snoop Dogg – “Wiggle” [1.5x Platinum]

Jessie J/Ariana Grande/Nicki Minaj – “Bang Bang” [1.5x Platinum]

August Alsina – “I Luv This” [1x Platinum]

Jeremih/YG  – “Don’t Tell ‘Em” [1x Platinum]

Sam Smith – “I’m Not The One” [1x Platinum]

Calvin Harris – “Summer” [1x Platinum]

Charli XCX – “Boom Clap” [1x Platinum]

Christina Perri – “Human” [1x Platinum]

Somo – “Ride” [1x Platinum]

Tinashe/Schoolboy Q – “2 On” [1x Platinum]

Ariana Grande – “Break Free” [1x Platinum]

Demi Lovato – “Really Don’t Care” [1x Platinum]

YG/Drake – “Who Do You Love” [1x Platinum]

Ty Dolla $ign/Wiz Khalifa – “Or Nah” [1x Platinum]

Ed Sheeran “Sing” [1x Platinum]

Fifth Harmony – “Boss” [Gold]

Mr. Probz – “Waves” [Gold]

Nicki Minaj – “Pills N’ Potion” [Gold]

Bobby Shmurda – “Hot Boy” [Gold]

Ed Sheeran  – “Don’t” [Gold]

[ALBUMS CERTIFICATIONS in 2014]

Sam Smith “In the Lonely Hour” [1x Platinum]

Ellie Goulding “Halcyon” [1x Platinum]

Drake “Nothing Was The Same” [1x Platinum]

Kanye West “Yeezus” [1x Platinum]

Kem “Album II” [1x Platinum]

Coldplay “Ghost Stories” [Gold]

Christina Perri “Lovestrong” [Gold]

Ed Sheeran “X” [Gold]

J Cole - 2014 Forest Hills Drive [Gold]

Maroon 5 “V” [Gold]

Pharrell Williams “GIRL” [Gold]

Michael Jackson “Xscape” [Gold]

Ariana Grande “My Everything” [Gold]

Iggy Azalea “The New Classic” [Gold]

Most Anticipated Hip Hop of 2015 (No Particular Order)

·      Action Bronson – “Mr. Wonderful”

·      Andre 3000 - *untitled solo album

·      Big KRIT & Yelawolf  - “Country Cousins”

·      Boosie Bad Ass – “Touch Down 2 Cause Hell”

·      The Clipse – *untitled group album

·      Drake – “View From The 6”

·      50 Cent – “Street King Immortal”

·      G-Unit – *untitled group album

·      Ghostface Killah & MF Doom – “DOOMStarks”

·      Jadakiss – “Top 5 Dead Or Alive”

·      Joey Bada$$ - “B4.DA.$$”

·      Juicy J – “THC: The Hustle Continues”

·      Kanye West – *untitled solo album

·      Kendrick Lamar - *untitled solo album

·      Lil Wayne – “Tha Carter V”

·      Ludacris “Ludaversal”

·      Lupe Fiasco – “Tetsuo & Youth”

·      Missy Elliott - *untitled solo album

·      Nas – *untitled solo album

·      Nipsey Hu$$le – “The Victory Lap”

·      Redman – “Muddy Waters 2”

·      Redman & Method Man – “Blackout 3”

·      Slaughterhouse – “Glass House” (exec. Prod by Just Blaze)

·      Q-Tip – “The Last Zulu”

Most Anticipated R&B (No Particular Order)

Adele – *untitled solo album

Dru Hill – “The Second Coming Of Dru”

Jazmine Sullivan – “Reality Show”

Mario – “Evolve”

Ne-Yo – “Non-Fiction”

Rico Love – “Turn The Lights On”

Rihanna – *untitled solo album

Slin_K’s favorite songs (No Particular Order)

·      BIG KRIT ft Lupe Fiasco - Lost Generation

·      Lambo - B.o.B. ft Kevin Gates, Jake Lambo

·      No Competition - 9th wonder ft. Talib Kweli, Elzi, Phonte

·      OffShore - Slaughterhouse

·      2020 AD - Nino Bless

·      Chosen - B.o.B. ft TI, Spodee

·      Pretty Birds - 9th wonder ft.

·      Trophies - Drake

·      Fall in Love - KeKe Wyatt

·      Lie Under You - Keke Wyatt

·      Conversations with her - Kelly Price

·      W.R.O.H - Ab-Soul - st. JMSN

·      So Ambitious - Troy Ave ft. Avon Blocksdale

·      Your Style - Troy Ave

·      Falls Down - GQ

·      Something Right - Big KRIT ft. Yo Gotti

·      Mt. O lympus - Big KRIT

·      Changes - G- Unit

·      0 to 100 - Drake

·      Garvey - Reks & Hazardis Soundz ft. NORE &  Saigon

·      All I need is You - Lecrae

·      Nobody - Kem

·      Check - Hustle Gang

·      If it aint about the money - TI ft. Young Thug

·      Home in a Minute - Calvin Richardson

·      Feels like Vegas - Tinashe

·      Make a Deal - Joe Budden  ft. Ransom

·      Luxury - Azelia Banks

·      Shampain - Ransom ft Jadakiss, Raekwon

·      Cant Stop - Theophilus London ft. Kanye West

·      Alone Together - Daley ft Marsha Ambrosius

·      Teyana Taylor - Broken Hearted Girl

·      Teyana Taylor - Just Different

·      Add me in - Chris Brown

·      Underground Kings - PRyhme ft School Boy Q & Killer Mike

·      Dat Sound Good -PRyhme ft Ab- Soul, Mac Miller

·      Too Me, Too You - PRhyme ft Jay Electronica

·      Forever - Sebastian Mikael

Lyrics of the year

1.     Phonte - No Competition

2.     Lupe's verse  - Lost Generation

3.     KRIT - hook on Lost Generation

4.     Keving Gates verse - Lambo with B.o.B.

5.    Big Sean’s verse on  - Face Down

6.    GQ’s verse on -  Falls Down

7.     Big Sean’s verse - Detroit vs Everybody

8.    Jay Electronica’s verse on -  To me, To You 

Slin_K

@slin_k_polymath on Twitter