It's been 30 years since Bruce Springsteen released the wildly popular Born In The U.S.A. album, which would go on to become the most popular album of his career, and one of the best selling records of all-time. It's also been 30 years since Ronald Reagan came under fire for using its title track as the theme song to his 1984 Presidential campaign. Like so many other folks, Reagan didn't seem to get the point. Despite the cheerful melody, the song was not a flag-waving anthem, but rather a sad story of a Vietnam vet who has trouble finding work after the war. But many people chose to ignore the lyrics because they simply got caught up in the melody, and how easy it was to simply chant "born in the U.S.A." without thinking of the deeper lyrical content behind those words.

To some degree, this was understandable. If we're being honest, there are plenty of people who don't pay a great deal of attention to the lyrics, and just focus on the catchy tune. That's why people were stunned to find out that Third Eye Blind's "Semi-Charmed Life" was about crystal meth, even though it's referenced directly in the lyrics without any attempt to be covert about. Most people just knew it as the "doo doo doo" song and paid no attention to whatever was going on in the verses.

Sometimes dark lyrics and a dark melody still aren't enough to get people to understand what a song is trying to do. Consider Kendrick Lamar's single "Swimming Pools (Drank)," which became one of late 2012/early 2013's more enduring hits. It's hard not to read this song as anything other than a condemnation of alcohol abuse, and when Lamar mentions his grandfather doing the "golden flask backstroke every day in Chicago," we're supposed to understand that this was a reference to someone who had a serious problem with alcohol. And if that wasn't enough, the beat is dark and foreboding, seemingly intended to warn someone of the dark road they are headed for if they don't stop turning it up a notch. While it was easier to just think of it as a fun drinking anthem, it was hard to ignore the voice in our heads that desperately wants to view the idea of getting a swimming pool of liquor and diving in it as a pretty fucking fun activity.

So, where is this conversation headed? Quite simply, people have a long history of ignoring both lyrics and their deeper meaning so that they can make the song into whatever they want. Consider the war that was fought over "Blurred Lines" last summer. For many, lyrics in the song that seem to promote rape culture were an unavoidable fact, and the song was condemned by a lot of people, but it still spent more time at the top of the charts than any other song that year. So, how could that be? Were people nakedly approving of lyrics that seemed to take some highly questionable stances on sexual assault? Well, maybe in some instances, but for the most part, people just wanted to dance to a catchy song. They didn't want to think about what the lyrics were actually saying because if we're being honest, pop music is a form of escapism. That's why the backlash to the song was met with such anger: for people who didn't consider what the lyrics were saying, they could only wonder why those pesky feminists were trying to ruin their good time.

To some degree, misinterpreting song lyrics is understandable and unavoidable. Hell, I'd be lying if I told you I never took a second look at a song I thought I had a firm grip on and thought "wait, THAT'S what that song's about?!," so I can certainly relate. At the same time, I do wonder if we're doing all we can to work towards understanding what the songs we love are actually saying. There's nothing wrong with loving music as a form of escapism, but we should spend a little time thinking about the messages our favorite bands are trying to project. If not, we risk having the message be cheapened, or worse, disappear from the conversation altogether, It's enough to raise the question: if we don't care about our favorite songs mean, do they really mean anything at all?

I've become increasingly convinced that the Grammys' sole purpose for existence is to give people something to complain about. I mean, no one's opinion of any musician has ever been altered by finding out that that artist won a Grammy, but if the old fogies who run the joint give an award to the wrong person, we can moan about it till the cows come home. This year, we didn't even need to wait for the show to start.

Isaiah Rashad ft. Jay Rock & Schoolboy Q - "Shot U Down Remix"

As a wholly owned subsidiary of Top Dawg Entertainment, Straight Dope is obligated to post about any new releases until Kendrick Lamar becomes so powerful he undergoes fusion and engulfs the globe in burning hellfire. He’s not even on this track, but that didn’t stop it from being dope to nth power. This remix pulls double duty, showcasing Isaiah Rashad’s preternatural rapping talents, while also showcasing Schoolboy Q’s ability to deeply hurt me by sneaking in an admission that we might not see Oxymoron until next year.



Archie Bang - "Apollo Creed"

Tyler, The Creator, Hodgy Beats, Domo Genesis & Earl Sweatshirt - "Look"

I'll stop writing about them when they stop rapping like this. On three, everyone say who they think has the best verse.

Act like you ain't know it's Earl.



Schoolboy Q - "Banger (MOSHPIT)"

I wish Sample Clearance Issues was an actual person so someone could run a drive-by on this dude. He'd be smugly strolling out of some rich asshole restaurant with a three million dollar wine cellar like he owned the whole block. And you just know he ordered his steak well-done. The valet would be all, "Here's your Maybach, Mr. Issues," and then Q (or Q's homie, more likely) would roll up in a late-model Cadillac (like they did Pac) and just light that whole shit up.

Confident the job was done, Schoolboy would come over to my house with a factory sealed copy of Oxymoron and we would take drugs and stay up all night listening to it while he slept with my girlfriend and I listened to it alone with no drugs at all.

Oxymoron still has no release date. Have this instead.



Pusha T ft. Kendrick Lamar - "Nosetalgia"

Apt title for a track by a dude who absolutely can't stop talking about selling that powder. But here we have entered the dangerous waters of Best New Music territory. We've got two emcees on top of their shit reminiscing about the way their lives were touched by drugs in extremely different ways. It's just goddamn fantastic to see Pusha's glamorization of the life juxtaposed with Kendrick watching his family members sink into addiction.

The music video itself is a hell of a thing, a minimalist evening stroll through a black and white Compton. If you pick one track to put on your playlist today, this is the one.

And, hey, Kendrick Lamar! Every song he's featured on since "Control" has felt like the next leg of his victory parade which I expect to continue all the way up until Thanksgiving Day when he hijacks the Sesame Street float and goes in on Big Bird for being soft as hell.

Eminem ft. Liz Rodrigues - "Survival"

Eminem is back with a new anthem to listen to while kicking open your ex-wife's front door. This is not the best song you'll hear all year, but believe me when I say that you will hear it. This has sporting event playoff banger written all over it. Even when Em is dropping irrelevant "ain't never gonna' stop me" radio hits, the man still has flow. Give it a listen but skip the hook.




The next time you think about putting off writing the next great American novel or finally learning how to play the guitar, recall that Earl Sweatshirt is only 19 years old.

And Kendrick Lamar is watching you.

Edwang: Buffalo remixer, former Bills great? Maybe not on the latter, but the San Diego ex-pat, and current Buffalo resident, does have a thing for remixing Yooth Lagoon tunes with some contemporary hip hop jams. On his dreamy new track that debuted this week, Edwang mixes YL's "Afternoon" and "Poetic Justice" by Kendrick Lamar and Drake. Word is Edwang was nursing a busted up elbow while mixing the tune, resulting in this peracent fueled mashup Turn the lights off and watch your iTunes visualizer to this one.

Tonight is Spring Fest, which because of this past week’s cold weather and rain will be held indoors at Alumni Arena on UB’s North Campus instead of down the street at scenic Baird Point. Happy spring! The good news is that Steve Aoki and Kendrick Lamar are playing.

Normally, I groan at what UB's Student Association has to offer for their annual Fall and Spring Fests. When I was in high school, UB landed Outkast. Outkast! Now a days, their fests have fallen into some pretty predictable bills. One is usually some cut of the mill pop/punk crap and the other is a flavor-of-the-moment hip hop act. But this time around, UB, you did good. Looks like Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar, whose Good Kid, m.A.A.d City was named one of the best albums of 2012, will be performing at Baird Point at the Amherst campus on Sunday, April 14th. Joining Lamar will be house musician Steve Aoki. All UB undergrads get in for free, while general public tickets will soon be made available through the Student Association at UB's North Campus.   

Coming off one of the most talked about mixtapes of 2011, LiveLoveA$AP, Harlem rapper A$AP Rocky has finally delivered his major label debut album after nearly four months of label pushback. LongLiveA$AP flaunts all of the MC's strengths that stood out on his debut and delivers the crossover appeal that his earlier material hinted at. Rocky's best asset has proved to be his taste and ability to create atmospheric tracks working with producers like Clams Casino which helped the rapper get noticed for his hazy aesthetic. While this heavy reliance on production could have led to a style over substance approach where the rhymes and lyrical content suffer as a result, it is clear that Rocky has become a more confident lyricist and has learned to match his flows to his instrumentals in a way that feels like the MC has gained vision as a songwriter and has the ability to create more resonant hooks and choruses.

The album's opening title track picks up where the Harlem artist left off on LiveLoveA$AP, with an airy beat whose crass vocal sample provides a percussive element that allows for an elusive flow to settle in and let Rocky provide his mission statement where he discusses his trajectory from an unknown rapper given a major label deal based on a few Youtube videos to a high profile artist who has been embraced by the hip hop community as well as high fashion designers responsible for some of the downright strange threads he can be caught wearing. The following track "Goldie" was released last year as a single and features a beat from producer Hit-Boy that is as bass heavy as it is instantly memorable for its' Houston style screwed and chopped hook.

On "PMW," Los Angeles rapper Schoolboy Q returns to collaborate after delivering the guest verse of the year on LiveLoveA$AP's "Brand New Guy" which brought him onto the radar of hip-hop blogs and publications. The track features a West coast style instrumental with Rocky's screwed and chopped vocal hook that he often relies upon. The production work of Clams Casino also returns on LongLiveA$AP with "LVL" where the New Jersey artist's hazy track allows A$AP to unleash one of his most unique flows on the record.

The second single from the album, "Fuckin' Problems" feels like a statement on Rocky's elevated status as an artist, bringing in Drake, 2 Chainz, and Kendrick Lamar for guest verses. Undoubtedly the track that will garner the most radio airplay given the hook, however the track sounds little like much of the work the rapper has thrived in and feels like a step away from the highly stylized production that initially brought him to our attention.

Perhaps the most unexpected collaboration of the record happens on "Wild for the Night" with a beat from Dubstep producer Skrillex. A high energy electronic beat lets Rocky go in on one of his most aggressive flows to date and create a track that brings together the EDM and Hip-hop worlds in a way that feels like a natural extension of both. "1 Train" brings us back to mid 90's New York rap where collaborations would feature multiple MC's dropping verse after verse for the duration of the track with no hook or chorus. The track features verses from Kendrick Lamar, Brooklyn boom-bap revivalist Joey Bada$$, Yelawolf, Danny Brown, who delivers his signature cartoonish flow, as well as Action Bronson and Big K.R.I.T. Despite the obvious stylistic differences among these artists, each verse complements the flow of the track and proves that talented rappers can create a song given any beat no matter how outside their element it may sound. LongLiveA$AP is an extension of the talents of a young artist who has an eclectic taste for instrumentals and the range to match his ambition. With only two full length releases to his name A$AP Rocky has taken steps to broaden the soundscape of Hip-hop and push the limits of what sounds can be used to create an aesthetic true to the genre's essence.

Grade: B+

So, a few weeks ago I came out with my Best of 2012 list, and for the most part I was pleased with how it turned out. I managed to include a lot of the albums I really liked this year, as well as a fairly diverse selection of artists and genres. With that said, my list fell victim to one common problem with end-of-the-year countdowns: there were still a lot of albums from this year that I hadn't heard yet.

And really, there's still a ton of haven't gotten around to. After all, music is a vast, vast universe, with thousands of new releases each year. It would be pretty much impossible for anyone to make a "definitive" list of the best albums of any year, because no one could have possibly listened to all of them, unless they have absolutely no life whatsoever. Still, I think my list missed two big ones, and I'd like to fix that right now. If I could take another crack at it, there were two other albums that I definitely would've included: Japandroids excellent second album Celebration Rock and Kendrick Lamar's Good Kid, m.A.A.D City, which was one of the best debut albums in recent memory.

BuffaBLOG's pilgrimage to Pitchfork Music Festival is out of respect for the voice that Pitchfork Media provides for independent music all over the world. It's no secret that their media facilitates the exploration of music while also providing opinionated reporting that allows the readers to decide what they like and dislike. Because Pitchfork reaches so many unique individuals across the world, they and their readers help to expose the freshest Artists.

When it comes to Hip-Hop this is most certainly the case. While not ignoring the Commercial Hip-Hop industry, Pitchfork's coverage tends to lean towards the Rappers of the underground. Focusing on up-and-coming individuals with unique talents.

A$AP Rocky: photo by Brock Fetch

This year's Pitchfork Music Festival at Union Park in Chicago July 13-15 will feature many of those same buzz-worthy artists. Most notable is A$AP ROCKY who came into the light last year as a young buck with a high-talent ceiling. His interesting music on the mixtape LiveLoveA$AP excited many and caused him to get so much attention via the internet. Likely because five of the tracks on that mixtape was produced by another critically acclaimed Pitchfork Music Festival artist CLAMS CASINO. He gained notoriety for his brilliant genre-bending productions for both A$AP Rocky and also The Based God, Lil B. Many will tell you that both he and ARAABMUZIK are two of the best Hip-Hop style producers outside of the mainstream right now. Along with producing, AraabMuzik is an incredible performer. Using multiple samplers as live instruments he precisely plays unlike any other.

Young Southern gentleman BIG K.R.I.T will also get to display his talents. His sliding country style is definitely influenced by his predecessors Outkast and UGK. He is one of the unknown true talents in the Rap world, producing tracks for artists like, Wiz Khalifa, Curren$y, Smoke DZA, Ludacris, and Chris Brown.

Kendrick Lamar: photo by Jeff Forney

Additionally getting the nod from Pitchfork are South-Central Los Angeles rappers KENDRICK LAMAR and SCHOOLBOY Q from the 'Black Hippy' Hip-Hop group. Lamar's Independent release of Section.80 last year turned many heads and was revered as new Alternative Hip-Hop. It's a smooth laid back style, very California, but more importantly lyrically relevant. Unlike the Commercial Rappers of the world these two artists, and for that matter all of the Hip-Hop Artists at the Pitchfork Music Festival, are spitting lyrics that tell a story about humanity today. Not Diamonds, nor Yachts. And who couldn't that be more true about than DANNY BROWN? His "Radio Song" is a original slam at Rappers who are complacent making songs for profit only rather than creating meaningful music. He will be front-and-center on Saturday night to show off his zany personality.

Danny Brown: photo by Ysa Perez

One commonality of the Hip-Hop artists at this year's Pitchfork Music festival is that they all are going agains the grain of what Rap music has become. So although people can tend to scoff at the terms used to describe these branches off like "Alternative Hip-Hop" "Trillwave" or "R-Neg-B" it may very well be these sub-genres that save Hip-Hop from itself. Pitchfork Music Festival has curated the best of these acts to showcase the potential of where Rap music can go in the future.

The Pitchfork Music Festival is July 13-15 at Union Park in Chicago, IL. For the entire schedule and lineup check out their festival website HERE.