Reviews

Here’s A Track by Track Review of Philthy Rich’s “Sem God”

Published

5 years ago

December 2, 2017

Weasel

We’ve been anticipating Philthy Rich’s new project, Sem God. His tantalizing flow makes for good party music or chill music. His versatility is why he’s still around after years of putting in hard work. Changing things up for a pace, we’ve decided to do a track by track review for Sem God. Inspired by DJ Booth, we’re going to listen to each track one time and give our honest thoughts.

Sem God

Only Philthy can start an album off on a high note without any introduction. There’s no inspirational intros, skits, or eye-rolling phone conversations meant to make us anticipate the album that we’re listening to even more. He goes off on a beat that sounds as if it was created on the steps of the church down the street. The pounding bass compliments Philthy’s silky flow to perfection. I’m almost tempted to say that this is my favorite song so far and the album just started. How will he able to keep up the already impossibly high standard he’s just set?

Around ft. Gucci Mane and Yhung T.O.

You can never go wrong with a verse from Gucci Mane, arguably the hottest rapper on the planet at the moment. Anything he touches turns into gold. Combine his sneaky flow with Philthy’s machine gun delivery and you have a track that’s nearly diamond. The production is kind of one note which detracts from the song’s replayability a tad. But it’s something that will be played on the highways of Los Angeles next summer for sure.

My Zone ft. Marko Penn

How could you describe the classic Bay Area sound? It’s very positive, energetic, and bouncy. Philthy emulates that style of rap with this track, bereft with a feature from an R & B artist able to flow on the hook nicely. This ode to women is another high point in the tracklist so far, probably beating Sem God as my current favorite. Besides the romantically charged lyrics, the production is another high point. As simple as it is, it’s perfect for the idea that the song entails.

Winning Team

Ah, we return to the Bay Area bounce for what feels like a dark flip of “My Zone.” Come play for the winning team is the message of this track, but the light-hearted delivery of the previous track has all but vanished. This is a commanding call towards women while being a chance for Philthy to flex his accomplishments as well. It’s a good track and it’s made all the more powerful by being played right after “My Zone.”

Dead Fresh ft. Money Man

From the instant that this track starts, it’s clear that this is something special. It’s different from everything else so far – it’s quiet and intimate. Money Man on this track sounds like he’s emulating the sing-songy flow of Future, but it works well. Philthy reveals that what he’s writing is off the head on this song. As fast as he raps, it’s almost unbelievable. It’s a great track, but something special feels missing. There should have been a Gucci feature on this song instead.

This One ft. Bankroll Fresh

Loud, commanding tracks are what Philthy Rich is known for. He returns to form here with a boastful track backed by commanding production as well. It’s a decent inclusion, but ultimately forgettable. I understand the message that he was going for though. Basically, everyone who ever doubted him should be eating dog shit. Bankroll Fresh’s inclusion is a brutal reminder of his untimely death. Rest up, Bankroll.

No Extras

I’m noticing a trend. When Philthy goes for darker production, he goes even harder. Imagine what he’d sound like over a Metro Boomin beat. “No Extras” might be the closest that we’ve seen so far – he’s stepped it up even more. He’s got no answer for you no matter what you ask. There’s a lot of numbers he’s throwing out on here. It’s making my head spin just thinking about it.

Big Dawg Status ft. YFN Lucci, Young Dolph, and Lil Durk

Alas, this is what I’ve been waiting for. Just crude, angry, and boastful – the perfect recipe for the go-to hype song at the gym. The beat is largely irrelevant – it’s a little lacking on the bass side – but the verses from Philthy, YFN Lucci, Young Dolph, and Lil Durk are nothing short of spectacular. I was actually shocked to hear these four together on a song. Even more, Philthy managed to bring each artist’s A game.

24 Hours ft. Payroll Giovanni and Team Eastside Peezy

Philthy Rich goes for that classic Detroit sound with this track, featuring D-Town heavyweights Payroll Giovanni and Team Eastside Peezy, and Bay Area artist Mozzy. He fucks with the D, that’s a known fact as he so eloquently puts it. He also gives us a mantra to live by: “We got the same 24 hours in a day. Stop wasting time nigga, get paid.” It’s another strong point to an already strong album.

Free JBay

This track is an ode to an associate named J Bay and it doubles as a speaker-rattling powerhouse. It’s relatively straightforward but you can feel the sentiment that he expresses for his fallen comrades, whether they’re dead or they are in the penitentiary. It’s a heartfelt song that will be added to my rotation in the next couple of days.

Plug Conversation (Bonus Track) ft. Allstar JR

Why is this a bonus track? This furious beat is the perfect pairing for Philthy Rich and featured artist Allstar JR. Philthy and JR both give strong verses about being the plug and the typical mainstays of rap superstardom. A side note: Allstar JR is quickly becoming one of the funniest rappers I’ve heard in recent memory. His comedic punchlines – I’m not sure if they’re written to be funny – remind me of Ludacris. He has a bright future ahead of him in rap.

Right Now (Bonus Track) ft. SOB X RBE, Ziggy

To cap off this album, Philthy delves back into that classic Bay Area sound to send us home on a high note. The hook for this song is a killer; props to the strong songwriting. This, like Plug Conversation, would be valuable admissions into the main tracklist. It’s a shame that they are delegated to bonuses. But then again, since they’re included with the main album, maybe that denotation should be ignored.

Overall, this is one solid album from Philthy. He continues to show his consistency and his ability to spit with the best of them. There’s no rust in his blood; he’s like the Terminator in his ability to keep going no matter what.

Score: 4/5

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Reviews

THE 1975 TO PLAY BIGGEST EVER UK HEADLINE SHOW AT FINSBURY PARK THIS SUMMER

Published

1 month ago

February 13, 2023

Weasel

The 1975 today announce their biggest ever UK headline show at London’s Finsbury Park this summer, alongside a truly brilliant line-up of acts joining them for a monumental day of music for 40,000+ fans.

The event takes place on Sunday, 2 July 2023 and The 1975 will be supported by acts including Texan dream-pop band Cigarettes After Sex, New Jersey rock outfit Bleachers, electronica-pop act The Japanese House and emo-rock band American Football, for a day of unbeatable live music, with even more acts to be announced imminently. Tickets go on general sale Friday 17^th February HERE.

Formed in Manchester in 2002, The 1975 have firmly established themselves as an act at the forefront of their generation. The band has been crowned ‘Best Group’ at the BRIT Awards twice and won the Award for Best Rock/Alternative Act at this year’s 2023 ceremony. Their fifth album ‘Being Funny in a Foreign Language’ was their fifth consecutive no.1 album in the UK. Just last month, the band completed a UK leg of their ‘At Their Very Best’ tour, including two dates at London’s O2 Arena, to wide critical acclaim. They will now headline London’s Finsbury Park after initial plans to do so in 2020 were scuppered by the global pandemic.

The 1975’s five-album career has encompassed glossy pop, punk, garage rock, electro-funk, country and so much more. The English rockers have designed a unique approach to songwriting and amassed an incredible following and ardent fanbase through their music which explores mental health, addiction, climate change and nihilism – to reference just a few songs. Latest album, 2022’s ‘Being Funny In A Foreign Language’, was praised for its enigmatic and ‘contradictory’ songcraft and their viral ‘At Their Very Best Tour’ not only executed a show-within-a-show concept whilst delivering a tirade of hits, but featured Taylor Swift as a surprise guest at one London show.

2023’s most famous British band promise only more showstopping moments this summer at London’s Finsbury’s Park, and they will not be alone. The band is bringing with them an array of acts with their own unique takes on pop and rock for an unsurpassable day of live music in N4, London.

Cigarettes After Sex hail from El Paso, Texas, and released their debut eponymous album in 2017 after recording it over three days in Brooklyn, NYC. Their music has been hailed for its modern take on romance and bringing together dream pop with elements of alt-country – all with a serious edge. Singer Greg Gonzalez powerful and distinct voice has reverberated across countless countries around the world, and will come to Finsbury Park this July as part of a string of global shows across Mexico, China and more.

Described as “anthemic, life affirming pop rock” by the New York Times, Bleachers are fronted by eight-time Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, musician, and producer, Jack Antonoff. Releasing their debut album ‘Strange Desire’ in 2014, the band have built a huge following across three studio albums, becoming renowned for their impressive live show. As a songwriter and producer, Antonoff, who, in 2021, was credited by the BBC for having“ redefined pop music,” has collaborated with the likes of Diana Ross, Taylor Swift, The 1975, Lorde, St. Vincent, Florence + The Machine, Lana Del Rey, Kevin Abstract and many more.

The solo project of London-based singer-songwriter Amber Bain, The Japanese House made their first foray into music after being introduced to The 1975’s Matty Healy – and went on to release a pair of EPs with the band’s label Dirty Hit in 2015. Debut album ‘Good At Falling’ followed in 2019, bringing together Bain’s dreamy take on electronica into a shimmering collection of songs which cemented The Japanese House as a true pioneer in British music with incredible promise.

American Football released their first album back in 1999 during college before disbanding and reuniting 15 years later, having quietly amassed a consistently growing fanbase on the underground / emo scene. Their album was later honoured by Rolling Stone as one of the ’40 greatest emo albums of all time’ and described by Pitchfork as one of the most influential in its genre. Their influence only continues to grow and music fans can expect a journey through the past, present and future of emo from their set at Finsbury Park this July.

There are many more acts to be added to the bill imminently. With so much on offer from acts at the forefront of their genres, music fans will not want to miss out on what is set to be one of the most talked about live events of the summer.

Tickets for the Finsbury Park show go on pre-sale from 9am Wednesday 15^th February (HERE), and on general sale from 9am Friday 17^th February.

Reviews

Serato Launches Studio 2.0 with the Revolutionary “Stems” Technology, A New Landmark In Beatmaking and Audio Production

Published

2 months ago

January 23, 2023

Weasel

Always ahead of the curve, Serato has changed the game before and they’re about to do it again. The audio production experts have outdone themselves with Serato Studio 2.0, the fastest and most intuitive DAW on the market for making beats. The new DAW provides a robust home for the revolutionary Serato Stems technology, a monumental innovation in the world of sampling and audio manipulation.

“Serato Stems is the biggest moment in sampling since the MPC,” says Cookin Soul, the GRAMMY Award-winning producer/DJ

Powered by Serato’s one-of-a-kind machine-learning algorithm, Stems enables producers to instantaneously isolate and manipulate four different audio stems, while keeping the sterling audio quality for which Serato is known. Stems splits audio into distinct tracks for vocals, bass, drums, and melodies, enabling producers to instantly create acapellas and instrumental tracks and providing easy integration of additional samples or original sounds with the push of a button.

“It’s like y’all use some kind of alien technology or something,” says acclaimed producer Dibia$e, “because the drums sound clean, the bassline sounds clean.”

Now embedded in Serato Studio’s powerful sampler, Serato Stems delivers infinite possibilities for sampling and unique sound creation. In seconds, users are able to isolate, flip, layer, and chop with finger-snapping ease without sacrificing sound quality, giving them greater freedom to sample how they’ve always wanted to sample. As platforms like TikTok have made remixes and mashups increasingly relevant and lucrative, Serato and Stems can help producers find an audience and more easily express their boundless creativity.

“With this update, Serato Studio is the center of my universe. This is a big moment for music production,” says DJ Khalil who is nominated for two Grammys this year for his work on Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.

Stems made its debut in Serato DJ 3.0 in the fall, and in just a few short months, it has already made a major impact on the culture. Over 50,000 DJs joined the Beta testing period, making it the most popular beta in Serato history. One of those DJs was New York-based DJ Saige. A member of the Serato Academy, Saige used Stems to create her viral remix of Coi Leray’s “Players.” Saige isolated Coi’s acapella and laid it on top of the beat from Busta Rhymes’ “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See,” creating a buoyant mashup that generated over 387k unique creations on TikTok, becoming one of the most popular sounds on the platform. Inspiring dances from the likes of Shaq, Ciara, and Coi Leray herself (in a video that racked up over 17 million views), Saige’s remix earned an official release on all platforms from Republic Records, helping “Players” reach the Billboard Hot 100.

“The fact that we can get acapella is a huge, huge cheat code for DJs and producers everywhere,” says rising beatmaker Boston Chery. “This is really crazy.”

Stems has already made a major impact in the world of DJing, and its inclusion in Serato Studio 2.0 allows for even more refined sounds and fresh flips. A new functionality that gives producers the fluidity and inspiration to keep up in this digital age, Stems is only getting started.

#SeratoStems #SeratoStudio
Check out Serato Stems in Studio 2.0: https://serato.com/studio/stems

Watch world-renowned DJ and Producer Skratch Bastid demonstrate the power of Stems in Serato DJ here.

Check out more information about Studio 2.0 and Stems on Serato’s official website

Reviews

Rolling Loud Portugal 2023 Brings Travis Scott, Playboi Carti, and Meek Mill to the Beaches of Portimåo

Published

2 months ago

January 23, 2023

Weasel

Rolling Loud‘s mission to bring the best in rap music to fans across the globe grows more ambitious by the day. Today, Rolling Loud announces the star-studded lineup for Rolling Loud Portugal 2023, the anticipated second edition of their beachside festival. Headlined by Travis Scott, Playboi Carti, and Meek Mill, the Rolling Loud Portugal lineup offers some of the biggest names in hip-hop on both sides of the Atlantic, plus names from the ascendant Portuguese scene.

Included among the lineup’s stacked undercard are U.S.-based superstars like Lil Durk, Latto, Lil Uzi Vert, and Kodak Black, and UK heavy-hitters like Central Cee and D-Block Europe. Returning to picturesque Portimåo and keeping a new tradition going, Rolling Loud Portugal touches down on July 5th-7th, 2023. Tickets go on sale at 1pm GMT on Thursday, 1/26HERE.

Rolling Loud Portugal 2023 is a major pillar in the festival’s massive international expansion, which kicks into high gear this year. The big year kicks off with Rolling Loud Thailand 2023, the brand’s first-ever event in Asia, which makes at Legend Siam in Pattaya on April 13th-15th, 2023. Portugal is one of three European bashes hosted by Rolling Loud in the summer, a collection that also includes the first-ever Rolling Loud Germany, headlined by Travis Scott and others to be announced, and Rolling Loud Rotterdam, the second Rolling Loud event in The Netherlands, headlined by Travis Scott and Kendrick Lamar. Stay tuned for lineup announcements for these festivals in the near future.

The next stop on Rolling Loud’s world tour is Rolling Loud California 2023, which returns to Los Angeles in just a few weeks. Headlined by Travis Scott, Future, and Playboi Carti, Rolling Loud California 2023 is the festival brand’s first event in Los Angeles County since 2019. Hosted in Hollywood Park, on the grounds adjacent to SoFi Stadium, in Inglewood, CA, Rolling Loud California touches down on March 3-5, 2023. Stay tuned for the main event in July, when the brand’s flagship event, Rolling Loud Miami 2023, returns for the eighth time.

Led by its founders Matt Zingler and Tariq Cherif, Rolling Loud is the most powerful rap festival in history. Stay tuned for many more announcements, as Rolling Loud continues to lead the vanguard of live music experiences in hip-hop and beyond.

Buy tickets for Rolling Loud Portugal HERE

Stay tuned for more info, and check out Rolling Loud Portugal on Instagram for all the latest updates.

Watch clips and full performances at Rolling Loud’s YouTube

Buy Rolling Loud Merch: shoprollingloud.com