The Warm Up (album)
''The Warm Up'' is the second official mixtape from Fayetteville, North Carolina rapper J. Cole. It was released on June 15, 2009. J. Cole produced the majority of the mixtape with help from Elite, and Syience. The mixtape has been viewed over 3,100,000 times, streamed over 451,000 times, and downloaded over 700,000 times on DatPiff. The mixtape went Double Platinum on DatPiff. Background In November, the single "Lights Please" was released. It was met with great critical acclaim, and caught the attention of rap mogul JAY Z. In December 2008, J. Cole dropped the mixtape "The Warm Up To The Warm Up". This mixtape was released as promotion for "The Warm Up". It included many songs that would make the final cut such as “Grown Simba”, “Dollar And A Dream II”, "'Til Infinity" and the original version of “ In The Morning” - a song that would later be remixed and included on Friday Night Lights. Then, in January 2009, Cole released the promotional single "I Got It". Recept ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Conscious Hip Hop
Political hip hop is a subgenre of hip hop music that was developed in the 1980s as a way of turning hip hop into a call for political and/or social action and a form of social and/or political activism. Inspired by 1970s political artists such as The Last Poets and musician Gil Scott-Heron, Public Enemy was the first predominantly political hip-hop group. The genre has helped to create a new form of social expression for subordinate groups to speak about their exclusions, injustices and lack of power. Political hip-hop is the use of hip hop music to send political messages to inspire action or social change or to convince the listener of a particular worldview. There is no all-encompassing political hip-hop ideology; rather, there are multiple perspectives that range anywhere from anarchism to Marxism to the values of the Five-Percent Nation. Hip hop and politics have long been intertwined, with many hip hop artists using their music as a means to speak out about political ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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JAY Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of the most influential hip-hop artists. He was the CEO of Def Jam Recordings and he has been central to the creative and commercial success of artists including Kanye West, Rihanna, and J. Cole. Born and raised in New York City, Jay-Z first began his musical career in the late 1980s; he co-founded the record label Roc-A-Fella Records in 1995 and released his debut studio album ''Reasonable Doubt'' in 1996. The album was released to widespread critical success, and solidified his standing in the music industry. He went on to release twelve additional albums, including the acclaimed albums ''The Blueprint'' (2001), '' The Black Album'' (2003), ''American Gangster'' (2007), and '' 4:44'' (2017). He also released the full-length collaborati ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Royal Flush (song)
"Royal Flush" is the debut solo single by American rapper and OutKast member Big Boi. The track was released on March 24, 2008 and it features fellow OutKast member André 3000 as well as Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon. It was the first time the three rappers collaborated with each other in 10 years since "Skew It on the Bar-B" off of OutKast's third album Aquemini in 1998. The song was intended to be included as part of Big Boi's debut solo album '' Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty'', but was removed from it, due to legal complications from Big Boi resigning from Jive Records. This song contains sampled elements from the song "Voyage to Atlantis" by the Isley Brothers between each verse. Big Boi refers to this when at the end of his verse he says, "take a voyage to Atlantis". The song was nominated for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 51st Grammy Awards The 51st Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, on February 8, 2009, h ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Hank Crawford
Bennie Ross "Hank" Crawford, Jr. (December 21, 1934 – January 29, 2009) was an American Alto saxophone, alto saxophonist, arranger and songwriter whose genres ranged from Rhythm and blues, R&B, hard bop, jazz-funk, and soul jazz. Crawford was musical director for Ray Charles before embarking on a solo career releasing many well-regarded albums for labels such as Atlantic Records, Atlantic, CTI Records, CTI and Milestone Records, Milestone. Biography Crawford was born in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. He began formal piano studies at the age of nine and was soon playing for his church choir. His father had brought an alto saxophone home from the service and when Hank entered Manassas High School, he took it up in order to join the band. He credits Charlie Parker, Louis Jordan, Earl Bostic and Johnny Hodges as early influences. Crawford appears on an early 1952 Memphis recording for B.B. King, with a band including Ben Branch and Ike Turner. In 1958, Crawford went to colle ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Wildflower (Skylark Song)
"Wildflower" is a song written by Doug Edwards and Dave Richardson in 1972. First performed by the Canadian band Skylark, it has been covered by many artists and more recently has been sampled in a number of hip hop songs. The title, "Wildflower", is not mentioned in the song. The closest line to the title occurs as the final line of the repeated chorus: "She's a free and gentle flower growing wild". Skylark recording Doug Edwards was a member of Skylark, and Dave Richardson was a friend of band member and organizer David Foster. Edwards composed "Wildflower" after reading a poem by Richardson; the song was included on the band's demo tape. Barry De Vorzon, by 1972 an established music business name, heard the demo tape and was convinced that the song would be a big hit. After the demo was rejected by several studios, an executive at Capitol Records signed the band and the song—with Donny Gerrard doing the vocal—was included on their eponymous first album. The initial singl ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of the most influential hip-hop artists. He was the CEO of Def Jam Recordings and he has been central to the creative and commercial success of artists including Kanye West, Rihanna, and J. Cole. Born and raised in New York City, Jay-Z first began his musical career in the late 1980s; he co-founded the record label Roc-A-Fella Records in 1995 and released his debut studio album ''Reasonable Doubt (album), Reasonable Doubt'' in 1996. The album was released to widespread critical success, and solidified his standing in the music industry. He went on to release twelve additional albums, including the acclaimed albums ''The Blueprint'' (2001), ''The Black Album (Jay-Z album), The Black Album'' (2003), American Gangster (album), ''American Gangs ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Dead Presidents (song)
"Dead Presidents" is a 1996 song by American rapper Jay-Z. It was released as the first promotional single for Jay-Z's debut album ''Reasonable Doubt'', though it did not directly appear on the album: a different version of the song with the same backing track and chorus but with different lyrics called "Dead Presidents II" appeared on ''Reasonable Doubt''. "Dead Presidents II" was voted number 16 in About.com's Top 100 Rap Songs and number two in ''Rolling Stone''s Top 50 Jay-Z Songs. The title is slang for money because portraits of dead United States presidents appear on most Federal Reserve Notes. The song was produced by Ski. "Dead Presidents" samples multiple artists including Lonnie Liston Smith's "A Garden of Peace" for the track's melody and A Tribe Called Quest's " Oh My God (remix)" for its percussion; the chorus is a sample of Nas rapping "I'm out for dead presidents to represent me", from his 1994 song " The World Is Yours (Tip Mix)". Music video The music video fe ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli Greene (; born October 3, 1975) is an American rapper. He earned recognition early on through his collaboration with fellow Brooklyn rapper Mos Def in 1997, when they formed the group Black Star. Kweli's musical career continued with solo success including collaborations with producers and rappers Kanye West, Just Blaze, and Pharrell Williams. His most recent album, ''Gotham'', was released in 2020. In 2011, Kweli founded his own record label, Javotti Media. Early life Born in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, Kweli grew up in a household in Brooklyn's Park Slope. His mother, Brenda Greene, is an English professor at Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York, and his father is an administrator at Adelphi University. His younger brother, Jamal Greene, is a professor of constitutional law at Columbia Law School and a graduate of Harvard University and Yale Law School, and former clerk to Justice John Paul Stevens on the Supreme Court. As a you ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Get By
"Get By" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Talib Kweli. It was released on March 11, 2003 as the third single from his debut studio album ''Quality'' (2002). The hip hop song, produced by Kanye West, samples " Sinnerman" as performed by Nina Simone and features background vocals from Abby Dobson, Chinua Hawk, Kendra Ross, Vernetta Bobien and William "Na2" Taylor. The song peaked at number 77 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and at number 29 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, becoming Kweli's most successful solo hit. Remix A remix was later released featuring verses from fellow American rappers Mos Def, Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, Kanye West and Snoop Dogg. A full-fledged posse cut, the former three are also from Brooklyn, New York City, like Kweli. The radio version of the remix featured only Busta Rhymes and Jay-Z, with lengthier versions of theirs and Kweli's verses. Music video A music video was recorded and released in 2003, and, much like the song, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Mervyn Warren
Mervyn Edwin Warren (born February 29, 1964) is an American film composer, record producer, conductor, arranger, lyricist, songwriter, pianist, and vocalist. Warren is a five-time Grammy Award winner and a 10-time Grammy Award nominee. Warren has written the underscore and songs for many feature and television films and has written countless arrangements in a variety of musical styles for producers Quincy Jones, David Foster, Arif Mardin, and dozens of popular recording artists, including extensive work on Jones' '' Back on the Block,'' ''Q's Jook Joint,'' and '' Q: Soul Bossa Nostra.'' Warren has also produced numerous jazz, pop, R&B, contemporary Christian, and gospel artists, typically arranging those recordings and often performing on them (on piano, keyboards, or vocals), and often writing or co-writing the melodies and lyrics. Warren is best known as an original member of the a cappella vocal group Take 6, for having composed the underscore to the number-1 film ''The ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Omen (musician)
Damon Coleman, better known by his stage name Omen, is an American rapper and record producer from Chicago, Illinois. He is signed to J. Cole's Dreamville Records and Interscope Records. His debut studio album ''Elephant Eyes'', was released on July 21, 2015. Musical career 2010–2013 In 2010, Omen released his first mixtape, ''Delayed''. The following year, he released critically acclaimed mixtape, ''Afraid of Heights''. The mixtape includes guest features from J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar, among others. 2014–present In 2014, Omen then appeared on the Dreamville compilation mixtape ''Revenge of the Dreamers''. That mixtape was released in celebration of Dreamville's partnership with Interscope Records. On July 21, 2015, Omen's debut album, ''Elephant Eyes'', was released after a few setbacks and date changes. During the Spring and Summer of 2015 Omen, was a part of the J. Cole's " 2014 Forest Hills Drive" Tour with other acts Bas, Cozz, Pusha T, Jhene Aiko, Jeremih, YG, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Lee Fields & The Expressions
Elmer Lee Fields (born April 26, 1950 in Wilson, North Carolina) is an American soul singer, sometimes nicknamed "Little JB" for his physical and vocal resemblance with James Brown. He has worked with Kool and the Gang, Hip Huggers, O.V. Wright, Darrell Banks, and Little Royal. Fields has also worked with musicians such as B.B. King, Clarence Carter, Dr. John, Tyrone Davis, Johnny Taylor, Denise LaSalle, Bobby Blue Bland, Betty Wright, The Manhattans, Little Milton and Bobby Womack. He recorded his first single in 1969 and is still active. His recent work is with The Expressions, including the albums ''Faithful Man'' (2012), ''Special Night'' (2017), and ''It Rains Love'' (2019). In 2014, he provided additional vocals for the James Brown biographical movie, '' Get On Up''. Early life Fields was born in Wilson, North Carolina, United States, the son of Emma Jean Fields and John Fields. He was the second child of six children. Fields had an interest in music from an ear ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |