#SummerSessions - BKnitts

My second review here, and this time, on BKnitt's latest..

Milwaukee, WI is the birthplace of cheese! I don't really hear about many rappers or any type of musicians from that part of the country very often (at least none that get popular enough to reach me), but I've finally found one! I found Brad Knitter, aka BKnitts, through Bobby Woody tweeting something about Brad's new mixtape #SummerSessions like a week ago. Knowing Bobby's taste, I couldn't resist and decided to take a listen. Here's what I thought..

Beach House (Intro)

This is an amazing intro. The beat is beautiful. Who produced this? What is that sample? haha I love it. Already got that summer feel.

"Wont support a movement 'less I see the resemblance. I need to respect it and believe in the message."
4.5/5

Headed Home (Prod. by DJ Trill Cosby)

Whoever DJ Trill Cosby is, this is amazing. I couldn't find his online information. The only thing I hate about this song is how short it is.

Update! Through a little digging, I found him!

4/5

One Up (ft. GSnaps)

So this song came to through a contest that Brad won. He got a free collab with popular, female MC, GSnaps. I love the original, so I'm glad they hopped on this beat. BKnitts killed it, but then GSnaps just killed it. This is too dope. I would've been even happier if they did an original. *sighs*

4/5

Palace

God damn, how real is this? TOO FUCKING DOPE. The beat is hot and Brad SPAZZES. So early in the tape and already one of my favorite tracks. And that fast flow? God dayum.

"I'm underpaid and overbooked. Nothing's changed. I hope it would. Cuz honestly I'm overlooked"
6/5

Drank In My Cup

One of my favorite industry beats in a while. BKnitts killed.he's one of those awkward looking white dudes, so it sorta makes me chuckle imagining him doing some of the stuff he talks about in here. When Knitts starts singing though, I go off. That's amazing. The dude really has a voice. G$Rab kills it.

"Gin sipping turns into sip writtens"
5/5

Paper Planes

ok This one, I don't like so much. BKnitts says some funny stuff, I can't lie. I like his lyrics and all, I just HATE the Paper Planes beat. Brad killed it nonetheless. lol. I like it and don't like it at the sometime.

"Got em leaning like a cholo, but I'm whiter than a ghost, yo."
3/5

Milwaukee (ReProd. by Bobby Woody)

OH SNAP! The original to this song by Chance The Rapper is so dope! Why did Bobby Reproduce it? Is there no original already on YouTube? haha. I love this though. Brad killed it. Great way to rep his cheese city!

"Been here since my birth, I wouldn't mind another 23!"
4/5

The Moment (ft. Eske & Bobby Woody)

Now here's a rap song with a message. It's also the most quotable. One thing to improve: the mixing. Eske's voice needs to be EQ'd with the track and Bobby's needs to be turned up a bit. It sounds dope. Eske talks about the American scam of College, Brad gets a bit usual with his topic of getting famous, and Bobby is a bit random, but he said "I'm just a Squidward in a world full of Squilliams." Mad love for that Spongebob reference. That beat is also hot.

"What's your plan after you get that piece of paper that says you passed?"
4/5

Whale (Interlude)

This is an amazing song. The beat is beautiful and Knitts uses a witty flow with some lyrics with a bit of a deeper meaning. The chorus makes me a bit jumpy. I love it!

4.7/5

New Kid (ft. Young Fusion)

I'm pretty sure I've heard of Young Fusion through GSnaps or something. I love this song. He hops on that hook and it's just hilarious. That beat is so 2002! lol. Brad killed it. Fusion went off also. His flow is hot. This is one of those tracks you bump through the hood with the windows down, music loud as fuck

3.8/5

I've Only Just Begun

WAYNE'S WORLD! I love the beat! Was this for a cypher or something like that on YouTube? I love what BKnitts did with this song. He criticized school (something I also criticize) and I love how he did it.

"If I don't tell my story, someone else will tell it for me"
4.8/5

No Interruptions (ft. Nolan Ollis & SwiSS)

This beat alone interests me a bit. It doesn't have me jumping or anything, but it's cool. I don't like the chorus much and BKnitts' verse gets typical with some of his earlier stuff. Nolan Ollis was alright. He needs to clean his flow up a bit. SwiSS absolutely killed it! I love that Jerry Sandusky line. lol.

"See nowadays, real rappers get no love. And wack rappers either wind down or chrome up."
2.9/5

One Last Time

awwwww shit. Brad got that "We need to talk" call. #TeamSingle. lol. I like the story Brad sets up with this. It's not a typical love song, it's chill and a bit sensual. I really like it.

"Our minds fell in love but they died on impact."
4/5

Ridin'

Now this song here speaks summer. The beat is chill and BKnitts is just being a rapper. and I like that. WAPOW!

"My neck fell down the line because this music biz is cutthroat."
3.5/5

Flowers (Prod. by Bobby Woody)

Not my favorite Bobby Woody beat, but it's very lighthearted. Brad talks to his summer love. I like how Brad let the beat talk for a few seconds at the end. The whole thing is chill.

"I don't believe in God, but I swear that you're an angel"
3.3/5

Goldie Freeverse

I love this song (the original). I like this Freeverse too. Brad really did kill it! I fucks with this.

4/5

Lightwork

No one has gone over the Ellie Goulding sample and not killed it. (If so, that's disrespectful to good music everywhere.) Of course, Brad killed this, though. Nice little way to end the tape.

"I've, never been patient. Never complacent. Dealin with hatred. But Ive always been a believer stress is better when you face it." 4/5

Honestly, I really like the whole mixtape. I think this here is the best mixtape I've listened to this summer. It's got that perfect summer feel. I like mostly everything about it. All of the songs are very well put together: features and everything. One thing I think Brad should work on is his mixing (or whoever mixes his tracks). The beat tends to be too loud at times (or the voice being to low). Another thing, I think Brad should get more originals! I like the remixes, but originals show us who you completely are! Overall, I loved the tape. I expect more from this guy in the future. 81.8% - B-

Download Summer Sessions: http://whiteboytakeover.bandcamp.com/album/summersessions
BKnitts' Twitter
BKnitts' YouTube

This review was brought to you by Waverly Spades and now I'm off to find the relation between triggernometry and Algebra.

21117 (TwoElevenSeventeen) - Jay Verze

Welcome to the first real review here!

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Powered by DatPiff.com

Young, Baltimorean emcee, Jay Verze has been hyping people up for this debut project since late 2011/early 2012. I can't remember exactly when, but he's definitely had us waiting and expecting something great. The Adolescent Phenom has entitled his mixtape "21117" after the zip code of his Owings Mills neighborhood. For the young rapper, this project is "where everything originated."

Time Out ft. R.Jay (Prod. by TrackOfficialz) -

This is a GREAT intro the mixtape. The news clipping really set the tone and describes the trouble that a preponderance of Baltimore teens seem to get into. The song itself vibes. TrackOfficialz made something epic and easygoing at the same time. Verze pretty much tells us he's going to make this work. We all know it's a struggle with this hip hop thing, and he is definitely ready for the journey that comes with it.

"This the playoffs. I'm going for that trophy, boy. The game is in the joint and all my niggas thirsty, boy."
4/5

Est. 1995 (Prod. by Flawless Tracks) -

Okay. The beat is HOT. I have to know, what sample is that? GodDAMN. Flawless Tracks aka The Best Kept Secret (Also one of Wale's producers) killed that. Jay Verze turned it into the perfect summer song. I love that "from the block" line. haha.

"I'm feeling real cool listening to Big and Pac. Listening to Nas. They listen to from the block"
5/5

Matter of Time (Prod. by IllMuzik) -

Another one of those songs "Last year, niggas didn't fuck with me, but now they see me coming up, so they want to be my friends, and since I reject them like they rejected me, they say I changed. Comeuppance is a bitch, ain't it?" While the message is a bit typical, I like the song. One thing that annoys me about songs like this is that he's not famous, yet. Let the fickle bandwagon.. for now. The beat is amazing.

"I had respect for some niggas. I had to take it back."
4/5

Boring Nights & Hip Hop (Prod. by Lexi Banks) -

Here's a song every rapper can relate to at one point in their life. I know I can haha. Jay tells us that the boring nights making hip hop pay off. At time, the lyrics get a bit cliche (mainly in the chorus), but the song is still on point. Lexi Banks made fire with this. Is it just me or does Verze's deep voice sound weird?

"Them long days and late nights, dawg that's how we get it."
3/5

Crusin' (Prod. by Lexi Banks) -

This was one of the singles to drop before the mixtape. Honestly, I don't like this song. The beat is okay and Jay Verze puts some nice bars in it, but overall I don't like it. I don't like the chorus either. It sounds so typical. Does Jay Verze even have this girl he speaks about in the chorus? lol. "On a rainy day. that's when I'm in my prime. That's when I'm in the studio writing these dope rhymes." I'm sorry, but that had to be one of the weakest lines... definitely my least liked song off of the mixtape.

"You say you got a big heart, but it's empty."
1.5/5

All The Calls Are Off ft. Jujuan Allen (Prod. by Kraze) - This beat already has that old school vibe that gets you to bump your head with that "ungh" face. Verze changed up the flow a little on this. That was cool. Jujuan added a dope verse. I fucks with it. That hook vibes. This here almost sounds like an old Wiz track. Another song with a typical topic, but it's a nice variation from most songs that talk about being a boss. *looks at William Leonard Roberts II* "I'm a cool, lil' nigga. 50 for a verse just to do something witcha" 3/5

Interlude - 12 O'Clock (Prod. by Dres'More) -

I know I'm a horrible person, but I can't help, but laugh. The beat has that smooth feel, and Verze is hitting the right notes and all, but when he just goes "Can you call me? ahh haaa," I picture him with that R. Kelly face. The song is actually nice, I just can't stop laughing. lol. And then this nigga slows it down so he can talk in his deep voice. like "i swear this is the life, man... I'm in here by myself. I got the lights off. I'm just relaxin, you know. I hope y'all feeling like me tonight." That's Jay Kelly, my nigga. lol.

5/5 because this track is demulcent, yet made me die laughing at the same time.

The Drama Story (Prod. by Mr. Kooman) -

Mr. Kooman has something beautiful here. The beat alone puts a tear to my eye. Verze starts out describes a drug dealer who got a girl pregnant that's facing his fear and the challenge of becoming a father. Next verse, he talks of a girlfriend of the drug dealer. Just as sad a story. One of my favorite tracks of the mixtape.

4.8/5

About That Time ft. Rome Duran (Prod. by Flawless Tracks) -

I love Rome Duran. The mixtape he dropped was amazing. Just seeing his name got me excited. Jay Verze switched up some flows and Rome sang an amazing hook. All of that with Flawless Tracks' production makes a beautiful song.

"Let me show you how passionate I get when you're around"
4.5/5

Teenage Lust Pt. 3 ft. Will (Prod. by Rip Knoxx) -

Who is Will? With a name like that, it's not easy to find you on Google, but the boy sings an amazing hook. Rip is one of my favorite producers in the Baltimore (and the DMV). The beat is hot. It's not exactly another love/breakup song. It's a bit more interesting.

2/5

One Night (Prod. by Scrilla Beats) -

This beat is so feel good. It's got that Summer feeling. Just something to bump with the windows down when you're riding the whip around on a nice summer day. I think this should get one of those white people, summer fun music videos. lol.

"My mind grew higher intensity cuz everything I'm doing today is going to be memories."
4.2/5

Hands Up ft. Tay West (Prod. by Scrilla Beats) -

THAT TENOR, MY NIGGA? WHO'S PLAYING THAT TENOR? WHAT'S THAT SAMPLE. GODDAMN SCRILLA. Tay West did a nice, little hook. It was a brevity, but still dope. Another one of those feel good tracks. A bit typical, but nothing unoriginal.

and again. THAT TENOR, MY NIGGA. YASSSSS
4/5

See You Later ft. Y1 & Rickie Jacobs (Prod. by Rip Knoxx) -

One question: Why is this the only censored song on the mixtape? lol. I know you have the radio ready versions, but this is the CDQ/Album version. This doesn't need to be clean (not that it's even THAT dirty). Another one of the singles released before. I believe this dropped on Valentine's Day as a breakup song or something of that sort.(A lotta songs dropped that day like this, like Bobby Woody did that Frank Ocean Remix, TyQuan and that Love Puppet track, and a plethora more..) I love this song. Jay Verze put down a hot verse, but then Y1 added some amazing stuff, and then Rickie Jacobs (probably my favorite rapper from Baltimore) really just KILLED IT. And Rip Knoxx never disappoints.

"Uncle Ruckus told me not to trust them new niggas, so what am I supposed to do?"
5/5

Feelin Like A Star ft. Starrz (Prod. by Luger Beats) -

This beat is hard. Originally when it dropped, I didn't like the song because I don't like that feel of beats, but it's something I can at least pretend to dance too. Starrz added an amazing verse.

"Sleepin on me, big mistake. I'm blowin up. landmine"
3.1/5

Let Go (Prod. by Lexi Banks) -

Awwwwwwwwwwww yeahh. I love Frou Frou and I love how Lexi sampled them. Does Verze even know that sample? lol. Frou Frou and Imogen Heap always make the nicest samples. Jay Verze just went hard on the beat though. I love this song. I don't even need to say anything more about this. Easily my favorite track on the tape.

"Every nigga be tryna claim a style, but they all be on to that same ish. Hood niggas be talkin money, but still be moving theme same bricks. Niggas talkin bout wifin girls, but niggas be on them same chicks." br 5/5

Having A Goodnight (Prod. by Flawless Tracks) -

Great beat. Great song. Nice way to end things. Enough said.

"Don't be surprised to get smacked when it's grind time."
4/5

My Place ft Shwaze Collins (Prod. by Twigg) - I don't understand the point of Bonus songs and I was wondering when Schwaze would get his feature on the tape. The beat is fire. I didn't like the chorus at first, but it grows on you. Jay Verze put down a nice verse and Shwaze killed it too.
"We never turning back, we turning pages"
3/5

The mixtape was a nice change from usual ascensions of most of the rap about gun toting and selling drugs here in Baltimore. One thing I didn't mention that I really like is Verze's use of time on the project. He's always like "uh. it's 4 in the morning" or something like that and even named the interlude "12 O'Clock." I don't know what it is, but something about that is just amiable. The one thing I don't like about it is that most of the beats come from producers on SoundClick that he most likely doesn't know. I know that Rip is a Baltimore dude and I couldn't find who Twigg or Kraze are. The rest: Guys on Soundclick. I respect there internet grind and they do make great beats, but I think a local artist like Jay Verze should go to some more local producers (Street Scott, MIC, Judah, Bobby Woody, King Midas, etc.) Overall, I like the project. It didn't live up to all of the hype I expected, but it's still pretty amazing! Jay Verze's lyrical content has room to improve, but the boy makes some nice songs. I can see him going far. Check out his mixtape and be sure to follow this kid for greater things in the future. 76% - C

Download 21117: http://jayverze.com/2012/08/18/mixtape-jay-verze-21117-twoelevenseventeen/
Jay Verze's Twitter
Jay Verze's Facebook
Jay Verze's Website

The next review will be on BKnitts' Summer Sessions!

This review was brought to you by Waverly Spades and now I'm off to do some calculus.

Nerds Like Rap?

One of the first successful "Nerdcore" rappers was probably MC Frontalot. Since then, the term nerd has been over used, thrown around, changed, and a multitude of other things, but here, we stick to the original definition: one whose IQ exceeds their weight.
Other nerds include: Prince Ea, Lupe Fiasco, Street Light, Ab-Soul, Kendrick Lamar, etc.

What is this right here?
It's another music blog, I guess.
Well.. it's not just that. I'm not going to use this as one of those blogs that just posts peoples' music because you send it. I'm going to listen to everything sent to me and post my honest opinions of it. I might sound grandiloquent at times, but there will always substance in what I say, I promise you. Read everything closely with a dictionary app up and you might learn something.

Who am I?
I am Waverly Spades. No. That isn't my real name. It's a pseudonym. One of my favorite pseudonyms is Pseudonymous Bosch. He's a great author. I'm a teenager from Baltimore who has an interest in most styles of music, but I like Hip-Hop the most. I'm black. I wear glasses. I study music theory in my spare time.

Why did I make this?
Too many blogs are so generic.
aaand like I said, I'm from Baltimore, MD. There are not a lot of good blogs here (but there are some good ones like BmoresVeryOwn and Definition Of Fresh). I don't want to be considered just a Baltimore blog though. I will post stuff from people all around the world. I want to put out my sometimes controversial (that's what my friends say) thoughts about Hip-Hop. I also don't mind helping expose some lesser known artists. This is like the Big Ghost Chronicles except I have an opposite personality.

What I'm listening to right now?
#SummerSessions by BKnitts of WhiteBoyTakeover. I'm definitely posting my thoughts on that here. I know. Some other stuff that I'm listening to and know I'll post sooner or later, 21117 by Jay Verze, those songs that Ronny and Ron Love did, that one song by Bobby Woody, Forever Dope by Schwaze, XV, Chance The Rapper, yadda yadda.

You want your music on this blog? Just send it to me, waverlyspades@gmail.com
Be warned, I post what I truly think of your music. Don't get mad if I say I don't like something and offer constructive criticism. Full submission rules will come later, but for now, just email stuff to that address.