I got my 1st review for Snooze Button II late last night & I'm floored. Granted the writer is a very good friend of mine, but it means absolutely NOTHING in the grand scheme of things. The way we began our friendship was basically "guns blazing". You're doing this wrong & I'm doing this wrong. Normally, correction in friendships happens much later (if at all), but I knew her for maybe 2 weeks & we immediately began plucking each other. It was a welcomed change to the surface relationships we're all so very used to. So by no means am I expecting a "scratch my back & I'll scratch yours" anything from her.
She's a writer (a very good one at that) & she decided to take it upon herself to review my latest mixtape. Like at hear it, here it go...
Visit Pink Complexity In The City When I first heard of Armond It was January and I was home sick. He sent me a link to his music, I was in bed trying to muster strength to get up; I couldn’t play it from my iPhone…and I almost didn’t get out of my bed to go to my Mac and listen to him. I’m glad I did. After I heard “Scared of Me” and “Rearview” I told him Scared of Me was dope and I liked his art of storytelling. He replied “That ain't storytelling, that all happened to me”. You have my attention.
Every time he posted something I listened. Not listened to say I heard it but I LISTENED. I felt like I was on my “kick in the door” phase… “Took home ready to die, listened, studied it.”
He is ridiculously dope lyrically. I can say I have never heard anything like him. And why? Because THIS is his ministry. Word son? You rap for Jesus? But don’t put him in the “Christian Rapper” box just yet. It’s not that simple. It never is. He IS NOT a Christian Rapper. He pours his heart out on the paper, God as his pen and his life the words. He is the embodiment of a life poured out. Though you can hear his relationship with God in his music, if you listen you see the man too. And after all a real minister can show you them and lead you to Christ at the same time. He isn’t one sided, he won’t bore you with “Yea God’s” and “Robbo Sha Tah’s”. To put it simply, he is Dope and God uses him.
I see the #nowplaying RT’s on twitter, but I always wonder if people are really listening to him or do they just hear the dope beat and let a catchy line soak in to spit back at him. Human that I am I riddle myself with “who is he like lyrically; who does he remind me of?” Not his writing. And every time I listen to his music it reaffirms his gift. The man has skills. Indubitably. I’d put my money on him in a cipher any day son! *Insert Kevin Heart clap with each word*But have you ever listened to someone and FELT everything that they were saying, When they where joyous, you heard joy, When they were in pain you felt it. The ability to change the atmosphere with your words…Not to sound spooky but there is a magic to that. I’ve heard it before. Marvin Gaye. That ability to touch God and touch people. It is a musical gift that all musicians covet. And Armond has it in spades.
I have followed him from leaks to Dreaming Out Loud (if you haven’t got your copy get one, it will change your life) and now to Snooze Button II (a mixtape). He keeps getting better. A 13 track (actually 14, he dropped Illuminati last night) mixtape, Armond shows off lyrically yet again. He makes it look easy because it is to him. He uses Drake beats a lot but I won’t judge because after I hear him, when I listen to Drake I’m like “mehhh… Armond did it better”. It’s hard to pick a favorite on Snooze Button II because he left it all on the court with this one. From beats to lyrics he BODIED this. It is arguably one of the best downloads to me this summer and I know this because I kept every track on my iPod. And if you know me you know I am picky with my IPod space…I only have 16GB…
· Crashing Down - is NUTS. He took N.E.R.D’s Sooner or later and transformed it into WHOA.
· Cross Color, Starter Jackets and British Knight’s - I’m particularly partial to because He KO’d Eric B & Rakim’s “know the ledge” beat. I am a respecter of Hip Hop and everyone cant hop on every beat. Know the ledge if you don’t hold your own you get lost in the cut, he held his own.
· Open Gym ft. Rich Tunes – crazy. Rich Tunes is bananas and I hope he isn’t mad but his voice reminds me of Jadakiss and he is a witty lyricist. Him and Armond together was perfection.
I could go on and on about Snooze Button II but I don’t need anyone cueing Thugnificent’s “D^ck Riding” song. Besides, I’d rather you download it yourself and weigh in. It’s a pay what you want download that is worth $999.99. Its black Music Month and I’m not trying to stroke anyone’s ego, but I want to give Props where props are due. Armond is a force to be reckoned with. His ear is on the past and his lyrics are out of this world. He is doing things that will surely change Hip hop as we know it.
“Funny how God blesses you even more hilarious is what we don’t let Him do…” – Armond
Name your price. Free 99, $9.99, $99, or $999 if you're feeling generous. All sites that feature the site, please use the bandcamp link if possible. Thanks
Tracklisting 1. Intro
2. Airplanes
3. Cuba Gooding Sr
4. Beautiful Ashes feat J Carter 5. Window Seat
6. Kiss The Sky
7. Just Begun
8. Open Gym feat Rich Tunes 9. MC Fisticuffs
10. Cool Dr Money feat L-Win 11. Cross Colors, Starter Jackets & British Knights
12. Crashing Down
13. Rearview (Dreaming Out Loud bonus)
Snooze Button II is your alarm clock. You hit the snooze, you get 15 minutes of rest. You're sleep but you're really not sleep, nodding in & out, letting the sun hit your face. And then you snap up & start your day.
From 2007-2010 I hadn't wrote much of any music. And for somebody that writes everyday, that was incredibly difficult. But it was almost like a beaver dam inside of me that got punctured & suddenly things pour out, and continue to pour out.
Normally after I do a project, I take a few months off from writing, thinking, conceptualizing & give my brain a break. But after Dreaming Out Loud, things kept coming to me. It felt like 2002 when I could only write 60 bar verses & my hooks were terrible. So I decided to take it back.
The mixtape has become the "poor rapper's album" now. I remember when the mixtape was take a bunch of beats & go off & that's exactly what I did. No underlying theme, if anything a simple introduction to some & "a hey how ya been" Facebook message to others.
What does it mean to Dream Out Loud? Did the aspirations & desires of your heart give way to 40 hour work weeks & salary wages? Have your personal goals been pushed aside to embrace what society tells you is "life"?
Dreaming Out Loud is Armond's 5th official project, and the first released through Elohim Media Group. As with his previous releases, Armond weaves in his own personal testimony of failure & triumphs, victories & defeats, with a style all his own. "As open music is supposed to be, I see too many walls built up. As if these artists are afraid to be judged for missing the mark. We've all missed the mark. I'm here to let them know that it's OK & it's not the end of the world".
This album is also the first to not be released under his former stage moniker "epideMIC". "epideMIC had to die in 2007. epideMIC was all about violence, money, and women. epideMIC was an insecure individual living in uncertainty. I wasn't that guy anymore. Because I choose to be so open & transparent with my music, I felt I'd be doing a disservice by using anything other than my given name".
Featuring production from familiar collaborators Doc & Sandman, along with up & comer Pizzie, Dreaming Out Loud is a 15 track tale of a drastic fall and an ensuing meteoric rise.
Pre-order now & guarantee you receive your copy before it's official release date of February 9th. The 1st 100 orders will receive a personal message from Armond himself.
Tracklisting
1. Dreaming Out Loud featuring COS 2. Put In Work 3. Close Your Eyes 4. Rearview/Dashboard (produced by Doc for Rough Draft Entertainment) 5. Glow In The Dark 6. Child Of God (produced by Doc for Rough Draft Entertainment) 7. Keep Going Through Hell 8. Rocking With The Best featuring Rich Tunes 9. The Highest 10. Life (spoken word performed by Quote) 11. Dreaming pt 2 (produced by Pizzie for i9 Records) 12. Blood Of God 13. Heaven On Earth (produced by Sandman for Sandman Productions) 14. Forgive Me 15. Scared Of Me
so it's officially been one month since i exited the military. i think i expressed the fact i wanted to test my faith & build it up by basically throwing myself out to the wolves & letting God provide for me instead of Uncle Sam. like i said a few blogs down, the military takes really good care of it's people (especially the Air Force), to the point where you allow yourself to get trapped in a position financially where you need that guaranteed check on the 1st & 15th. but because i was unhappy, and happiness is more important than finances, i stepped out & asked God to have His way.
without going into much detail, i have a great job. i'm happier, and i'm in a position to further myself spiritually, marriage wise & musically. i went from a dead end job (yes there are dead end positions in the military) to actually being preferred over people that have degrees AND experience because of my past. yeah they say that, and yeah they think that. but it's all God. all the way, nothing but Him. and i love it. if you're doing something & you're not happy, have faith & step out into something you're interested in. i unkowingly spoke my job into existence...
-work downtown=check -business attire=check (shut up, all my jobs have been labor, i wanna look good) -help people=check -own cubicle=check
speaking of music (love how i moved into that right??), yeah...i've been on a hiatus. i went on a dry spell for beats, God was kinda giving me the side-eye when I'd get secualr beats so I fell back from them for the most part. plus my producers kinda went MIA for a second. Doc that did a LOT of my material (Waiting For You, Rather See Her Smile, etc) just popped back up (pause) & he hit the ground running. he's got 2 joints with Lloyd Banks. yes G-Unit Lloyd Banks. i know that's not the biggest deal to the Christian world, but since he's my FRIEND first & foremost, I'm beyond excited for him. one of the songs hasn't leaked (publically), but here's the other, "Without You". (does contain some explicit language, listen with caution)
as far as my own music goes, yup...hiatus. cuz of the beats & where God has me, i haven't been inspired at all. i still plan on releasing something by the end of the year, and i'm still being tight lipped about it, cuz it's gonna be huge. and i expect to make some big things happen. expect random updates as i get the bug back. once i get my studio set back up, i'll quench your thirst with some new stuff.
oh yeah, if you didn't know, they played my music on the radio in Columbus, GA about 2 weeks ago (shout to Ricky Gentile). shouts to Boots & the whole Born Again Beats ministry. i missed it (kinda). i was en route to church (in Toledo, OH) so my sister had it playing online while i was on the phone. they played "Spazz" right before we walked in. my nephews were crazy excited, i was too. i'm waiting on my 5 heartbeats moment though
start @ 4:50
finally, on another note, my partner in rhyme Ca$h was recently deployed to support the "war on terror". i ask you all to pray for him, his spirit, his family, everyone around him & for his return home. he'll be home soon, and when he does come home, game over...
i was gonna do a playlist, but i'm tired & imeem has nothing i wanna list...so gimmie a minute
I had the privilege of working with The Artist Formerly Known As Siege a few years ago. I still remember the day I met the dude, he was putting together a showcase of all the hottest artists in Japan & invited the Effect to come out. One thing that stuck out about him was his drive. Siege was THEE definition of grind. He was always somewhere doing something with his music. We were always cordial, but never all that close. When I left Japan, I lost contact with him, until maybe around Christmas 2007 (maybe earlier). I was browsing myspace pages & happened to go on his.
I was floored.
Dude was spitting for Christ (Living Witness was the song I 1st heard). I remember getting so inspired by his new spirit that I wrote something myself (and y'all know don't no rappers do nothing for me). So I hit him up & we chopped it up, he offered his testimony & immediately I saw a true desire for the Lord. A few months later, he drops his mixtape Rough Transition.
He calls it Rough Transition because #1 he accepted Christ & in the process he killed his alter ego. Siege, now going by Ricky Gentile, always had a knack for knowing his own lane. And a lot of rappers can rap, but they don't know how to translate that into their own brand. Ricky can rip a mic AND has a very impressive song writing game. I had a copy of his secular album & wasn't too crazy about it. He was talented, but it was obvious he was catering to the clubs & all that. I always had this feeling there was something better inside of him that he was holding back. And the Lord definitely brought that out on this mixtape.
This mixtape is definitely "riding music". I threw this on the ipod & let it play. The standouts are "Reppin' The King", "Welcome Back", "Kingdom Come" (my favorite) "Held Accountable", & "Take A Second".
I'm not gonna sit here & tell you WHY it's a dope CD. With secular hip-hop getting worse by the day (creatively & in every other aspect), I feel like Christ is getting ready to rise up holy hip-hop into the mainstream. Stream this through soundclick, download it, hit him on myspace, thank Him & thank Ricky. No longer do you have to sacrifice the message for music.
