Rae Sremmurd – Up Like Trump
Paying homage to slightly incongruous figures isn’t a new hip-hop trope. One of last year’s biggest hits was dedicated to Lethal Weapon star Danny Glover, while Migos shouted out to Dallas Cowboy’s 90s running back star Emmett Smith. The Atlanta duo Rae Sremmurd keep the trend going with a track suggesting they can party as hard as golf enthusiast Donald Trump. The video, filmed on a tourist bus in New York, sees them having a great time playing with nunchucks and features a cameo from Batman and the Statue of Liberty. It’s another Atlanta trap track that’s thin on substance but is built to work in the club.
Rap Monument
The Rap Monument is one big booze-sponsored hip-hop Bayeux tapestry. Noisey teamed up with Hennessy for the project, which aims to make a 30-minute track – an idea prompted when someone in the office asked themselves: “What would happen if you got a bunch of rappers together to make one dope, long-ass song? Not a freestyle, not a cypher, not one rapper rapping so long that you’d get bored. It would be sick, right?” It kind of is. Production comes from Hudson Mohawke and rappers Killer Mike, Young Thug, Raekwon and Danny Brown have contributed so far. The problem is, it actually does get a bit boring. The reason the grime sets that they name-checked in the intro to the track worked was because a DJ like Slimzee was changing the track every minute or so: this is a bit like a prolonged rewind with rappers putting in middle-of-the-road, minute-long verses. It’s not bad or anything but if you can listen to the whole thing you’ll be doing a lot better than I did.
Young Throwback – Santa Sack
Here’s a festive bit of ephemeral nonsense from the Gucci Mane-sanctioned self deprecator du jour, Young Throwback. With lyrics such as “coming down your chimney, my reindeer so grizzly”, there’s no reason for your office Christmas party to be dominated by Slade ever again. The artwork is suitably gaudy too, with Santa’s present sack featuring rolls of dollars, some drugs and a slab of gold bullion. That’s before you get to the elf who has a balaclava and a grill. Turns out hip-hop has a silly season too.
Ghostface Killah feat Kandace Springs – Love Don’t Live Here No More and the Wu-Tang Nans
Ghostface Killah has had a strong end of 2014. He’s been part of the Wu-Tang album carousel, and as well as releasing his own album, 36 Season, he’s hinted a collaboration with Doom will be out in 2015, not to mention an album early next year called Sour Soul, which is a team effort with jazz group Badbadnotgood. To end the year he’s teamed up with jazz singer Kandace Springs, who’s signed to Blue Note. It’s classic Ghostface narrative hip-hop with a tale of turning up to your former girlfriend’s house after a prolonged (possibly jail-enforced) absence and then being annoyed when she has a next man. Michael K Williams plays the jilted lover in the video which is a rose-tinted mid-90s Spike Lee-esque effort. There were some great Wu-Tang japes recently with this comedy skit too, which acts as a trailer for the crew’s forthcoming UK dates and imagines a bridge club that’s obsessed with the Wu.
Boogie Down productions live in London, 1990
This last track is a Christmas present for all the commenters who ask for “real hip-hop”. This hour-long concert is real hip-hop with KRS-One and pals giving a lesson in live rap. Merry Christmas.
