Category: The Rundown

Iggy Azalea to be exact.

So we’ve been hearing this name Iggy floating around Twitter lately, mainly from the guys. And after watching her videos and hearing her flow, we can see why. Obviously we wanted to find out some more about her, so we started combing the internet and this is what we found.  Iggy Azalea was born Amethyst [No last name given] in New South Wales, Australia to a father who was an artist and a mother who worked in hospitality. Her father as you will find out was a huge influence on her life, thus the title of her latest mixtape “Ignorant Art”. Iggy started rapping at the age of 14 and like most girls was obssessed with Tupac.

Now the interesting stuff.

If you’re wondering where the heck she got the stage name Iggy from, well it was the name of  her childhood pet dog. But who cares? It works.  And if you’re wondering where the heck she came from, you should thank YouTube (The innovative video sharing website that would have never been created if the Senate and House bills SOPA and PIPA had been in place during its inception). In 2011 Iggy went viral, like most of our famous people do now a days. Her videos were of her freestyling to whatever beat she got her hands on. The most famous of which was her promo video titled “Pu$$y”, which caught the attention of Perez Hilton, who we guess made her even more popular. On September 27, 2011, Azalea released her first free mixtape, “Ignorant Art”(#NP). She has yet to be signed but plans on dropping her debut album titled “The New Classic” before summer 2012.

Our Thoughts

After watching three of her latest Youtube videos(My World, The Last Song, D.R.U.G.S) we fell in love. There’s something about Iggy we as men just don’t get from Nicki or Trina. It could possibly be her femme fatale swag that pokes at our curiosity and pulls us in only to keep us hooked. Or maybe it’s the fact that she can rap and she looks good doing it. Who knows? What we do know is that we like her and as much as we want to see more of her, we know the consequences of going mainstream. The last thing anybody would want is for record label execs to water her down. So for now the replay button on her Youtube videos will have to suffice. And as for our readers, we suggest you take two minutes and watch the video below. Oh and fellas, it’s against code to willingly listen to Nicki on the way to work, but Iggy…well, that’s a whole different story. Enjoy…

 “Dog Days are Over” delivered me my first encounter with Florence + the Machine. I have been captivated by Florence’s voice ever since. Florence emanates an overwhelming purity as she sings, which is enhanced by the fluidity of the band’s instrumentals.  The band’s newest album, Ceremonials generates eleven tracks showcasing Florence’s honestly soulful vocals through metaphoric lyrics that provoke contemplation. Every track on the album challenges the listener to delve deeper into the music and excavate meaning. The brand of music Florence + the Machine are pushing encourage and engage active listening; it’s not the kind of music to zone out to, rather it prods critical thinking. Throughout the album I deliberated on the signifance behind the lyrics, and consequently I found myself experiencing a myriad of emotions. “Shake it Out” struck me as ironic. Florence emotes an ethereal tone which made me feel carefree and liberated, yet she is talking about the darkness of suicide. “Lover to Lover” had me feeling energized. The vocal style Florence displayed combined with the organ’s wailing almost transported me to Motown in the 60’s; that’s how much soul the song possessed. Conversely, “Seven Devils” has an eerie demonic vibe that gave me chills, and not in a good way. Under Florence’s seance-like chanting lies a beat reminiscent of Jason’s theme music. Listening to this song had an effect similar to watching a horror movie. I felt my chest restrict and an unshakable uncomfortability slid over me from the moment the beat dropped until the last of the lyrics slithered out. “Seven Devils” is the most blatant example of the provative lyrics throughout the album that are designed to entice emotion and incite analysis. Ceremonials is undeniably an album everyone should lend their ear to, just be prepared to leave it with more than a few questions ruminating. But shouldn’t good music do that to us?

 
 

         Many people are blessed with a voice capable of concocting beautiful tones.  However, few artists possess the ability to take their art and put it inside of you; to  manufacture melodies that materialize the emotions they convey.  Anhayla’s delivery transcends her music and makes it something tangible, something the listener can feel. As she sang it seemed as if the lyrics floated off of her vocal chords and wrapped around my ear drums. She exhibited an intonation that absolutely enchanted me.  “All I Want is You”, is the kind of song capable of  rejuvenating your hope for love. Then, “Stuck in Limbo” strikes down those hopes, as Anhayla illuminates the emotional havoc love wreaks. Not only is she beasting on tracks personally pioneered, she’s bodying covers. Anhayla’s vocal prowess is clarified in her acoustic rendition of Trey Songz, “We Can’t Be Friends”. Rawness oozed out the speakers, and her vocal versatility takes center-stage without the background of a beat. I thouroughly enjoyed her female counterparts to songs originally casted for males, like Miguel’s “Sure Thing”, and Lil’ Wayne’s “Single”. None of the covers feel forced thanks to Anhayla’s organic projection, and she adds spice to her versions with a sassy feminine touch. Anhayla has draped her talent in a unique presentation. The combination results in a dose of music that gets you feening, in all the right ways.