The Urban Retro Playlist

I'll start by saying this year it seems like Cupid shot a number of arrows at artist looking at Kendrick this year as there was always that part for him to come in with the type of freedom on a verse like jumping off a skyline to the sidewalks with that I don't wanna know the repercussion attitude because those moments you feel the goosebumps as your senses come alive like you're attending a party when your parents specifically said No More Parties or you're a valet and someone pulls up in a double r ghost so you get the holy key.
I think the preambles (like the one I did on my first Kendrick playlist) I do normally are becoming monotonous (i'm not sure this is necessarily better but it was worth a try) so I decided to try something different to describe all the songs Kendrick was featured on this year, He's had a good year if  I might add. I think something that really pushed me more to do it was reading the holiday edition issue of gentlemen's quarterly which he graced the cover in some luxury fur (#pretentiousgoals) and got interviewed by Rick Rubin.

I actually got goosebumps listening to a number of the songs in the playlist; The way the vocals and the production were on That Part took me to another dimension, the verse on Maroon 5's Don't Wanna Know was a perfect match(it made me question the selection to feature Wiz Khalifa on their 2012 hit Payphone all over again) and Holy Key which was a rematch of Big Sean's Control.
Hope you enjoy the playlist and find some new favorites on it.

I found out about this song through my friends referral after one of his SoundCloud explorations (thanks Wole) and I've been hooked since I heard it. I want to say before I continue that Saint Jhn is my spirit animal, there's just this laid back and carefree free vibe he exudes that I find so appealing.
The song explores a different side of Urban music that hasn't particularly been categorized, this could be basis to form a new genre of music. It may fall into trap but it isn't exactly just trap it's much more soothing, slower paced and lacks the overly energetic qualities. It's more on the tempo and posses a couple of similarities with Kid Cudi's timeless classic Pursuit of Happiness.
I especially love how different and effortless the sounds is; from the vocals, to the minimal instruments, tempo and the general solemn feel. I feel like the way he has found his identity gives him the ability to impose, in the sense that there's no struggle and there is some calm air of authority from his entire sound.

I must re-establish that Craig David's Born To Do It album was fire. One of my first post's here was on a Craig David Song. I realized when I was younger and was forced to like some songs I didn't actually understand as much most times (I'm sure i've said this before), then when I get to listen to them now they blow my mind.
Then for some reason the tune of this song was in my head all through a period and I actually didn't know the name . Well some time later a friend of mine played it, I got the name and I was hooked.
This particular song is more to the progressive side, one of the considerably danceable Craig David songs. From his songs he's usually in situations with
the female gender. In this particular song he was already in a relationship, some other lady fancied him and was relentless going after him.
What made the song it for me personally were the drums, the rattle sounds, the strings in the hook and what I suspect to be a organ that transitions late in the verses.

The song of the day is How Great by Chance the Rapper of his mixtape Colouring Book.
It  a cover of the actual song "How Great" which is a popular worship song, he featured Jay Electronica, vocals from the Chicago children's choir most importantly his cousin Nicole.
I actually started playing the song frequently and added the song to my morning playlist after watching the video. I mean I thought it was good when I heard it off the mixtape for the first time but it just didn't stick at the time.
It has this urban gospel vibe which was pretty much the general theme of the album. I began to really appreciate it even more mostly because I payed a lot more attention to the happenings in the background. I especially enjoyed the abrupt pauses especially the one after Chance's part, then the use of the vocoder after the choirs voices. It's steadily paced one almost any rapper would enjoy riding and Chance being Chance did justice to the track so did Jay Electronica who's part I enjoyed as well.
Most of all it's a song that reverences God's eminence, you know it gets you in the mood of gratitude and that is one of the reasons I like the songs so much. There's a lot to be grateful to God for, Chance recognizes that and so do I.