Joey Bada$$ (Brooklyn, NY) – Two Lips (Prod. by J Dilla)

Joey Bada$$ has stated before in an interview that J Dilla is his all time favorite producer. So you can imagine why it’s an especially big deal for him, given that unlike the two songs Where It’$ At and Snakes off of his mixtape 1999 that utilize J Dilla beats, Two Lips boasts a completely unreleased instrumental from the legendary producer, courtesy of Maureen Yancey (aka J Dilla’s mother). She is also the founder of the J Dilla Foundation, and is using the seven-inch record sales of this song to help further fund the foundation’s goal, which is to provide instruments and music lessons for less fortunate children. I would link the site where you can buy them at, but in just two days after being released on Black Friday everything is already sold out.

The instrumental definitely possesses that J Dilla vibe with its muddy drums and whimsical keyboard. Joey also delivers some really incredible lyricism. He’s still only 18, yet many of his verses, such as with Bird’s Eye View, represent some of the most distinguished in the game right now. The ending is magnificent and particularly appropriate being spit over a Dilla beat. Here are the lyrics.

“He told me never to forget, and never to force it. To embrace this time and glorious moments. ‘Cuz you could die in a second, so open up within before I get to dissectin’. I woke up again, but this time forgettin’. Scratchin’ my chin, like ‘that was rather interestin”. I turn to the small coffee table on the right. Pick up my pen and turn on my thinkin’ light….Having somersaulted my eyelids, awaken from a dream to perceive that I live.”

My name’s Jake Bourey and for more of my reviews and other musings check out my blog at http://hiphopfightsback.com/.

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My Song Rating: 8.9 out of 10