Your Favorite White Boy

If there’s one thing you’ll find here at Your Favorite White Boy, is opinion.  We’ve got it in spades:  sugar-coating is for breakfast cereals.  But we don’t just rate the latest music with a Magic 8-Ball – we leave that for other sites.   The YFWB rating system looks at a number of  important attributes that are essential parts of any hip-hop record and evaluates them equally on each  track or album being reviewed.  The material can fall short in one category, but for a co-sign from YFWB the other elements need to be that much more on point.  Rapping isn’t a right – its a privilege.

BEATS

The backbone of any rap record, dope production is an essential if a rap album will move the crowd and achieve any kind of status in the genre.  Big names are not a prerequisite; some of the hottest and most creative beats bring released in the streets right now are being crafted by hungry producers just waiting to get put in the hands of the right MC.

Originality is key, but sometimes a rethink of some basic hip-hop staples can breathe new life into a rap track.  We look for unique sounds coupled with an understanding and appreciation for what has come before.  Of course, creative sampling, interesting beats, dope instrumentation and, of course, turntable wizardry are just one side of the coin.  How the soundscape combines with the artist and his/her bars is just as important.  Not all rappers can ride over just any beat.

LYRICS

Lyrical ability remains the essence of what a hip-hop  artist is.  Everything else is secondary. These days, its hard to throw a stick these days and not hit a “hot” rapper.  With so many artists using technology to distribute their product, it is increasingly difficult to stand out amongst the rapidly increasing crowd.

In this environment, the ability to express yourself in new and creative ways will result in high marks from YFWB.  We believe in the ideal that one should “speak on what they know.”  Not everyone is a trap star.  Authenticity is critical.  So is ill wordplay, new metaphors, interesting hooks and other tools in any rapper’s bag of tricks.  Over its 20+ year history, there isn’t much that hasn’t been said in hip-hop. The trick is making us think you have a new take on things.

FLOW

There are all kinds of MCs out there: some battle, some sing, some are deep, some are all about swagger.  Every rapper has his/her own style, but how they deliver that style in the booth and on stage is just as important.  You can be an absolute lyrical genius, but if you can’t ride a beat to save your life, you won’t keep the audience’s attention – or ours.

Many legends have come before today’s artists, leaving big shoes to fill.  We were brought up on greats like Rakim, KRS-One, Nas, Jay-Z, Big Daddy Kane, Q-Tip, Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac, so you enter the booth with high expectations.    This is the toughest element to define and to master.  Do so and you’ll gain our respect – an even more elusive prize.

If you have new material you think is good enough to drop in our Inbox, peep the contact page to get the ball rolling.