Andy's Monday Hip Hop Bangers
082: 30 Songs to get you through the week
Let’s start off the week with something to help you get through this morning and the rest of what is surely to be another wild weeks in market and for work as more companies lay off staff, the market continues downward, and summer closes in on it’s last days. Additionally, I thought it would make sense to give us one day for markets to play out before we dive into a review of where we likely stand this week.
If you’ve been following our Instagram/brand for some time you’ll know that I listen to quite a bit hip hop/rap. If we end up doing a Podcast, it’ll likely involve rap. You don’t have to love Hip Hop to have it rub off on you and push you to be better. I listen to Hip hop/Rap regularly and for me, it’s a great source of inspiration, motivation, and drive.
Now look, I’m a Peter Millar Polo wearing, deal sled rocking, 30 year old white guy so some of the irony is not lost on me that I enjoy this genre of music so much and I have certainly been mocked for it before.
But what’s interesting is that I’ve never really strayed far over my years from my preference for hip hop and rap music. You wouldn’t believe it, but my freestyle game is rock solid from all the years of listening to every type of hip hop beat and song imaginable.
But I digress - the point is if I look back on my years in college athletics, work, side hustle etc. I know the truth is hip hop and rap played a large part in my mindset and ability to stay consistent when I didn’t want to.
To me, Hip Hop/Rap is motivation, it’s about grinding, coming up through the game, and persevering despite major hurdles in life ALL while having a rock solid confidence and cockiness about what you bring to the table. It reminds me to be harder and not so soft.
To control my emotions and focus on the tangible goals in front of me that can improve my life. Hell sometimes rap gives me the confidence to call out bullshit, go lift heavy things at the gym when I don’t want to, and to put myself first.
Now are there downsides to rap/hip hop music? Sure there are. Is the content matter good for kids and young people? No probably not. That doesn’t mean that rap and hip/hop can’t be a positive force - it just carries with it some nuances to be aware of.
Sure I may not be from the same neighborhood, “life” or background as many of the rappers or artists in the game these days, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have an appreciation for the craft and draw energy/motivation from the genre.
The genesis of my love for hip hop and rap music started with my sony walkman and my first copy of Get Rich or Die Tryin by 50 Cent.
I bought a copy off a kid at school and my mom (an Irish Catholic woman) snapped it in half after hearing the explicit lyrics. I burnt another copy the next couple days with Limewire. Totally wrecked that family computer with viruses doing so.
In High School, T.I., T-Pain, Akon, and many other legendary 2000’s rappers graced us with their godly tunes. I used to play Smack That by Akon and Eminem with two ‘‘12 subwoofers in the back of my Acura MDX with a Rockford fosgate Amp I got from my older cousin.
The thing absolutely slapped, and you kid hear my coming blocks away. Couple noise “pollution” tickets. Great times.
When I lived in the Bay Area I was introduced to G Eazy and E-40, both of which are still some of my favorite Hip Hop artists in the game. I’ve spent quite a bit of time on the West Coast in my life, so I always appreciate some of the Western classics like Snoop Dog, Game, Kendrick, etc.
Bonus points if you bump the GTA V radio Los Santos playlist. Some of the best lazy Saturday/Sunday morning beats you can find on god’s green earth. Some of the songs we used to play senior year in college while mopping a keystone soaked floor.
Towards the end of high school, you’d hear Baby Bash, Usher, 50 Cent, and more at school dances, but for the most part R&B/Pop dominated that time period.
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When I went to school in the South, I was introduced to Future, Chief Keef, Young Dolph, Key Glock, Gucci Mane, and others. I loved the trap beats and uplifting energy in many of the songs given I was in the gym quite a bit and I was an athlete.
Though I was a DJ occasionally at school (relying on house anthems like “Levels” and Swedish House Mafia bangers like “GreyHound” and maybe some “Lose Control” from AfroJack ) I was the guy that would throw on Bobby Shmurda or Waka Flocka before the bar to get everyone hype.
A couple years into moving to New York I discovered Pop Smoke, a rapper from Carnesie Brooklyn who’s drill beats and insane persona/style (UK inspired gritty trap beats) brought back the hype and energy that I was originally drawn to in 50 Cent’s classic album Get Rich or Die Tryin. Get your money, stunt on em, and build something!
See as I mentioned I love rap and hip hop for the energy and motivation it brings me, but I also obviously like the fact that they talk about money 90% of the time, since I too value money and want a shit ton of it.
I’m not super into spiritual stuff, but I do believe in manifesting your destiny and know for a fact that if you believe, act, and work towards something enough, the universe tends to pull it in your direction.
Arbitrage Andy’s aesthetic of covering the darker side of finance, illegal size movers, and covering major events, stemmed in part from my love for Hip Hop and Rap music. The juxtaposition of for example, Drill Rap and working a white collar 9-5 corporate job jumped out at me.
If I can have the mentality of these guys that are out in the streets, struggling to survive, hustling for cash, and trying to make it, than maybe I can learn from that hunger and gain an edge in a softer world that I reside in.
Why not?
I think you’ll find that my taste is eclectic and the vibes are immaculate.
Now look a lot of people who do reviews of hip hop/rap songs go for the low hanging fruit and choose 10 Crack Commandments by Notorious BIG and liken those principles to business etc. blah blah blah. We love biggie here but this will go a bit deeper into songs I have vetted over and over again and concluded, they are indeed frothy bangers.
In no particular order here 30 of my favorite bangers with a deep dive on 10 of them.