Loyola Greyhound

Issue date: 4/1/09 Section: Arts & Society

Media Credit: Photo Courtesy of TheStreetsTalk.com Kanye West and 88-Keys are pictured above in costume.

The first single released from the producer/rapper 88-Keys debut album falls short of hip-hop genius. "Stay Up!" is evidence that the state of contemporary hip-hop, just like our economy, is the epitome of the term recession.

"Stay Up!" is a simple idea with a simple hook. Being plain, boring, and basic wonít work in the failing music industry that music lovers are growing accustomed to. 88' is a wonderful music producer at heart though, and the primary-producer, secondary-rapper, has produced tracks for notable emcees such as Talib Kweli, Mos-Def, and Macy Gray.

The talented beat-maker reinforces the themes and lyrics of this song with a ridiculously wonderful, old-fashioned beat with a sample from a European band called Imagination. The sampled song is titled, "All Night Loving."

And with a song about males in their 30's taking Viagra; in order to perform more efficaciously, the creativity behind the beat is sensational; however, the lyrics have a hard time rising to the occasion.
Listening to the song for the first time with the repeating chorus coming in accompanied by the aforementioned, groovy beat; by the end of the second verse, it might be easier to fall asleep than to stay up.

"Her telling her home-girls that he couldn't stay up/In the restaurant with her voice way up/Please keep it discreet/Keep the business out of the street/She said 'I would if he'll handle biz up in the sheets!"

Not even Kanye's premature lyrics could birth a reason to give this song a second chance. This song is hard to believe that it isn't Kanye's. Kanye raps on the first two verses (maybe because the listeners would most likely reminisce about lullabies had 88' rapped first), but the song has done it's damaged by the time 88' finally raps a few lines on the last verse.

"But she love to show her girls like Sanaa Lathan/And she throwing passes like Troy Aikman/And she really into twisting facts like false statements/He's into twisting backs by throwing his weight in"

The chorus by the end of the song seems too much like one is being commanded to stay up. But for those who know what real hip-hop is, this song has all the potential of song that can satisfy, but again, comes up short.

Need an April Fools' prank? Just scream out at the top of your lungs, "This is the best song EVER!" (Just make sure you say "April's Fools"). Stay tuned and readers please remember- Stay Up!

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