I noticed there are a lot of "Best/Worst Songs of LP" lists, so I got curious of what you guys thought of Mike's side project, Fort Minor. Hence, I made this list of my favorite Fort Minor songs. 10. "In Stereo" When Jay-Z says "that beat is hard," you better believe it. Mike make a massive beat to that puts will.i.am's so-called "Hardest Ever" beat to shame. 9. "Red to Black" Mike and Styles of Beyond deliver their angriest rhymes over metal guitars. Jonah Matranga and Kenna handle the haunting chorus while Ryu delivers the performance of a lifetime. 8. "Dolla" Who knew a Led Zeppelin song can become the most head-banging hip hop beat? Mike spits his verses with hilarious braggadocio - "I'll bruise you with a shoe to the family jewelry," he raps. In "Dolla", Mike, Ryu and Tak prove they're the coolest hip hop trio in the underground biz. 7. "Remember the Name" "Remember the Name" is a worthy introduction to Fort Minor and Styles of Beyond, who rap about themselves in the oddest way possible - third-person. "Remember the Name" proves a violin-based song can end up in hundreds of sports promos. 6. "Kenji" Despite some odd lyrics by Mike, he makes us relate to the wrongly-accused Japanese Americans. 5. "Cigarettes" Yes, Mike may sound awkward in delivering his verses, but there's no denying the song's message - the hip hop world is plagued with bad messages we enjoy even if it's slowly killing us - just like cigarettes. In "Cigarettes", Mike troubles us with his reverse-psychology lyrics, backed by a heavenly choir. Maybe "Cigarettes" is heaven's message to the hip hop world. No wonder this is Jay-Z's favorite in The Rising Tied. 4. "Where'd You Go" The premise of "Where'd You Go" is about the consequences of prioritizing someone's career over family. Brook and Matranga deliver a beautiful chorus while Mike delivers the ugly truth that all of us can relate: "You don't really know what you got 'till it's gone." It harmonized the worlds of pop and hip hop, and boosted Fort Minor to success. 3. "Right Now" In "Right Now", Mike, Ryu, Tak and Black Thought reminisce about what could happen in the world at that moment while they're stuck in a hotel. It's a sad thought and it gives you a guilty feeling. And after Black Thought's amazing verse, you'll be left asking yourself - what could happen to people suffering while we live in luxury? 2. "High Road" Think "99 Problems" mixed with "F**k You." "High Road" is the simplest song of the album: Mike raps over a simple piano and bass hook, with drums, tambourine and John Legend's swooning voice. Mike takes jabs at his haters, but instead of sounding disturbing, it's in the happiest way possible. It works. 1. "Believe Me" "I definitely wanted to add different elements," Mike told MTV about "Believe Me." With an appropriate thunder intro, Mike goes bonkers in "Believe Me," mixing a GarageBand sample with hard-pounding rock drums, clattering cowbells and background bass and piano loops. Ryu, Tak and Mike excel at randomly call-and-response between verses. And then Eric Bobo of Cypress Hill comes in with a funky Latin percussion. It's too grand for hip hop radio, too hip for rock radio and too complex for a freestyle. It's unclear what Mike was going for in "Believe Me," but Mike's reaction to all the craziness was appropriate: "We're on some Wu-Tang sh--!" What are your favorite FM songs?
That's slightly fucked up. Sorry. Just saying. You're doing exactly what the US did during World War II. Bundling Japanese-Americans with the Japanese. You did NOT just call "Fuck You" what I think you just called it. Unordered. 1. Spraypaint and Inkpens It's Lupe and Ghostface. Done. 2. The Hard Way The beat is epic as shit and Kenna's chorus is haunting. 3. Cigarettes I'm a sucker for strings and a choir. Maybe it's because I was in Orchestra. 4. There They Go It's There They Go. 5. 100 Degrees Piano and strings and that mixtape flow. 6. Petrified I honestly have this on here only for the beat. 7. Right Now Also for mostly the beat. Lyrically it's a good idea, but it comes off slightly weak. Also, the worst Black Thought verse I've ever heard. 8. Be Somebody Laid-back beat, Lupe, and Holly Brook/Skylar Grey. 9. Tools of the Trade A beat made out of items from the kitchen? Everyone drunk and just fucking around? Yes please.
1. In Stereo 2. Kenji Seriously. It retold something that meant something to him personally. 3. Petrified 4. Remember the Name 5. Believe Me 6. Where'd You Go I'm a chick. I love these chick flick songs. That is all.
Not in any Particular order: The Hard Way Spray Paint and Ink Pens Cover and Duck Slip Out the Back Cigarettes Where'd you Go (BBB Remix)
Petrified The Hard Way Tools Of The Trade Do What We Did 100 Degrees Bloc Party In Stereo Slip Out The Back There They Go
There are a fair few songs on "The Rising Tied" that I really like, which include: "Right Now" "Feel Like Home" "Back Home" and, my personal favourite, "Red To Black". Non-album tracks I like include: "The Hard Way" "Bloc Party" "All Night" "Spraypaint" "Respect 4 Grandma" and Joe Hahn's remix of "Where'd You Go". I'm a big fan of the side-project as a whole and I particularly love how well the music worked for the live show, though I'm a little biased; seeing Fort Minor was pretty much my first live experience. Even if I consider Shinoda's rapping to be sub-par on some tracks (like "Petrified", as satirical as that track is supposedly meant to be), I really think that his rapping improved for doing it.
Can't seem to find Trade of the Tools (I've heard Tools of the Trade but someone made Trade of the Tools). Also, the best ones are Kenji, The Hard Way, Red To Black, Right Now, Spraypaint and Bloc Party.
I think this track beats every single FM song combined. [video=youtube;2f4S3DWpYQQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2f4S3DWpYQQ[/video]