Mixtape of the week - B.o.B. & Wale - Leaders of the New Kool

B.o.B aka Bobby Ray and Wale represent two of the newest stars in Hip-Hop. They also represent two of the leaders in the new Hip-Hop movement. With the explosion of the mixtape as an almost mainstream medium for music, much of the focus in some of these new songs has gone away from money, women, sex, and power, and focused more on lyrics, roots, meaning, and style. While the radio hits are still around (songs produced for one thing: radio play), the likes of Wale, Lupe Fiasco and B.o.B. have sought to bring a new flavor to the hip-hop community.

The release of Leaders of the New Kool shows the progression that they are aiming for. Here is a sample called Past My Shades from B.o.B ft. Lupe Fiasco:

The laid back lyrics from B.o.B and the smooth style of Lupe makes this a hard song not to like, and epitomizes the style that they were trying to bring to the mixtape.

Recently, B.o.B. and Lupe decided to bring their new style to the Roseland Theater in Portland. I saw Lupe Fiasco 2 years during the Glow in the Dark Tour at the Rose Garden, and I could only imagine how great his performance was going to be this time. But sadly, I had prior engagements (another concert over at the Wonder Ballroom). A good friend of mine was kind enough to lend me some of his pictures however. Check them out below.

Aside from Leaders of the New Kool, Wale dropped his latest CD: Attention Deficit in November of 2009. After being dubbed one of the new 5 fresh faces of Hip-Hop by Rolling Stone last summer, B.oB.'s album release has been much anticipated. The Adventures of Bobby Ray is in stores now. Lupe Fiasco's Lasers will be his 3rd studio album, set for release sometime in 2010.