Paul Wall, Raekwon, Jay Electonica & Yelawolf Know How to “Live It” (Listen & Download)

Posted by Nathan S. on 07/12/10 | Filed under Downloads, Yelawolf, Raekwon, Jay Electronica, Paul Wall

Paul Wall Heart of a Champion Album Cover

Oh what a difference a few years makes. Back in 2005, a time so long ago I don't even think they had the internet, Houston's hip-hop scene had blown up and Paul Wall was an enormously popular rapper with a #1 album. Just five years later, Mr. Wall has more or less been relegated to the confines of history...unless he keeps putting out tracks like this new cut "Live It". Without abandoning his trademark style and alienating long-term fans, "Live It" also expands Wall's normal woo-grain gripped reach by bringing in New Yorker Raekwon, New Orleans native turned de facto New Yorker Jay Electronica and not even close to a New Yorker Yelawolf to back him up. Add in some impressive production from Travis Barker (a.k.a. the drummer rocker dude/the dude who was in that gnarly plane crash with DJ AM) and you've got a cut guaranteed to keep hip-hop heads happy.

I once dubbed Paul Wall the King of the Simile (a comparison that uses "like" or "as" for all of you who slept through English class) and he doesn't disappoint here. Will "Heart of a Champion" be enough to bring Wall back to his former glory? I'm listening to it now and, frankly, no it won't, although it's good enough to allow the man to demand some respect.