Joey Bada$$: Brooklyn's Musical Legend In The Making

If there’s one thing hip-hop fans know about Brooklyn, it’s that we always take the crown. From authentic lyricism, beats and paying homage to our extensive list of legends – crowned with our beloved Biggie Smalls, it’s hard to ignore the Brooklyn presence. And I’m here to say, it’s possible we have legend in the making, folks.

Legend: a famous or important person who is known for doing something extremely well.

Before I continue, I know “legend” is one heck of a title to give an artist but given the current (and highly questionable) state of hip-hop, I’m sure it’ll suffice. I’m also sure that once you lend Joey Bada$$ your ears and less than half an hour of your time to listen to PART of his debut album, B4.DA.$$ (Before The Money), you’ll be convinced. And you won’t want your ears back neither.

The 20-year old, independent artist from Bedford-Stuyvesant, has that authentic hip-hop swag the game has been missing. The swag I’m discussing is one that originated the genre and shouldn’t have been compromised for money and over-night celebrities with temporary fame. The swag I’m discussing is one that brought forth Brooklyn lyricists like Biggie, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Mos Def, Big Daddy Kane, and of course Jay Z, and many more. The swag I’m discussing is one that prompted Jay Z to offer Joey Bada$$ a deal that he in turn declined; a declination that worked out pretty well.

Cinematic Music Group and Pro Era, the collective group of artists, producers, photographers and graphic designers co-founded by Joey Bada$$, have lyrical storms on their hands. (You might want to add listening to their mix-tape to you Music To-Do List as well.) If you have him tell it, “the game ain’t been the same since Biggie smacked me at my christening.” All we can do is agree with that sentiment because there isn’t a fallacy in sight.

I’ll start you guys off a list of my favorite Joey Bada$$/Pro Era tracks to get you started. The revolution will be hyperlinked: