It's A Tensta Thing

Hugo you crazy? Wu dropping, B-Mack dropping, Freeway dropping, Jigga dropping and you wanna tell them to listen to some nobody from, what's that. Tenstown? Tensington? Well at least you support your own that's for sure. People are gonna think you're a die hard fan to any tune coming out of Sweden, no matter what piece of shit sandwich record that might be.

True story I haven't copped an album from a Swedish artist since I was 13 or 14. I guess the story's in their rhymes was too familiar for it to be interesting. I rather listen to somebody telling stories about cities, crimes, problems far away, that way it seemed sort of like fairytales. Like seeing a movie rather then participating in a movement. Actually that just bogus, I plain and simple didn't feel any of it. Point is I'm not talking about Adam Tensta only cause he's Swedish, he get talked about cause he's really really good. He worth your time, I wouldn't recommend just any rapper, I wouldn't waste your time. I know how precious 1 hour of listening time is now days, with so much to bump it's difficult to choose what to give a listen.

Might be worth mentioning, I'm far from the first to hype Adam up. And somehow I thought he wasn’t going to drop his album till February or sometime spring so I didn’t bother giving him a proper listen till just a week ago or so. About the same time his new video for My Cool (video below) started getting plays and Swedish radio started catching up. And they’re really catching up, I’m not a frequent radio listener so I might be off the wall with this statement but it damn near feels like there hasn’t been a hip hop tune getting this much play since Skeelo was on the radio. Another factor of me writing him up right now is he drops his first solo album tomorrow 11/30, called It’s A Tensta Thing.

First time I heard of this dude I had no idea he was a rapper even. About a year or two ago or so a friend of mine, Johan, told me he for the first time in his life met someone who was a bigger hip hop head then me. He and Adam worked together as phone salesmen selling insurances or oriental tea or some shit like that. Every day they're hustlin. Johan moved to Switzerland for six months and the dude wasn't on any of our minds till Johan suddenly recognized him in the Banging on The System video (video below). That’s fairly uninteresting though. What’s interesting is that song is a god damn jam. The beat is kinda down south sounding and they chop and screw his voice for the chorus. Somewhat works for club DJ’s but it’s mainly something you might bump in your headphones. His talking some political shit on this, mostly finding different ways of saying fuck the system. Works great.

'

Adam Tensta - Bangin On The System prod: Kajmir

Next song I heard of him was the house music inspired They Wanna Know. It was released as single Too be honest I hated the beat at first, way too clean and it sounded like some techno shit whit rap over it. I wanted some heavy dirty bass drums and a funkier beat. Good rap, but still. The house sound isn’t unexpected though, at least not once you learn the track is produced by house producers Addeboy vs. Cliff (which I never heard of). I probably didn’t give more then one or two listens before disregarding is as crap. Then when the third single My Cool dropped I was truly chocked, damn. I had no choice but to give this guy another chance, and now even They Wanna Know has truly grown on me. It’s helluva club banger, I don’t mind the house thing at all anymore.

Adam Tesnsta - They Wanna Know prod: Addeboy vs. Cliff

Adam Tensta - My Cool prod: Addeboy vs Cliff

Neither My Cool or They Wanna Know really says anything worth remembering, just rhyming too the beat. Don’t really matter for a radio hit now days anyhow does it? And Adam Tensta got other songs with deeper messages and thought threw topics. Like Cry A Little where he talks about close ones passed away, it’s really a heartfull effort. This time the song is built up on some soul sample, it’s a tune a really enjoy and it’s good to see Adam rhyming over something other then house beats.

Adam Tensta - Cry A Little prod: Maverick

Adam Tensta - Rubberband prod: Keione

Adam Tensta - All Thi Haters prod: Addeboy vs. Cliff

Adam Tensta - It Aint Gon Be Easy prod. Maverick

I’m not going to share the album here. The reason is obvious, I don’t have it. The release day is tomorrow and I haven’t even tried looking for a leaked version. Even if I did have the album I wouldn’t share it though, even though it could be considered morally acceptable since from what I know there’s no plans distributing it in the US. They probably ship it to America if you order it from his myspace (link at the bottom), so if you like the songs cop it. Hopefully it’s a decent effort. I’ll cop at lunch break tomorrow. Once again, Enjoy!

Videos:

Adam Tensta - My Cool

Adam Tensta - Banging On The System

Adam Tensta - They Wanna Know

Adam Tensta:
http://www.myspace.com/adamtensta
http://www.k-werks.com/
http://www.rmh-ent.com/