We Plug 2 Y.O.U... Dream McLean - The Purple Promo

OK Sooo... we're gonna interrupt our regular G.O.O.D Soul Food Series, which by the way, has a few more features to go (so look out for the rest of the volumes & if you haven't already, you should check out Vol. 1, 2 & 3!), to bring you something entirely different to what you've experienced in the last couple of months on We Plug GOOD Music, I hope you like it because quite frankly, I'm loving this s**t off!!! So yeah a couple weeks ago, the GOOD people over at Team Supreme Music sent me this 13-track mixtape from a brother from Essex, UK called Dream McLean... Now I must admit I hadn't heard too much of this Dream McLean fella BUT the people @ Team Supreme had been plugging this artiste for a minute now so I was anxious to listen to what was on offer here & I must say right from the JUMP that I very much like what I hear... Oh by the way, the title of the mixtape? The Purple PROMO!!!

Let's check out some cuts from the mixtape...




What you just heard is aptly titled 'The Industry', produced by Siris & may I just inject here that this is how Dream McLean kicks off The Purple Promo... I heard this record & I was like WHOA! Who is this guy? My man jus shitted all over the whole UK urban scene with that one! I DEFINITELY LIKE IT!!! This record right here is what I wanna hear from U.K Hip-Hop... that realness, that truth to your artform & the thing with it too is, this track isn't lieing at all & you can take that however way you wanna take it! Couple that with Dream's debut single (which is the 2nd track on the mixtape), 'Experiment Gone Wrong' (produced by Skeamz & Tru Omega) and it's like you've been hit over the head with a bout of straight truths, hard-hitting lyrics & ever-so-sharp punchlines (I especially enjoy the political references on 'Experiment Gone Wrong')... What a way to kick off your mixtape, he definitely had my attention at this point

The thing that draws me to this mixtape in its entirety is the diversity it captures because if thumping GRIME beats & hard-hitting LYRICS aint your cup of tea, then there's this...




Track titled 'Closer'... Gentle SOULFUL production (those trumpets at the end there = priceless!) laced with amazing vocals by Darien Brockington (how comes I don't know this brother) & those SWEET-BOY lyrics from Dream McLean, Essex style (ladies what ya saying though?) ... OR the ever so infectious 'Bring Your Smile Back' as produced by Statik Selektah who by the way seriously brings the soul on this one!!! You probably will be able to tell that 'Closer' is my favorite record from the mixtape. What can I tell you? I'm just a sucker for G.O.O.D SOul Food!

Aight let's get back to some more music...




That one's called 'Cliche' and it's produced by High Frequency... It's one of them records that, creatively speaking, is just on a different lane to what you'd hear from your typical UK grime artiste... & that's why I've held back from categorizing Mr. McLean as 'grime' because based off of this mixtape, it'd be a mistake to put the music he makes into that box... The thing that just floors me is that this fella is what? 18 BUT musically, he's quite grown to be honest & the lyrics are mature as well, the word play is on point... I fux with Dream McLean! He's definitely got the We Plug GOOD Music co-sign! OR what do y'all reckon?




And as a parting gift from us to you via The Purple Promo, it's the MMP produced 'Be My Friend'... I love it when Emcees always go retrospective at the close of the albums or mixtapes, it's a very nice touch! I wonder who started that trend??? Anyway I love retrospective hip-hop so therefore I love 'Be My Friend'... What about you though? What do you think of this record???

Alright Ladies & Gentlemen... I've done my BIT, now it's time for you to tell us what you think about Dream McLean & the music you've just heard... Do you like? Do you loathe? Let US know ok & if you missed the link up top, you can download The Purple Promo HERE!!! Enjoy it & look out for a DJ Premier production on one of the records! BIG THINGS!!!

& Until the Next Time...

Plug GOOD Music is what we do!!!

G.O.O.D Soul Food Volume 3... A Brother With Soul

Ladies & Gentlemen... We can't keep leaving each other like this you know? It's been what? Near enough four weeks now since we last got together... Ok Ok Ok I'll take the blame this time but we've gotta sort it out, don't you think?

SO Now that my lame-ass attempt at apologising for NOt being here for a minute is out of the way... let's get down to the GOOD music!

Believe it or NOT but so much of our day is spent looking for worthy NEW music to bless you with & it can be a really painstaking experience, not that I mind because I enjoy discovering music that's beautiful and sharing that with you... BUT ever so often, something so GOOD suddenly lands right in our lap & we just have to share it... One of such 'things' is our next feature in the G.O.O.D Soul Food series and we've gotta thank 'this metal chic' for putting us on!!! His name is Femi (pronounced as in 'FAIR-ME') and his influences and inspiration range from the Legends of Soul Music... Barry White, Stevie Wonder, Al Green & Marvin Gaye to the Contemporary R&B maestros... Blackstreet, Jodeci, New Edition & Joe... Ok I can hear you say 'Hmm this better be good!' BUT when have we ever NOT brought the GOODNESS???

Let's get to it Ladies & Gentlemen...




I immediately fell in love with this brova's voice as soon as I heard this record, it is so smooth in a Joe Thomas/Brian McKnight kinda way... It reminds me so much of that kinda 90's male R&B vocals & I suppose that when he says he's been inspired by the likes of Jodeci & Blackstreet, you can definitely hear it in his sound... I definitely like it! The production on this is courtesy Wole Oni and the way he merges the very different musical sounds (you might need headphones to notice the 'traditional + contemporary' mash up) on this record is to be applauded... My favorite part of the song is the bridge, 2 minutes deep into the song, where Femi jus let's his vocals ride over the sounds of traditional Nigerian drums... Priceless!!!

& we've got more... you know how we do!!!




I must admit, I so badly wanna know how the title of this record came about. It's called 'Ma Pa Mi' which literally means 'Don't Kill Me' but yeah, the complex minds of song-writers heh? I dunno how sex-talk in Yoruba language might sound BUT I envision that if she (or he) is moaning 'Ma Pa Mi' amongst other things, you must be doing something right (lol)? This one's one of em sexy records you just wanna draw your 'special someone' close & vibe to... The lyrics are simple enough to learn after a couple listens (just Genius if that was the intention) & you cannot help but start to sing along to this song, I know I couldn't... It features the sensual vocals of Ego and I think she should have atleast been given more presence on the song cos when she's on that back & forth with Femi = the best parts of the song IMO.

'Ma Pa Mi' is Femi's debut single so make sure you look out for it in your local record stores plus you can enjoy the other records in this feature on the B-SIDE... Unfortunately I don't think this is being released online BUT if & when it is, I'll be sure to let y'all know about it!!!

Still can't get over how good this brova sounds though, what do you think? Do lemme know...




What you just heard is called 'Never Felt A Love'... It reminds me somewhat of that Bow wow/Ciara record 'Like You'? Like those bits where Femi goes '... love like this' sounds a lot like where Bow & Ciara go '... quite like you'? Doesn't it though? Don't get me wrong, I still fux with this tune, it's BIG! New England's Surefire Music Group does a great job with this banging production & Femi duly obliges as his vocals beautifully ride the thumping beats with such ease... I still can't decide which one I prefer, this or 'I Love You Baby'? What do you reckon???

As far as his song-writing abilities go, 'Never Felt A Love' is the one record that I reckon showcases that talent the best of all the three songs in this feature. There's nothing overly fancy about the words BUT they carry a sincerity to them that is so believable... Like Ms. Toledo said of the earlier 'Ma Pa Mi', the lyrics on there aren't unique (Not by any means even) BUT where these records may lack in deep lyrics, they more than make up for in beautiful vocals & real DOPE production that you cannot help but just appreciate the GOOD music that Femi blesses us with...

My only problem (BEEF) is... with music as good as this, why in heaven's name doesn't this brova have an internet presence? In an age where Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and the likes of them are taking over... Artistes cannot afford not to be in tunes with the times!!! Get it together, I say!!! QUICK EDIT - Check FEMI out on his Myspace, Twitter & Facebook!!! He's with the times alright!!! Talkin bout twitter, do join us on there as well...

As always, I do hope you enjoy the GOOD music on this here feature... We still wanna hear from you about the feature so please leave your two pennies... Is Femi 'killin' us with the lovely vocals & melody OR would we rather NOT have 'felt' his love???


Until the Next Time...

Peace, Love & GOOD Music