Sunday, October 31, 2010

808 Check: Slim Thug - Murda (prod by Beanz n Kornbread)

No disrespected to Slim Thuggga, but this is the second time I've featured a Beanz n Kornbread produced track with the 808 check tag; thus, they deserve the image love above in an attempt to spotlight their continuing contributions to bassheads and beat aficionados around the globe. To say this beat bangs is like saying Jacory Harris is going to wake up a little sore tomorrow...

Daaaaammmnn dude got rooted into the earth, forget getting planted! Tough break, but feeding all these Florida, Texas (Baylor? really?) and Miami fans a steady diet of humble pie via college football this season has been fun to watch!

Anyways, this track embodies what Texas rap is supposed to embody, simple, but hard rhymes with a SLOW, LOUD and BANGIN' beat (SLAB). I'm a big fan of @slimthugga, but don't expect anything crazy lyrically, this track is like a pizza at the end of drunken night, tastes delicious when you're in the mood.

Press play if you're in the mood and give a follow to @beanznkornbread on Twitter while you're at it...
Slim Thug - Murda (prod by Beanz n Kornbread)
|Download

Saturday, October 30, 2010

"I Will Break These Chains That Bind Me, Happiness Will Find Me..."

"...Leave the past behind me, today my life begins"
I'm not sure if this didn't make the cut for Doo Wops & Hooligans or whether this was just a random unreleased, but either way I can't think of a good reason why it couldn't have been added to the "slim" 10 song track listing provided by the album. The song is a great example why I love sharing friends with people I care about. When I'm wading through hundreds of songs per month like any self respecting and thorough music blogger, it's easy to discount or miss on a few tracks. This track would qualify as a miss for me, maybe because I figured if it wasn't good enough to make the album, it was more of a throwaway, unreleased track.

Luckily for me, I made a mix for a special someone who told me it was her favorite track on the mix and I was initially surprised because it was more of an at the end throw in because I knew she liked Bruno Mars. Call it new music redundancy or sealing the cracks to make up for lack of time to devote to listening, either way it's a way for me to people who enjoy the same type of music I do happy, while also getting valuable feedback on what's new. Call it a new age symbiotic relationship, either way it's a good system that benefits everyone.

Gaining appreciation of the track aside, this is a really well put together ballad. It's becoming harder to find any chinks in @brunomars's armor of late with his album currently holding down the #24 spot after having peaked at #3. It's tracks like this with a glass half full vibe to it that I tend to take a liking to because of it's unrelenting positivity. It's all about learning from the past, wading through adversity and being able to smile through it all. If you're needing a pick me up because you're having trouble with the adversity, listen to Bruno and make today the day your life begins...again.

Beautiful fall weekend folks, lot to happy about, I could think of no better track to post today. Give it a listen...

Bruno Mars - Today My Life Begins
|Download

Friday, October 29, 2010

I RedOn(c)e Nicole Scherzinger Was Poisonous

This track goes harder than an Econolodge bed man...WOW! There are club tracks, party starters, upbeat anthem and then there are tracks that backhand you in the face with rolling club bass and piercing synth/guitar riffs. Betcha can't guess which one this falls under?

Serious serious credit goes to @redone_official on the assist for throwing together a beat that shows plain and simply that @Ladygaga is somewhat of a product of great production (RedOne has produced many of her hits). That's not to take away from her eccentricity by any means though, her audcious personality is more than half the reason why she has become as influential as she has (almost 7 million Twitter followers!). #Truth

Very rarely too do we have a video come out at about the same time the track drops. This one again bucks the trend, see below...
 
Ladies are gonna lose it in the club when this track comes on, no doubt about that. It's coated with that bad girl, independent, strong woman vibe, which will make it every bit as much of a club anthem for the ladies. @nicolescherzy was the main act when it comes to PCD and she's proven time and again she can speed it up or slow it down, making her one of the more versatile pop singers out.

Most important take away from this track...any time you see (prod by RedOne) at the end of a track, it's in your best interests to check it out. Give him a follow while you're at it, in my opinion great producers crank out consistently hot music at a higher, more steady rate than your favorite artist. Come to terms with it and start giving some love to the guys behind the boards...#ProducersNeedLoveToo

Give it a couple listens...and don't be stingy with the volume...

Nicole Scherzinger - Poison (prod by RedOne)
|Download

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Usher Flirts With Danja and Admits It

Oh how perfect, an upbeat country guitar beat laden track about admitting to cheating! Wait what...? Yea kinda interesting, maybe if you see it from the "I'll never do it again, I'm a changed man" angle it seems more appropriate? Subject matter aside, the beat is hella-head nod worthy as Danjahandz delivers more of a rolling, rhythmic style beat that is in stark comparison to much of his bread and butter work with the synythesizer and exaggerated claps.

Kinda hard not to get lost in the happy, energetic vibe this track exudes. Just sounds like a real high quality, sharp, well produced track, which is what you should expect from @usherraymondiv and the legendary handz of Danja. Put this one on your driving to Happy Hour from work mix, it'll put you in the right mood...

P R E S S P L A Y B E L O W...

Usher - I Did It (prod by Danjahandz)
|Download

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Buzz Track: Pitbull - Orgullo

New single off Pitbull's album that's dropping next Tues, Nov 2nd Armando. You've heard him take it to the dance floor, but he delves into a borderline electro/techno with a splash of Latin flavor on Orgullo, which loosely translates to Pride. So if you were to say Mi Orgullo!, it would mean My Pride!.

Needless to say I can see a whole lotta Latinos and Latinas fist pumping to this culturally uplifting club banger that is probably already getting the wax played off it in Miami. It'll definitely make it to a club near you soon, worry not homie...you don't make a prideful anthem like this and keep it on ice, you play it and promote it all over the radio to make sure everyone who shares the same pride gets the message.
Go out and support @PLANETPIT, dude makes some high octane club music. If it weren't for him, you'd probably be stuck with Black Eyed Peas every other song...wait a sec...I think I just heard another BEP song. #HereWeGoAgain + #IMissTheOldBEP

Indulge with some drinks to the play button below, it has the energy to start a party...#WordIsBond

Pitbull - Orgullo (This is For)
|Download

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

"I Wonder Why I Never Learned My Lesson, It’s Feeling Like the Second Chance and It's the First Impression"

On first reaction, this is one of the better R&B slow jam collaborations I've heard in quite a while. There are slow jams and then there are BMM slow jams, this one falling on the latter side of the spectrum as Jamie harmonizes his way seductively out the speakers before giving way to yet another introspective, poetic verse delivered by ADG. I swear the slower the track, the more @drakkardnoir is able to shine with his slightly personal, but always coherent and eloquent descriptions of the well delivered subject matter.

This time the subject just so happens to be that type of girl that you always end up falling for. Whether that be the chick who is the life of the party and always up for an adventure, or the stylish chick who is crazy beautiful, but you always end up going home with a shopping bag of stuff that's only half yours...or even the girl with the piercing eye contact that is curvy like a cello and constantly affectionate...we all have our "types" and too often they're based mainly on looks and as a result, type becomes a word synonymous with "vice" rather than "acquired taste". But through the years we learn to never trust a big butt and a smile and those who are confident enough to keep refining their "type" are always the ones that prevail. #My2Pennies + #ADimeWorthKeeping = #PlentySense

Read along while you press play below and fast forward to the 2:33 mark for Drizzy's verse... 
"Look, dress hanging off your shoulder, barely sober
Telling me how you moving away and starting over
Girl, quit playing you just drunk, you just saying sh**
Oh you dance, dance like how, like ballet and sh**
Oh, wait, no, I get it girl, I’m with it
I’ve been down this road before and yeah I skidded but forget it
Damn, yeah, I wonder why I never why I learned my lesson
It’s feeling like the second chance and its the first impression
And I heard it’s nothing new except for someone new
But how you supposed to find the one when anyone will come with you
Talking to myself but I never listen,
Cuz man it’s been a while, and I swear that this ones different
That’s why I’mma take you anywhere you wanna go
Let you meet my friends so they can lecture me again about
How reckless I have been
And I’m slowly running out of all the time that I invest in
Making all the same mistakes
And I’m just trying to correct it and I fall..."
This one will be found on Jamie's upcoming album Body, due out December 14th. Shouts out to @ovo40 on the beat, set it off real propa like. Don't be afraid to slow it down for a hot minute folks, there's no better way to set the mood than with a track this smooth...

Jamie Foxx feat Drake - Fall For Your Type (prod by Noah “40” Shebib)
|Download

Monday, October 25, 2010

MMIMC: Phoenix - "From A Mess To The Masses"

Phoenix started in 1995, as a garage-band in Versailles, a famous suburb of Paris. The band lineup was finalized when the older brother of guitarist Christian Mazzalai joined the group, following the dissolution of his previous band Darlin', which featured the two men who would go on to become the world-renowned Daft Punk. (The relationship is still alive and well, as @daft_punk made a surprise appearance, performing live for the first time in 3 years at Phoenix's Madison Square Garden concert earlier this week).

Phoenix's first signs of success in The States came when earlier songs were featured in the movies Shallow Hal and Lost in Translation. It wasn't until the release of their album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, in 2009, that they really took the world by storm. What's neat about their massive success is that it all started with their inclusion of the song, 1901 as a free download.

Phoenix - 1901
|Download

They've since been featured on just about everything, from trailers for Where the Wild Things Are and Alice in Wonderland, to episodes of Entourage (Season 5 Episode 2 and Season 6 Finale Episode 12) and Cadillac SRX commercials.

Their electronic-infused indie stylings came at just the right time too, sparking a meteoric rise in popularity, culminating in their winning of the 2010 Grammy for Best Alternative Album.
You can tell the band's music translates to the masses when you have a children's choir from Staten Island PS22 cover one of your songs, and it reaches over 800,000 hits on YouTube. When asked about the video in a recent interview, guitarist Laurent Brancowitz said that it had brought him to tears, and that seeing the kids sing so passionately left him knowing that he was definitely doing something right. Check out the video below...
As a bonus, here's a remix of the song above 1901 with a little heavier bass and upbeat rhythm to it. Not too different than the original, but it has a little bouncier vibe to it. Give it a listen...

Phoenix - 1901 (sayCent remix)
|Download

Sunday, October 24, 2010

"You Gon be Around Here Bout Long as Justin Bieber’s Virginity"

With Joey's Mood Muzik 4 hitting stores in a little over two weeks, it's becoming pretty clear he's not about to put out some half assed compilation. By now y'all know I tend to favor his emotionally transparent lyrical style that sheds light on every single dark thought that pervades his cranium. Call it emotional Hip Hop if you want, but I liken it to the crazy shit that Eminem writes about, they have a similar skill or lack of a filter when they start emptying their thoughts on a notepad in their own abrasive, artistic way. Yea it can rub people the wrong way, but it's real and there's an allure to it that is more relatable to the listener, and as a result, it ends up being more respectable than a lot of the processed, label produced music.

With all that being said, this one takes three of the most under-appreciated writers in the game right now with @mousebudden teaming up with @MYFABOLOUSLIFE & @therealroyce59 and splatters their high octane verses over a simple, but appropriate @jcardim beat. The verses seem to gradually grow in intensity as each rapper seemingly tries to do their own thing on the track by adding a little bit more intensity and vigor to their verse than the previous. Put it this way, when it's a track without a hook, the focus better be on the bars and delivery, which is the case here and a big reason why the track is great for what it is. Call a spade a spade and this group of titans GOES IN on some memorable verses, with plenty of quotables...(Fab -"Jeff Goldblum couldn't be more fly to me"). Sidebar: My vote for the Brian Wilson award goes to Royce for closin' down the track with an unmatched delivery of his characteristically creative wordplay. Wrap your mind around this quoteable by Royce -"Hennessey, kennedy, king, mixed with a kill or be killed, killer regime".

Proofs in the pudding, go support ya man @mousebudden when his newest high quality effort drops in a couple weeks...

Joe Budden ft. Lloyd Banks, Fabolous & Royce Da 5'9" - Remember The Titans (prod by J. Cardim)

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Mayer Hawthorne Makes Sexy Music

I'll be the first to admit, I've been a little slow to warm up to Mayer Hawthorne. Some of his stuff I really like because he's got a real unique, soulful, mellow sound to a lot of his tracks, which is intriguing to me simple because it's unlike everything else. I feel like it's time I gave him some limelight with his newest track titled No Strings, which is every bit as smooth as it sexy with the rolling bassline that is set off nicely by Mayer's falsetto over piano keys.

As I mentioned earlier, there have been times where I've gotten a little bored listening to his music, but it's almost like he hit the fast forward button with this new track compared to some of the stuff on his first album A Strange Arrangement. I like that because this track is a little more upbeat and @CLASSIXX sets the mood right with that "classy" bassline, no pun intended. They make a good duo, I hope they continue to make more music together because it's a challenge avoiding the eminent rocking back and forth while snapping the fingers when listening to the track.

I still find it funny Andrew Cohen got his pornstar stage name @MAYERHAWTHORNE by combining his middle name with the street name he grew up on. Has worked for plenty of other...uh...artist, so might as well stick with a naming convention that has worked?

Below is a promo commercial for his 2010 Tour sponsored by Mazda, which showcases his bubbly personality a little bit...

I'd file this away into the Grown and Sexy music collection and don't hesitate to play it for that girl you just met whom you're trying to hook up with tonight...#HonestyWins

Mayer Hawthorne - No Strings (prod by Classixx)
|Download

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Sample Justice: Nikki Flores vs Journey - City Lights

Out of all the Sample Justices I've passed judgment on this may be toward the top of the list as far a no brainer, emphatic, hell yesses when it comes serving justice for the sample provided. In case you haven't heard of the beautiful Nikki Flores, you may need to check out a few of her other tracks like Suffocate (prod by Danja) and I Wanna Know You Like That.

It does take quite a bit of courage and audacity to try and tackle a track as classic and timeless as Journey's - Lights. Check it out below if you need a quick F5...

I would have been skeptical of her ability to navigate such a tall task on her own, but under the guidance of the extremely talented Ryan Tedder, it proved to be well within her vocal and musical talents to take the original and put a 21st century spin on it. To get a feel for her musical talents, where she is going with her new album and to get a firsthand sample of how angelic of voice she has, click the play button below...

Pretty tough to beat her potential as an artist, she's got the looks, the voice and now she's under Ryan Tedder's Patriot Records umbrella.

Go out and support Nikki by copping the real version here and give it a listen while you're at it. You be the judge, was justice served?

Nikki Flores - City Lights (prod by Ryan Tedder)
Download|iTunes

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

"The Square Root of 69 is 8 Somethin', Cuz I’ve Been Tryna Work it Out"

Below is the supposed 2nd single off Ri-Ri's upcoming album Loud, due out on Nov 12th. Adding a jump start verse is ya boy @drakkardnoir who does his what he always does on R&B flavored tracks...drop a swagger soaked, smooth as silk verse, setting an upbeat tone to a playfully upbeat track. Radio is gonna wrestle this one away from the grasps on the internuts soon enough, so worry none kind reader, you'll see this on the top 40 soon enough.

Gotta give a quick tip of the hat to @RIHANNA for the quality of her new album. I'm finding it hard to be critical of tracks that have leaked off of Loud because she's got the dance tracks (Only Girl in the World and Who's That Chick as well as slower, mid-tempo tracks like the one below. We'll see if her third single off the album S&M lives up to the first two, but either way a video has been shot for What's My Name, so be on the look out for that. Double dap to Stargate for orchestrating another addictive radio hit...between this and Wiz's Black and Yellow, it's been a good month for the production duo.

Give it a listen...

Rihanna feat Drake - What's My Name (prod by Stargate)
| Download

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Concert Review: Ratatat

I'm gonna be honest when I say I've never been so excited but apprehensive for a concert than I was for Ratatat at the Electric Factory in Philly. I say that because I'd never been to a concert that had no vocals before and I wasn't really sure how two guys were going to make all of the instruments come together. Add to that the fact that even though I've become increasingly familiar with their last two albums, LP3 and LP4, their music can get a little monotonous when you're listening to it...it's all instrumentation!...buuutt on the flip side, the abundance of instrumentation from drums, to synths, to guitars is what made the live show something unique and increased my level of anticipation.

To start with, the setup at Philly's own Electric Factory was (again) ideal. Not too crowded in the pit, plenty of good places to view the stage and fairly solid acoustics. What baffled me, initially, was the decision to put two completely transparent frames of glass that were about 10 feet tall and a little wider than a door frame on both sides of the stage. At first I thought it was to block people from throwing stuff on stage? I mean what else could it be?

Turns out, it was to superimpose images and more frequently, images of people playing instruments, as if to create the illusion of a full band playing the instruments as if to make up for the lack of people on stage making it all happen. Turned out to be pretty awesome and if you scroll down to the last video, you'll see in the Bare Feast video what I'm talking about towards the end of the video where two cell-ists show up illuminated on stage.

Like any good live act, they had their share of creative surprises instrument wise, the first being their drum solo on the loud and boisterous track Wildcat...
Wildcat (Drum solo)

The cool thing I began to appreciate when witnessing Ratatat live, was the energy they were able to pull out of the crowd with their upbeat, electro infused dance music. The whole set I can honestly never say I saw the faces of either Mike Stroud or Evan Mast, which is usually strange to not be engaged at all by the act, but it didn't matter at all because the crowd came for the ridiculous sounds they can produce from instruments.
Case in point, their track Seventeen Years, where they rock out on dual guitars producing a sound that implored all pit attendees to get off their feet...seeing it live made me like it more outside of the concert...check it out
Seventeen Years

Luckily too, I had a dance partner the whole show too who enjoyed shakin' it, getting crazy jumpin' around at some points...hoot even grindin' all high school dance style like nobody is lookin' during tracks like Shempi. No matter what show I go to I always get two tickets because 1) I always find someone to go 2) I love sharing music and 3) I love sharing experiences with people. All of the above were satisfied quite well with a lady who hadn't even heard of Ratatat prior to the concert, but was willing to go on an adventure and trust my musical tastes. Because of all that, I had a better time than I would have had going with just about anyone else and if you're reading this, thanks again for going, I really can't wait for the next concert we get to go to....

Now if you were to ask me what makes a concert perfect, my favorite track needs to be played last. The two previous concerts I've went to, the song I really wanted to see was played first (Drake - 9 AM in Dallas and LCD Soundsystem - Dance Yrself Clean), which is cool but kind of a buzz kill because its really anticlimactic. But luckily for me Ratatat knew that I had come to see Bare Feast and they rewarded me by finishing off the concert with an awe inspiring rendition....
Bare Feast

Who knows maybe it's the Irish in me, but I freakin' love that track and seeing it live did not disappoint. Although, if I were to change the chronology of songs I would have played Bare Feast as the first encore track followed by the more rowdy, tear the house down/my new favorite song by them Lex. I'm splitting hairs at this point, definitely go and see Ratatat if they even come your way, you won't be disappointed in the slightest if you value rhythm and instrumental creativity. Go check out their new album too, LP4 is off the hook.

Monday, October 18, 2010

"You`re so Beautiful...Don't Leave Me Rose"

Thought I'd switch gears for a quick sec with a tugging-on-your-heart-strinsg style ballad delivered by NLT lead singer Travis Garland. I needed a break on the constant Joe Budden and Kanye posts and what better way to break up the high powered Hip Hop with a complete 180, borderline boy-band flavored ballad.

Before you get all judgmental with the pillow-softness of this track, consider first the beautifully crafted instrumental delivered by the legendary handz of Danja. The high pitched concoction of synthesizers blends with the steady back and forth clap of the beat adding to the emotion dripped sorrow the track leaves in your mouth. Kinda reminds me of one of my favorite Danja beats he did for the Pussycat Dolls on Halo. Both beats have that sort of flute driven, medieval style minstrel sound to it that works extremely well over sad lyrics meant to evoke emotion.

Don't discount @travisgarland either, dude has a great voice and is on the rise with his new album coming out later this year. He made waves a few months back with his hit Believe that he performed on American Idol, which was also a Danja production. In case you missed it too, he did a pretty damn good job covering B.O.B.'s track Airplanes as well as T.I. and Justin's track Dead & Gone. In other words, heads up folks, dare I compare him to Justin?

Regardless, if you're in the mood for a sappy slow jam with top flight production and some solid vocals, give it a listen...

Travis Garland - Don't Leave Me Rose (prod by Danjahandz)
|Download

Sunday, October 17, 2010

"Hey Momma I Made It, To the Bright Lights and Stages, I Remember I Was so Impatient"

This just might be my #1 track when I send out my monthly song list in a few days, ranking the best in new music. Before I preface why it's such a great track, click on the video below to see Donnis perform the track on BET's 106 & Park...it's a big reason why I started liking the track so much...

Between this track, Over Do It, Gone and Tonight, there's plenty of reason why I continue to speak of @DONNISXDONNIS in the same "Blow Up Watch for 2011" category that artists like J Cole and Wiz Khalifa are in.

The track below is off his Fashionably Late EP that was released back in September. If you read this blog frequently, you know that I tend to favor tracks that are high energy and give the listener a feeling like they enjoy and appreciate the art or music they are creating. That sort of qualifying statement is a great start in describing I Made It, which has this uplifting tone to it that's infectious. It perfectly embodies the excitement and unfiltered joy that anyone should feel when they've really made it, making it a picturesque anthem to personify the feeling.

To say it's a feel good track doesn't really do it justice, it's beyond that...kinda like saying Donnis is going to be a breakthrough artist...huge understatement and I'm still buying his stock, drinking his kool aid, whatever you wanna call it...I'm in and you should be too. Proofs in the pudding, press play below and prepare to nod your head and smile...

Donnis faet Priscilla Renea - I Made It
|Cop It

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Fitty is Fly Like A G6

Leave it to @50CENT to ride the tidal wave that is Far East Movement's Fly Like a G6. Little Hip Hop flavor to the addictive dance track, give it a listen...

Far East Movement feat 50 Cent - Fly Like a G6 (remix)
|Download

Friday, October 15, 2010

"Diamonds Spinning Round the Bezel Thats Tornado Watch"

"I met this Milf at the All-Star getting action
A cougar with more rings than Phil Jackson"
It's safe to say that Lloyd Banks has been reaping the benefits lately of all these @kanyewest aided collabos. It definitely turned my head when I saw Kanye pronounce on Twitter:
"Yo man Loyd Banks prolly the most underrated MC in the game...Man he deserve to be top 5 at least!" (Sept 8th)
While I'm more than hesitant to give @lloydbanks that much credit, I will concede he's dropped a few verses over the years that have turned my head (think here). The track below is going to be on his Hunger For More 2 album due out on November 23rd, which will be released by his new record company EMI since he was released by Interscope last year. Bet the folks over at Interscope are kicking themselves now after this career rejuvenation provided by a couple singles Beamer, Benz, Bentley and Any Girl.

You better believe the unsung hero of the track below is ya man @RYANLESLIE. You wanna talk about subtly killin' the beat, but barely being mentioned (even on blogs) on the production credits. That's some bullshit in my opinion, dude works wonders on a keyboard and this is no exception. I'm hands down giving best verse award to Kanye who parallel parks on this track, no hands style on his verse, only to be followed up by a strong to quite strong verse by @MYFABOLOUSLIFE. Pretty hard to critique this one with the bubbly synthesizers, bangin' beat and top notch verses.

Give you weekend playlist a shot of steriods...Kenny Powers style...(shouts out to Lil' Wyte on that background highlight clip)

Lloyd_Banks feat. Kanye West Swizz Beatz Ryan Leslie & Fabolous - Start It Up (Prod by Ryan Leslie)
|Download

Thursday, October 14, 2010

"I Welcome Ya’ll to Be My Co-Pilots on This Spaceship"

"At times I hate my reflection and others I’m conceited
Half the time I’m arrogant other times I’m vengeful
At times it’s to convince me, at times it’s to convince you"
Wow...that was my first reaction after hearing this track. My second reaction, immediately following the second consecutive play was, Hooooooly SH**! This is top notch @mousebudden, from the storytelling to the wordplay to the crazy chemistry he's got with @jcardim. Y'all remember those tracks he did at the start of the year, Money's on Me and Keep On? I still can't press next when I anticipate and then hear how the beat flips after a minute on Money's on Me...one of the more disgusting mid-track flips of tempo I have ever heard.

Even better Joe recruits Slaughterhouse member Crooked I to donate a verse on the track, which takes the lyrical credibility of the track up at least three notches. The best part of the track is by far on the hook when Joe summons his inner 2pac and puts to work that baritone on the "Tell me if you wanna ride or die, La La La La La La La La". Shouts out to Cardim on the beat too, the way he manipulates it around the verses, letting the spotlight be shone on the lyrics before he takes it up a notch on the hook, injecting energy into an already cocaine addictive hook.

For all of you at home, that's two top notch cuts off Mood Muzik 4 already and if that hasn't gotten you excited enough, check out his four part series of promo videos for his new album...due out on Nov 9th...
Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4


Crazy hot track below...might be in contention with all these Kanye tracks floating around this month for top track...give it a few listens and share in the excitement of MM4, it's gonna be better than you anticipate...

Joe Budden feat Crooked I - Sober Up (prod by J. Cardim)
| Download

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Daft Punk Sprinkled With N.E.R.D.s

Interesting collab with N.E.R.D. dipping into the Daft Punk alectronic flavor for a minute. The only thing more out there than this song is N.E.R.D's website, which literally explodes at you if you hover over the middle of the page. It definitely sounds more @nerdarmy than @daftpunk...in other word it's less dance/electro and a lot more...uh... weird Hip Hop? Over a mid-tempo, bubbly, danceable beat Pharrell comes equipped with a seductive falsetto, sure to made old school R&B fans cringe.

I'm not sure how much I like this track, but I was a little let down when I saw Daft Punk as the feature and then didn't get much of a dose. I did find the whole "20s, 50s, 5s, 10s" bridge toward the end of the track interestingly robotic and awkward to a point that I find myself singing it every time I hear this song. This is set to be the third single off N.E.R.D.'s upcoming album Nothing due out on Nov 2nd.

Give it a listen, it may take a while to grow on you, but it's not like most music you hear...which is a victory in it's own right with Hip Hop sounding more like a bakery of late with so much cookie cutting goin' on...

N.E.R.D feat Daft Punk - Hypnotize U
| Download

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Unique But Relatable is an Understatement

"Normally it’s just me and my lonely mind
Everyone storm is different so this forecast is only mine"
Back and seemingly moodier, depressed, introspective and transparent as ever, Joey hits the ground runnin' on the first leak from his Mood Muzik 4: A Turn 4 the Worst album due out on Nov 9th. Rhyming over the slow, steady, ominous knock of a bass-heavy beat that caters to someone spewing their inner thoughts in an emotional tirade, he puts his life on full blast once again, putting a thermometer directly in the heart of his emotional temperature. Like all of his great tracks, you can tell he's ridding himself of demons in a therapeutic way, at points yelling out the lyrics like the words are poisonous and need to be released.

Tracks like this are what make @mousebudden unique. Forget a traditional 16, he goes in until it's all out, no bar scheme needed, he continues to come off brash and unapologetic, but he's still extremely sensitive, observant and creative with his word choices. The tracks that come from his raw emotion are too deep for most Hip Hop fans, which is probably why he takes pride in never being that pop act by conforming to a traditional style of Hip Hop. For me though, lyrics are the lifeblood of why I enjoy Hip Hop music and my fandom has done nothing but increase over the years as Hip Hop artists have continued to raise the bar creativity and intellect wise through lyrics. As an example, take part of his second verse on Black Cloud, where he tears apart his own character delving into his own personal flaws...
"Normally it’s just me and my lonely mind
Everyone storm is different so this forecast is only mine
Fans recognize my misery uplifted me
Shifted me to my epitome, guess the curse is a gift to me
Maybe its serendipity, maybe it’s weighing on me physically
Maybe I should man up and tell God not to solicit me
Been medicated, meditated
Sedated, hated
Character assassinated, all theses years I masqueraded
Hard headed, if it was on my mind I had to say it
Tongue on the devil’s pitchfork to see how disaster tasted
Rap is fabricated, rappers are so exaggerated
Wouldn’t be scared of the truth if they weren’t castrated
Grab a mag, spray it, surrounded by people to shoot it before me
Better unconditionally love my beautiful ugly"
You'll either hate it and be bored with it or really appreciate it for it's transparency, it's that polarizing. If you're like me you'll dissect the lyrics and wish other rappers would be this honest with themselves and their fans...

Give it a listen, but keep in mind it's far from skin deep, so consider yourself warned...

Joe Budden - Black Cloud
| Download

Monday, October 11, 2010

Buzz Track: Gilbere Forte - Dog Days Are Over (Yeasayer Remix)

Always cool when Hip Hop mixes with Indie and this is yet another reason why. Gilbere Forte, who recently jumped on remix of international hit Alors on Dance with Kanye, is an artist based out of Philly who is starting to make some noise with some of the material he's putting out. This time he borrows a sample of the huge hit Dog Days Are Over by Florence and the Machine. You may remember her extremely well executed performance at the VMAs that had everyone in awe of her beautiful song. See the video of their original song below...

Kinda cool too that Indie champions, Yeasayer were behind the creation of this remix, providing the Indie bridge needed to pull together the two different styles. The "leave all your lovin' your lovin' behind" sample that is featured on the remix fits perfectly with the beat and @gilbereforte does his thing with upbeat, well thought out and methodically delivered verses.If I were to compare his delivery to another artist, it would probably Travie McCoy who has a really clear delivery and coherent lyrics.
Give it a listen, it's got radio appeal, but it comes from artists you wouldn't necessarily know. Expand your musical tastes, it's good music that blends different sounds and furthers the reach of Hip Hop. You know I'm all about that, do it for me then...

Gilbere Forte - Dog Days Are Over (Yeasayer remix)
| Download

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Buzz Track: Kevin Cossom feat Fabolous & Diddy - Baby I Like It (prod by Danjahandz)

"No choice but to like it, 
If she bad I'ma check on it, Nike it"
Last year on a New Artist Spotlight I raved about how great Kevin Cossom's Hook vs Bridge mixtape was and said a prayer aloud that we'd get more material from him in the form of an album. Apparently someone may have been listening as the first single has dropped off @KEVINCOSSOM's upcoming album set to debut in 2011. Being signed to Danja's NARS record label, he's got argueably the hottest producer collaborating on most of his material and when combined with Kevin's  writing talents, it's a tough combination to match.
As far as this track is concerned, you get a tutorial on how to manipulate tempo on a beat as Danjahandz, adds and subtracts beat elements, which highlights different parts of the beat and verses providing the appropriate spotlight and get the most out of the track. From the onset where @MYFABOLOUSLIFE jumps in on his verse over a hyped up rolling beat aided by ad libs by @IAMDIDDY. I found it cool that the bass on the track is added, subtracted throughout the track to emphasize the vocals...in other words you can clearly hear the lyrics throughout the verses, but when the hook his. the bass takes over, giving the track an energy boost that will only serve to make folks wilds out on the dance floor.

Go support Kevin on iTunes, this is a track that needs to be added to your Party/Get Hype playlist. Great chance this is going to be your girl's favorite song, it's got that club appeal and upbeat dance vibe that is irresistible to girls in heels...

#PlayItYoullSee...

Kevin Cossum feat Fabolous & Diddy - Baby I Like It (prod by Danjahandz)
|Download

Saturday, October 09, 2010

"Party Crasha, Panty Snatcha, Call Me Up if You a Gangsta"

"We will never be, never be anything but loud
And nitty gritty, dirty little freaks"
I'll give it to her, lately Pink has been bringin' the heat on tracks like Won't Back Down with Eminem and even going back to that party starter she had in '08 titled So What. Fitting she decided to drop her most pop culture term laden, emotionally charged club hit on her Greatest Hits So Far album due out on Nov 16th.

It's upbeat enough to dance, llello addictive lyrically with a slew of funny ad libs about getting drunk to go along with an rock the f out vibe that is as rawkus as it is brash and in your face. It's the epitome of a party starter. Funny how pop culture has really taken off with the act of toasting, between this and @kanyewest'strack Runaway.

This one is on a crash course headed to a #1 single, so please consume it before it gets consumed by radio. Give it a listen...
Pink - Raise Your Glass
| iTunes

Friday, October 08, 2010

AON Mixtape/Video Release Party Chicago Sat, Oct 09

New AON Mixtape Young World Vol. 1 dropping 10/10/10 (hosted by DJ Green Lantern)
Below is an absolutely bangin' new single from ya boy AON who hooks up with DC's finest, Wale on Hater Watch Me. The track below is set to debut on AON's new Mixtape Young World Vol. 1 Hosted by @dj_greenlantern due out this Sunday. In case you've been sleepin' and not paying attention to all the tracks I've posted by this 16 year old phenom, he is a hip-hop artist who was born Hence Opoku in Ghana, but now resides in Chicago. His name is an acronym for ‘Ambitious or Nothing.’ His song My Girl with singer Iyaz now has 25,000 hits on YouTube, you remember way back in April when I was hyping that track? I maintain that track is still meant for mainstream consumption and hasn't reached it's full potential as a serious top 100 radio hit.

Important to note that tomorrow night Oct 9th it's on and poppin at CRC studios in Chicago, IL (see location via Google Maps), where AON is hosting an open party to celebrate the release of his mixtape Young World Vol. 1, hosted by @dj_greenlantern. He'll also be  premiering his much anticipated music video for his single Doin' it Big that I dropped on y'all back in June. This is an event for all ages and festivities are from 8pm-1am with food and beverages. Come out, enjoy the show and check out the message from AON about the show...

Some call him the "Voice of the Youth" because he's got tracks that range from Soul to D.C GoGo (hence the Wale track) to even Glam Rock. I'm reluctant to keyhole him into a genre or style of Hip Hop since he incorporates so many different sounds, but Indie Hip Hop based on an upbeat sound that banks on his solid lyrical delivery is the best I got as far as describing his style. According to @Wale when he heard @aonmusik for the first time he thought “the kid was at least 21”, which is true, he's got a mature swag about him that makes him sound older. All things considered, his sound is more polished than you'd expect from a dude that's only 16. With all this Indie music I've been posting of late, it's refreshing to see an artist fully embrace the description of his work as an "Indie twist to mainstream Hip Hop".
Tomorrow night A.O.N will be on stage with special guest @biggarankin00 of CTE and he will be performing the track below, Hater Watch Me along with his hit single My Girl which features Iyaz. This is AON’s biggest event in Chicago thus far and will be a catalyst as far as creating buzz momentum in his hometown. I'm serious go out and support him tomorrow night it's his damn birthday and you'll be glad you witnessed him perform for $10 up close and personal before he made it.

Luckily for all of you following out there, below is an exclusive straight for his manager at Steeze Records who was nice enough to drop this on you a month early before it hits radio stations November 6th. Consider yourself lucky to be ahead of the curve and definitely bang this heat rock out, lettin' everybody know @aonmusik has arrived and is about to start tearin' up the scene...

AON. feat Wale - Hater Watch Me (exclusive!)
|Download

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