Friday, December 31, 2010

Sam Tsui & Christina Grimmie - Just a Dream (Nelly Cover)

Having gotten now over 7.5 million views, you could call these two a mini-YouTube sensation with their cover of Nelly's hit Just a Dream. For being a "viral" video, it's pretty well put together with the screen sectioned in the multiple windows with both @samueltsui and @therealgrimmie providing the vocals with the keys and beat sample also pictured.

It's a toss up between Christina and Sam as to who has gained the most notoriety on the internet, but both have become extremely successful in their own right. It must be nice to be Sam Tsui, living large as an undergrad at Yale as well as a YouTube sensation with over 24,000 twitter followers. Not too bad, but Christina is listed at the 51st most famous musician on the internet at the age of 16, with multiple hundred thousand view YouTube covers and over 30,000 Twitter followers. Both insanely talented and adept at using the internet as a vehicle for gaining exposure, check out their duet below...
Sam Tsui & Christina Grimmie - Just a Dream (Nelly Cover)
|Download

Thursday, December 30, 2010

ESPN Bowl Week Anthem B.O.B. - I Am the Champion

Leave it to Bobby Ray to flip an average song (by his standards) into a ESPN Bowl Week anthem, one that has been played and will continued to get played on millions of televisions as everyone tunes in to watch the various upcoming meaningful bowl games. In case you haven't watched the Big Ten go 2-0 so far despite being the underdog in both games any of the less meaningful bowl games and are waiting for the heavyweight match ups coming this weekend, below is the promo commercial that has been constantly airing with B.O.B. performing amidst a college marching band backdrop...


Love the line after the 2 minute mark, "I wake up and piss excellence...ALLL DAY!"...probably won't hear that line on ESPN though.

If you're thinking to yourself man this track sounds really familiar even though it wasn't featured on his debut release, then you probably heard it on his May 25th mixtape (song 2) or off the 2010 NBA Live game or mixtape (track 11). Recycling tracks is not usually a good thing for artists to do, but when you've appreciated so much recognizability wise in a year, you can come out of the woodwork with "new tracks" that haven't made it to the masses, but aren't really new. It's all part of the grind to make money in a Hip Hop music market that has become so saturated with competition that you don't see many artists getting ESPN style endorsements like the one @bobatl got with his commercial. As a supporter of his mixtapes and music leading up to him "making it big" and permeating pop culture, it's cool to see him now making grown up $$$ now that other doors have opened for him due to the success of his debut album.

I know you're already sick of the track below and will probably hate it by the end of this weekend, but in case you wanted a little back story on it and the chance to play it outside of watching TV, feel free and sample below or cop it on iTunes...#RIAALikesiTunesLinksBetterForSomeReason...

B.O.B. - I Am the Champion (New iTunes version)
|Cop It

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

No Hands R&B and Acoustic Covers

Sticking with the demo/cover vibe this week with a Jackie Boyz cover of Wacka Flocka's No Hands. The platinum singer/songwriter duo of Steven and Carlos Battey have recently been recognized for penning recent hits like Madonna feat Lil Wayne - Revolver, Flo Rida - Sugar and Justin Bieber feat Sean Kingston - Eenie Meenie. The ghostwriters never get any love, so it's up to people who care way to much about the nuts and bolts of music to put the talented people like @jackieboyz on blast who did much of the hard work that goes into making successful, quality music. The cover below is off their 585 Days Later Mixtape duo out in 2011 and it's featuring fellow demo singer @blkrangratozzio, check it...

Jackie Boyz feat Atozzio - No Man (No Hands)

Bonus: Check out the Danny Vola's (@DANNYVOLA) acoustic version of No Hands, which stands out like a sore thumb because you don't see too many trap anthems getting the acoustic treatment. A little iffy on the N word usage, but his version provides a different sound to an already hot track and you can only get so angry over him repeating the original words...

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

James Fauntleroy - Fire Bomb (Rihanna demo)

Been a while since I've given some behind the scenes love on a demo track, so when James Fauntleroy's demo of @RIHANNA's track Fire Bomb (off her 2009 album Rated R) surfaced, I felt inclined to post it. The track was never considered for a single but it was co-written by @fauntleroy and the producer of the track Brian Kennedy (@bkmusik). Before you listen to the demo, check out what Rihanna did with the final version that was released on her album...
Depending on the quality of the demo, the final version can sound completely different both lyrics wise and vocally. When not much changes between the demo and final version that's a testament to how well the demo singer executed their rendition, which is why James deserves some dap for setting the tone. He's got an obvious knack for writing and his ability to demo isn't too bad either, so you should hear his name like an offensive coordinator gets a post game shout out after a win.

Continuing the NFL topic, sweet game tonight Eagles, way to lay an egg as two touchdown favorites...

James Fauntleroy - Fire Bomb (Rihanna demo)
|Download

Monday, December 27, 2010

"Who Rock Grooves and Make Moves With All the Mamis?"

Man this track is grimier than than lime scale coating the bottom of your sink. The Big Poppa sample by @bannon916 isn't too over the top or gratuitous and combined with the scratches by @statikselekt add to the raw lyricism being sprayed all over the track from two of the best young talents in the game @diggy_simmons and @macmiller. Supposedly off of @ITSTHECONS new mixtape Movies On Demand 2 due out in 2011, the track provides more evidence of why Diggy Simmons is an absolute star with lines like:
“I can tell that you’re mad because you getting hostile,
Cause I got my own business and I ain’t finished high school”
"I ain't tryna be like Tiger gettin' avoided by sponsors,
I'm DOPE!
Not the kind you put in your nostrils
And y’all got Twitter followers, but I got apostles”
Not to take away from Consequence who has been around for more than a few mixtapes and a studio album with GOOD Music and high profile collaborations with Kanye or Wiz Khalifa protege, Mac Miller, who is only now starting to get high profile collab oportunities, but the Nephew of Russell and Son of Rev Run is the real deal Holyfield.

If you haven't already, please do give Diggy's new mixtape Past Present Future hosted by DJ Premier. Yea you don't see DJ heavyweights like Primo hosting mixtapes for just anyone, so the cat's pretty much outta the bag on the limitless ceiling of young Diggy. Give the boom bap, hubris filled, display of lyrical boasting a listen...

Consequence feat Diggy Simmons & Mac Miller - I'm a V.I.P (prod by Lee Bannon)
|Download

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Buzz Track: Chipmunk feat Chris Brown - Champion

In case you ain know, Hip Hop does exist in the UK...in fact it's starting to garner a lot more attention from fellow artists on US soil. From all the Dizzee Rascal references Drake makes, to Kanye/Lloyd Banks featuring Sway DeSafo and Giggs (on the Start it Up remix, it's clear that there's a bunch of talent that most Hip Hop fans in the US haven't been introduced to. Other than the lack of US exposure, differences in accent and style, with movements like Grime, UK Hip Hop is just as enticing and some would argue refreshing in comparison to US Hip Hop, which tends to be more commercial and (until lately) marked by artists with borrowed creativity and simply put, retarded lyrics.

You can add to that list Chipmunk, who recruited @CHRISBROWN on his new single Champion from his upcoming album Transition due out in 2011. The track below is hella catchy an extremely radio friendly, especially with CB's flawless and slightly uplifting hook. I enjoy the British accent from Chipmunk, who at the age of 20 has already risen to the top of UK Hip Hop the same way any US Hip Hop artist would, by selling mixtapes like League of My Own. He's definitely an artist you want to keep an eye out for as UK Hip Hop starts to attract more attention worldwide through US collaborations. This week the video for the single dropped, give it a look...
Chipmunk feat Chris Brown - Champion
|Download

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas!

2010 has been a great year, which has seemingly gotten better and better as the months have passed. Hopefully you can echo the same sentiment and have as much faith in 2011 being just as good.

From mine to yours Merry Christmas! I'll leave you with a smooth rendition of Christmas Time Is Here delivered by the soulful vocals of @mayerhawthorne...

Mayer Hawthorne - Christmas Time Is Here
|Download

Friday, December 24, 2010

Dreaming of the Coast of Carolina

It's that time of year where every music critic is getting high on their own end-of-the-year lists, meticulously fretting over rankings and determining whose album provided the most meaning over these last 12 months.

Well, not here at the Indie-corner folks, I stick to the facts.

You want to know which songs created the most lasting impact on you?? Head straight to your iTunes Top 25 (@iTunes_Top_25) most played songs list. Now this isn't the end-all be-all, but it provides a mighty honest measure of which songs meant the most to you.

In looking at my list, there are only a handful of surprises. Apparently I love Drake way more than I care to admit to my hipster friends, and the Beach Boys, Pet Sounds still leaves me in awe, 44 years after it's release. (Holy crap! It's been 44 years already??)

But on to the key players, where 3 songs stood out head and shoulders above the rest.

My most played song of the year goes to Telekinesis, whose Coast of Carolina provided one of the single strongest knockout punches I've ever experienced with a debut single. Michael Benjamin Lerner magically crafts this hit, playing almost every instrument on the record. When they play live, he actually heads the drums and still sings lead vocals, an impressive feat that I haven't seen replicated in quite some time.

Telekinesis - Coast of Carolina
|Download

Number 2 on this list belongs to Bombay Bicycle Club (@bombaybicycle), with their hit Always Like This. These young men from Britain seamlessly create emotion-driven indie pop. This song for instance, though catchy and melodically upbeat, details an unrequited love, where what he has to offer his leading lady will never be enough.

Bombay Bicycle Club - Always Like This
|Download

And 3rd place goes to the boys from Austrailia, Temper Trap (@thetempertrap), with their song, Sweet Disposition. It was prominently featured in the film, 500 Days of Summer, so you might have heard of it. Well written, and catchy as hell, Doug Mandagi's vocals beg you to sing along, and I always abide.

Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition
|Download

So there it is folks. The 3 songs that I was most obsessed with in 2010; I hope they captivate you like they did me.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Real Players Make Love Mentally

"That’s how this lovin' be, love it when she under me
She say that she celibate, I penetrate her mentally"
In what can only be described as a unique way to respectfully go about getting with a girl, Wale preaches how it can be just as cool to go about getting to know a girl before thing turn physical. Sure the kind gentleman talk still eminently leads to the same endgame, but there's a degree of respectability that needs to be recognized by @WALE's attempt to appreciate the value of sex by attaching a cerebral element to the chase. One thing I've learned when listening to many of Wale's songs is that he must have had and continue to have a strong mother figure and/or sister that has taught him respect women. If you're not sure what I mean, give a listen to Ambitious Girl...

I wouldn't call it an abstinence anthem, but the picture being painted is soaked in wisdom as he offers more than a few nuggets of advice when he speaks on the never-ending battle between temptation and doing what's best in the long run....
"But I’ma wait it out I’m bout to see that drought
Cuz if I hit it now these feelings take a different route
So, I’m on some 40 days and night sh**
Feeling like it’s Ramadan and I just need a bite quick
Tryna get inside your mind without that night shift
So I’ma be aight for the night with a goodbye kiss"
What's cool to me is the candid, realistic way Wale goes about describing the rationalization struggle in a man's mind as he tries to "Find His Way" in deciding whether to hit the gas pedal or slow play it out of confidence, knowing it'll be better in the long run to wait. It's funny too how sometimes men will end up mentally thinking they took the high road out to justify getting denied because 1) the girl wasn't feelin' him or 2) you were too scared to make a more. Like on some, "Yea it's prolly a good idea to take it slow, I mean I coulda smashed shorty if I wanted" knowing damn well your ass got shot down in some way shape or form and you woulda been ankle deep in that woohoo rushin' to the back of line for seconds had you even been given a glimpse of hope that smackin' bellies would occur. Wale said it best...
"We getting closer every moment, I’ve been waiting for it
Ain’t saying I don’t need it, if you gave it I would take it

Have you shaken I would break you off
Without a second thought, but you got my respect is all
And I can show you all this love without a bit of sex involved"
With this group of intelligent new Hip Hop artists has come with a trend for treating women with more respect and for that, they should get dap. It used to be uncool to treat a lady like anything but a bitch, but Hip Hop has started to evolve and evolve in the right direction.

Raise a glass for the women in your life and treat 'em right on Christmas...#OrSantaAintGonnaBringYourAssNothin

Wale feat Lloyd - Let's Chill (prod by Tone P)
|Download

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

New Videos

I've been wanting to post a bunch of new videos of late, so rather than posting one by one you get a whole group of them all at once. Couple are official music videos, others are concert footage,
Jamie Foxx feat Drake - Fall For Your Type

Fabolous - You Be Killin' Em (prod by Ryan Leslie)

Dr. Dre feat Snoop & Akon - Kush

J Cole Concert in Toronto Highlights

Eminem & Lil Wayne Perform No Love live on SNL

Lil Wayne Performing 6'7" on SNL

Source: Jose3030

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Swizz Beatz Brings California Love to NYC

Kanye brought us G.O.O.D. Fridays and now @therealswizzz is bringin' the heat every Monday with Monster Mondays. Truth be told I actually like this week's track a little better because that @lexusluger beat goes hard on Ace Hood's new track Hustle Hard, but this track has a little more first listen familiarity as it Swizz borrowed (debatably) the most recognizable piano sample in Hip Hop history. Peep the original Pac below...
That song will never get old...#Truth. I'd say when it comes to the production on the new track, I can respect what Swizzy did with the familiarity of the piano sample, but unfortunately the verses come up way short as Maino and Jim Jones leave a lot to be desired. Can't hate too much though, both Jada and Captain YOAWA brought it on their verses and did their part to carry their sub-par brethren on the track. Interesting track with potential to get more than a few heads nodding, especially in the Five Boroughs...

Maino feat Jadakiss Jim Jones & Joell Ortiz - We Keep It Rockin (prod by Swizz Beatz)
|Download

Monday, December 20, 2010

The Lonely Island Are Back...And Still Not Holding Back

In case you've been living under a rock and haven't seen the hilarious videos or songs that The Lonely Island have done in the past couple years, rest assured you're going to get another dose in 2011 in the form of their second studio album The Best Damn Thing Ever. The trio of Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone, and Andy Samberg who make up Lonely Island have never been bashful with their lyrics on songs, but always seem to not sound stupid over Hip Hop beats with their own brand of silly, but creatively vulgar humor. If you're in need of a good Monday laugh and a quick recap of previous songs, I'd suggest doing a quick lap through their previous videos while they're on your mind with I'm on a Boat, Jizz in my Pants, Motherlover, Lazy Sunday, Dick in a Box and Like a Boss.

This time instead of T-Pain or Justin Timberlake, they enlist Akon on their new single to deliver a joyous hook on I Just Had Sex. As usual, the video makes the song even better, especially at the end when they get the whole choir of people involved. Viewer discretion advised, don't take the song too seriously...please...it's funny...
Lucky for you, the song just dropped on iTunes if you wanna cop it and show some support to their comedic movement.

The Lonely Island feat Akon - I Just Had Sex
|Download

Sunday, December 19, 2010

"They Wondering How I Do My Thang 2 Words, Taylor Gang"

I really like it when artists who have a really successful single add a new verse to the remix. Seems like nowadays when a single is remixed, everyone and their mother get on the track and it ends up being 5-6 mins in length and the original artist usually plugs in their verse from the original, which is weak. Enter @REALWIZKHALIFA who kept it simple with a couple friends on the G mix to Black and Yellow, while adding a fresh new verse. Was interesting how @therealjuicyj of Three Six Mafia sounded on the track too because it isn't a beat you'd usually hear him on. At first I wasn't a fan because he sounded so out of place, but after a few more listens, I'm now a big fan of it because it sounds so unlike what you'd usually hear him rap over. 

Give it a listen and while you're at it check out video from Wiz Khalifa's new track he debuted at home in Pittsburgh this week titled Taylor Gang prod by Lex Luger...
Wiz Khalifa feat Snoop Dogg, T-Pain & Juicy J - Black & Yellow (G-mix)
|Download

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Buzz Track: Keri Hilson feat J. Cole - Buyou (prod by Boi-1da)

In case you missed Miss Keri's last album, In a Perfect World, you'd better hitch a ride to that bandwagon cause it's gonna be at capacity after her new No Boys Allowed album drops next Tuesday on Dec 21st. I finally took a look at the final tracklist today and became visibly excited, not like that fake oh that looks kinda cool style smile, I'm talkin' geeked like ear to ear type shit when I saw 4 @polow_da_don tracks, 2 @boi1da tracks, 2 @timbaland007 tracks, 2 @BEIMAEJOR written tracks, 1 track by Danja and even one from the two crazy Norwegians Stargate. Talk about talent behind the board, cot damn, that's a whole cavalcade of awesomeness when all put together and @misskeribaby will be sure to reap the benefits with her always on point vocals.

Cool to see so many great, talented, young artists and producers combining forces. It's like if you were a Miami Heat fan and general admirer of both Bron Bron and Bosh prior to this year. When they all combine forces to work together it's got the potential to be somethin' special. Yea I know what you're thinking the Heat have sucked this year, which takes away from the comparison, but y'all know what I'm sayin. Oh and how bout @jcolenc adding a verse and Bei Maejor throwin' in a few ad libs at the start of the track, I see yo Bei!

It would be ignorant to not go out and cop No Boys Allowed or at least entertain it as a gift idea. Especially if you haven't heard of her and can appreciate a supremely talented artist and the company she keeps. Why settle for college when you can go straight to the NBA???

Keri Hilson feat J. Cole - Buyou (prod by Boi-1da co-prod by Bei Maejor & Polow Da Don)
|Download

Friday, December 17, 2010

Buzz Track: Lykke Li - Get Some (Beck Remix)

All I can say is I'm intrigued by Lykke Li and have been ever since Drake hopped on her track Little Bit on So Far Gone. She's got that Gaga swag and unrelenting hipster appeal to her music and videos and it's time she starts getting put on blast a bit for her music. If you're wondering what the hell I'm talking about, check out her video below of the original version of Get Some...
Interesting too that an alternative Hip Hop producer like Mike D of the @BEASTIEBOYS would make an attempt at a remixing this track too, making it sound 180 degrees different than the original. To be fair, it really was a coin toss figuring out which remix I liked better, but in the end I felt like fellow weirdo Beck. Crazy rawkus guitar riffs and marching band style drums make this remix stand out like a thumb thats been slammed in a car door. 
How many other Swedish pop stars are you a fan of? Alright smartass I'll give you Robyn and September, but on the real, open up your ears (and hearts) to Lykke Li, a slightly tamer version of Gaga with a whole lotta talent in her own unique right...

Lykke Li - Get Some (Beck remix)
|Download

Thursday, December 16, 2010

"Real G’s Move in Silence Like Lasagna, People Say I’m Borderline Crazy, Sorta Kinda"

This track is like Drake sitting back and smiling as his cautionary words,
"Weezy on top and that n-gga aint even home...yet! Yeaah, be very afraid"
on his track Moment 4 Life with @nickiminaj, are looking like a display of sheer clairvoyance. This track has had the innernuts and bloggers alike gushing over the first single to the Carter IV, which is due for a February release.

It's interesting listening to the producer of the track @mrbangladesh, aka the master of trunk music, talk about the track and how it compares to another legendary track he did with @liltunechi, A Milli. Even more interesting, is that the track was originally for T.I....
It's not just Wayne either, @corygunz does more than hold his own on the uptempo and wittier version the track that makes the single sounds like A Milli on crack. Inviting Cory Gunz into the Young Money family and telling him to "attack beats" was a really good decision, case in point tracks like this and this.

In case you were curious like me (even though you weren't), the sample comes from Harry Belafonte's well known Banana Boat Song (below)...(fast forward to the 2:08 mark for the sample)..."Come, Mister tally man, tally me banana"
Definitely a testament to how great beats can be made from the most brief snippets of some of the most random tracks.

Couple quotables from the track include, but are not limited to:
Weezy F
"Excuse my charisma, vodka with a spritzer
sSagger down pat, call my shit Patricia
Young Money militia, and I am the commissioner
You don’t want start Weezy, ’cause the F is for Finisher"
"Life is the bitch, and death is her sister
Sleep is the cousin, what a f-ckin’ family picture"
"Glass half empty, half full, I’ll spill ya
Try me and run into a wall, outfielda"
Cory Gunz
"Word to my mama, I’m out of my lima bean
Don’t wanna see what that drama mean, get some Dramamine
Llama scream, hotter than summer sun on a Ghana queen"
"Son of Gunz, Son of Sam, you n-ggas the son of me
Pause for this dumber speech, I glow like Buddha
Disturb me, and you’ll be all over the flow like Luda"
There are very few tracks I have heard this year that have as many witty one liners. Don't let the bad language fool you, the craziness that is spit from these two is epic. Expect this to permeate pop culture soon and be your friend's favorite song around the same time...

Lil Wayne feat Cory Gunz - 6'7" (prod by Bangladesh)

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

"Hear me By the Hour, I Give Ya Fifty Vowels, When I Brain Storm It's Like a Shower"

Below is one of the hidden heat rocks off Bobby Ray's new mixtape No Genre. While there are a bunch of re-treads like Higher and Not Lost, there are more than a few of new ones that don't disappoint. After a couple listens it's pretty evident that this mixtape is meant to return to a more Hip Hop driven sound, as if he needs to remind us that just because all his singles sound pop, he is still a Hip Hop artist.

Even better, @bobatl is listed as the producer on The Watchers, providing more evidence of talent beyond being an artist, which falls in line with the heightened combination of writing/producing/performing that a lot of new Hip Hop artists are bringing to the table. Which begs the question, does mainstream Hip Hop (you know the fans who listen and fund the artists by purchasing the music) now appreciate a higher level of intelligence? I say intelligence because you can't be an idiot and produce and write your own music. While I'd like to argue that answer is yes, I'm not naive enough to think most consumers of mainstream music give 2 shits about who was behind the production and writing credits. But, maybe you could make a case that the intelligence from the artist comes from the money they are saving by not having to pay a writer and producer for beats/lyrics? Just ask J Cole who doesn't seem to need too many high profile names behind his beats or Drake who writes all of his verses. I know you reading this don't pay anywhere close to the amount of attention to detail as me when it comes music and what goes into why it is good and people like it, but I feel like knowing and being able to justify what you like gives you power. There's nothing worse than being called a fair weather fan or someone who just likes it because everyone else does. Knowledge is ammo and when you have info to back up your position, people respect that, so while some of you may dismiss a lot of the stuff I write, there have to be some of you out there that are at least slightly intrigued by all the links I post and extra background I give about tracks. And guess what, even if there isn't anyone who cares, I'm still learning a whole lotta stuff about the music I like when I create a post, so it's not an entirely symbiotic relationship...

Wow that was a fun rant...haha. Anyways, B.O.B. made an unofficial video for the head nodder below. Sort of a street video if you will, but the same brand of cool...
Some wise words are mixed in throughout too, don't discount the wisdom...
"And if you good at something make sure they pay you
And if not take a thank you
Whether they praise you, or whether they hate you
It’s all about the attention that they pay you"
B.O.B. - The Watchers (prod by B.O.B.)
|Download

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

What's Your Favorite Color?

Great example of taking a mediocre track with potential and using it for the base of a great remix. Case in point below, where Punches, a Brooklyn based House/Disco team compromised of twin brothers Greg and Darin Bresnitz who make up DJ Finger on the Pulse (Does anybody else think they resemble Mayer Hawthorne??) and singer, remixer, producer extraordinaire Alan Alstor. Together they spin a ho hum Indie track (original track by Tokyo Police Club) into a potential dance anthem. The piano lead in sucked me in and set the table perfectly for the vocals delivered by Tokyo Police Club lead singer Dave Monks. It's not until the tempo picks up around the hook that this remix becomes infectious, adopting an upbeat disco rhythm that creates the danceability of the track.

As an extra, check out the tremendously Indie video for their new single Feeling Right, which through their dancing and fashion display, puts on display their completely average whiteness... gotta love it...
Yea, I know what you're thinking, how could you not love low budget creativity that involves middle aged men in tank tops? It's catchy though, can't deny that aspect and you've gotta give a little dap for the unabashed vibe of the video, as seemingly vanilla (pun intended) and low budget as it was.

Be sure to check out @PUNCHESBK's Sleepless City EP they dropped back in October. The song above is on the tracklist as well as current favorite Sleepless City. If you were curious, there were a whole lotta other people who liked this track too, as it sat at #10 in the songs on hypem last week. Check it...


Tokyo Police Club-Favorite Coulour (Punches remix)

Monday, December 13, 2010

"We'll Be Bouncing Like the Springs on the Bed"

The track below comes off Chris Brown's new "officially" released mixtape titled In My Zone 2, which has garnered a bronze rating on Datpiff for over 25,000 downloads (now up to 47k) in a span of 17 days. Consider this a bouncy (I know, corny considering the song title), mid-tempo, more than suggestive effort that goes down smooth (I just cringed when I wrote that, not parsing words well tonight). The beat is quirky, but different and credit is due to the underrated ghostwriter duo known as Rock City. Including this one, they're behind a lot of R&B tracks that they demo for the top artists like IYAZ, Keri Hilson, R Kelly, Justin Bieber, T.I., Flo Rida, Rihanna...the list of credits is a mile long. You may recognize their trademark Island dialect "Right aboat know!" at the beginning of a lot of tracks by @r_city. They've got a new single out prod by David Guetta titled Morning, Noon & Night that deserves a listen too while you're at it. Correction: The track is produced by Shandre, not Rock City, so my bad on that, go ahead and give @ESBProductionz some of the dap I gave Rock City for the work behind the boards.

It's a little over the top with the lyrics, but chalk this up to another well delivered effort by @CHRISBROWN. Don't neglect his new mixtape, it has a bunch of quality tracks that are worth a listen like this one and this one. Still digging his bonus track off In The Zone vol 1...definitely top 5 BMM track #IMO. Real question is when in 2011 are we gonna get F.A.M.E. 

Poll question of the day: Are you back to taking CB at face value for his music or are you still holding the Rihanna domestic abuse against him? Forgive, don't forget, have faith in change, but recognize the uphill battle mentally of someone who grew up in an environment that catered to how he acted...#FoodForThought...

Chris Brown - Boing (prod by Shandre)
|Download

Sunday, December 12, 2010

"Take That Jesus!"

Truth be told if T.I.'s album and B.O.B.'s mixtape weren't so strong I would have little to report on music wise. I don't think I'd argue with you if you said that last month there was waaaay too much good music the was released to keep track of. If time was something I could purchase, y'all woulda gotten a lot more posts last month compared to this month if my frequency of posts were contingent on the quality of music being released. With that being said you know I'm gonna come up with some other entertaining shit to share like the video below.

Youtube sensations are never planned, they're usually a mix of genuine emotion and circumstance. If you're a smart parent, you should probably film your kid doing random stuff because this day and age, if it's funny and a baby is involved, it'll get more than a few Youtube views. I don't need to say much to set up the video below other than music is a truly powerful force and more parents should try and use it to their advantage like the observant father below. The 180 switch of emotion at the 35 sec mark is priceless. Can't compete with the 10.5 million views...

Credit to Pigeons and Planes

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon is coming....07-01-11

Being a fan of the first two in the series, it's obviously not going to be difficult to endorse the third installation Dark of the Moon. Kinda sucks we have to wait another 7+ months to view it, but without having seen anything but a teaser trailer (below), the last installation is going to come down to whether the lack of Megan Fox is going to be made up by the fact that the movie is 3D. Early indications are that despite British Victoria Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (pictured below) isn't too difficult on the eyes, she isn't as Foxy as Megan.
Plus does anybody think that 3D is that cool?...like you want to a go to a movie more because it's 3D? If you do I call shenanigans, the glasses are annoying (lesbihonest nobody wants a 3D TV either) and if you're excited about an action movie you would have been just as excited to see it if it wasn't 3D...#Truth. Peep the trailer, should be quite the addition to the series...

Friday, December 10, 2010

"I've Been Loving You Too Long, To Stop Now"

Real cool use of a sample as Twista uses Otis Redding's sped up sample of I've Been Loving You Too Long from 1965. You'd think based on the lyrics that the subject of a track would be a woman, but instead it's about the city that he will forever represent, Chi-town. The chopped up stutter of the beat fits Twista's flow like Jeter in pinstripes, blending with the lullabye-esque high pitched Otis Redding. For all you curious mofo's the original track by Otis below...
If you haven't already given @TWISTAGMG's new album Perfect Storm a listen, you need to check out Hands Up, Lay Down with @WAKAFLOCKABSM, Up To Speed and 3 Minute Murder. His new album definitely caters to those who can appreciate his fast forward flow and slow jams. Not sure why this one below was cut though...#SometimesTheBestStuffDoesntMakeItOut

Twista - Too Long
|Download

Thursday, December 09, 2010

"We're No Longer in Kansas, How Do You Paint When There's No Longer a Canvas?"

Whoa...heads up y'all, you wanna hear two up and coming emcees gettin' after it, look no further. Everyone started taking notice of ATL's newest sensation, the @cyhidaprynce or CyHi Da Prynce after his stand out verse on Kanye's So Appalled, but he's showing some consistency and variety with his collaborations of late. If you're diggin' what you're hearing from Da Pryne, I'd suggest checking out his new mixtape Royal Flush that dropped in October. The sheer fact that Kanye signed him to G.O.O.D. (Getting Out Our Dreams) Music should give him all the opportunities he needs to succeed, which should start with a XXL Freshman 2011 appearance...#Prediction.

CyHi does his part on this track, but the weight is carried by Laws, who continues to be one of the best artists you don't know about. His delivery is always on point and the thought provoking metaphors he brings to the table cater to the enlightened Hip Hop fans who crave more than just a head nodding beat. Shoot he even throws in a little harmony on the hook with the "I wanna see the fans go wild, I wanna see your hands in the clouds". He embodies the throw back feeling of Hip Hop where all you needed was a mic to entertain people and that's something the game needs more of. Case in point the studio session he had with Da Prynce where they put this together rather than the cutting and pasting that goes on with most collaborations...
Some argue that Hip Hop needs more chaos and excitement, but I say Hip Hop needs more @lawshiphop..."It's My Honooor!"...be on the look out for The Dedication coming soon...

Laws feat CyHi Da Prynce - Honor
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Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Buzz Track: J. Cole feat Kevin Cossom - Leave Me Alone

Y'all remember back in late July when an unreleased J. Cole track surfaced titled Problems? Seems someone made a great decision to not only finish and master the track, but also throw captain underrated Kevin C-O-S-S-O-M. The track gives off a swanky feel as @jcolenc takes to the mic over a bouncy piano beat, allowing his storytelling words to be the focal point of the track, painting a picture of the struggle someone who is tired of dealing life's problems.

The real question remains, after J. Cole's "So Far Gone" moment with Friday Night Lights, when is his Thank Me Later coming? Wikipedia is telling me Cole World is coming March 2011, but it's been pushed back a few times already. It may end up being a race between Cole and @KEVINCOSSOM, who is supposed to be releasing an album in the next year too title LOVE (Levels of Various Emotions).

As an added bonus, check out some highlight footage of J.Cole's concert in Toronto where he brought Drake out...

J. Cole Concert in Toronto from T-Square Media Credit: YouHeardThatNew

Anybody else wanna hop a plane to the UK to see those Drizzy/Cole dates? I'm serious if anybody finds a cheap flight I'm IN!...

J. Cole feat Kevin Cossom - Leave Me Alone
|Download

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

New Artist Spotlight: Timeflies

Timeflies is a duo out of Boston via NY/NJ DJ Rob Resnick and vocalist/lyricist Cal. They are straight outta Tufts University near Boston and bring an intriguing mix of pop/electro/acoustic flavored Hip Hop to the table. Rather than start off with my opinion of @timeflies4850, give their track Pipe Dreams (la da da) a listen as they perform it live...

Timeflies - Pipe Dreams (la da da)
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Pretty cool mix of mellow acoustic over well delivered verses filled with catchy lyrics. Sort of reminds me of something like Shwayze - Buzzin', but with a little edgier, more creative lyrics. Now before you too used to the vibe they give off above, you need to understand that most of their music is meant to be upbeat party music. Case in point their latest electro/synth laden dance creation, Lose My Mind..."As the clock ticks on timeflies..."

Timeflies - Lose My Mind
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The gruff, eye popping synths are attention grabbing result in a real different sound. Probably could have come up with a better adjective, but a big part of why I find them interesting is because as I listen to their array of sounds, it's hard to really peg them as one type of music...and I find that cool. Hopefully you caught that dubstep breakdown at the 2:13 mark as Cal does his best to create a catchy R&B hook to provide the melodic vocal contrast that makes the track work.
Before I close, I'm gonna get one more of their older tracks in, All Night. Real mellow synths lay the groundwork for Cal's not-so-subtly sexual verses ("I could go once, I could go twice, baby I could go all night"). Again, cool mix of singing and Hip Hop flavored verses are key on this one.

Timeflies - All Night
|Download

I'm not even tryin' to take credit for this find either, shouts out to Pigeons and Planes for schoolin' me on the new duo. 

Three tracks...three different sounds...all show off a unique skill set the duo are armed with result in me wanting to hear more. And you should too, be on the look out for more from the tag team @timeflies4850...

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