Adidas Supports Free Hip Hop

I've written a few times about how much I enjoyed @bigsean's debut album Finally Famous. In an effort to re-create the experience, Big Sean's tour DJ (@djmobeatz) and @adidas Originals got together on a Finally Famous Originals compilation. The effort features new production from a lot my favorite producers like @IAMDRUMMA, @beimaejor, @KeY_Wane and Chiddy Bang's @XaphoonJones. Together, they all give an added element of freshness to tracks that were good to start with.

It's mixtapes like this that give me faith that the Hip Hop business model is evolving into something that I'm going to continue to support. Yet again, a well-known company felt like it was a good decision to get behind a mixtape in an effort to further their brand. The fact that it was a quality, but still free product makes me feel more inclined to give them dap and link to their Adidas Originals site. Call it respectful reciprocation that came about because they were nice enough to do me a favor in providing me a free link to the mixtape. That's the type of effort I feel like getting behind and if you're interested in other companies like Adidas who are getting on board to help shape the new Hip Hop business model read more here.

If you're still curious about why you should cop the mixtape and peep the promo video below. Or better yet, catch Big Sean and DJ Mo Beatz on tour...



Big Sean - Marvin & Chardonnay (Remix)(Prod. Xaphoon Jones)

"Sometimes the Grass is Greener and Someone Else's Sugar's Sweeter"

I've been heavy on the Hip Hop of late, so as a change of pace, today I decided to delve into Pop/Rock. In Septemebr, @GAVINDEGRAW quietly released his second top 10 Billboard album in the form of Sweeter. My guess is you've heard the lead single of his new album, but in case you missed it, check the video below featuring the beautiful Marjorie Lévesque...

That my friends is why men strive make the kind of music that Gavin makes. Every single one of his videos has had supermodel hot talent (see here and here) and in very non-subtle way points out why it pays to have a great voice, even if you're average looking.

Anyways, moving on to the track below, Sweeter, which is the title track on his new album. It is produced by one of my favorite behind the scenes producer/writers, Ryan Tedder. The upbeat guitar riff sucks you in from the start, preceding Gavin's patented piano and unique harmony. To put it simply, it's a feel good track and a necessary addition to my playlist today since I had to forge through inches of snow to get out of my damn driveway today. Really mother nature? A Nor'easter before Halloween...smfh + gtfoh with all that. #SnowIsAWinterPrecipitation

Gavin DeGraw - Sweeter (prod by Ryan Tedder)

|iTunes

"Cause I Planned it All, Crimson Tide Standing Tall"

With about four weeks left before his Radioactive @ShadyRecords debut drops on November 21st, Yeller let loose a new heat rock yesterday. Now you may not have known it since I didn't post it, but I wasn't a big fan at all of his @LILJON produced lead single Hard White in the Club. Luckily, he redeemed himself with Let's Roll. Seeing that @Yelawolf is from Gadsden, Alabama, I'd say his new single has a pretty solid chance at becoming of a Southern anthem. With @kidrock on the hook and lines like "Crimson Tide standin' tall" and "I might go to Talladega and see me a race", Let's Roll will fit in well at every Tuscaloosa tailgate leading up to their appearance in the National Championship this year...#SpoilerAlert

Matter of fact, after a few listens I couldn't help but take a trip to YouTube to watch the classic Roll Tide! commercial. It will never get old...

With an early 4.5 out of 5 rating from The Source writer @Maurice_Garland and a tracklist that has more than a few @IamJimJonsin beats on it, there's no shortage of hype and expectations with Radioactive. I'm still hopeful we'll get a track with Slim Shady and Catfish Billy choppin' it up, going bar for bar on a track together. Either way, should be a hell of an album and contribute to an already stacked month with Wale and Drake's albums coming out too.

Yelawolf feat Kid Rock - Let's Roll (prod by The Audibles and Eminem)
|iTunes

Videos of the Week

Lots of @JColeNC in the videos this week, which is always a good thing. Is it just me or is anybody else absolutely memorized by @araabmuzik every time he touches an MPC? Dude is a beast and I was happy to hear he iscoming to Philly soon so I can see that magic in person. As a sidenote, I'm still salty over the end product of Flo Rida's Good Feelin'. Let the beat free @Avicii!!! Either that or put your own track on iTunes dude! I digress...have a good weekend y'all!

Beyonce feat J Cole - Party (Video)

Flo Rida - Good Feelin' (Video)

Mac Miller - Party on 5th Ave (Video)

J Cole - Lost Ones (Video)

Ne-Yo feat. Trey Songz & T-Pain - The Way You Move (Video)

araabMUZIK Metal MPC Solo (Video)

"I Like My Eggs Scrambled, I Like My Girls Easy"

With every new song @ITSPACDIV releases, I become a bigger fan of their music. Every track the trio does features high octane verses that are good enough to carry a track. Throw in a beat cooked up by the under-appreciated @richgains and an @asherroth verse...watch the f word out!

Is it me or is Pac Div's trademark "whooo!" one of the collest signature ad libs ever in Hip Hop? Something about it gives their music a tough, intimidating feel that goes well with their aggressive lyrical deliveries. You might say the beat is too simple, but simple works when your group as a whole has the ability to hold everyone's attention by rapping acapella. You'll be able to find their new album The DiV on iTunes November 8th. That about a week and a half for all you slow kids, so make a mental note to cop it and support one of the more entertaining and original Hip Hop groups in the game...#Truth

Pac Div feat Asher Roth - Useless (prod by Blended Babies) | iTunes

"Bad Boys Ain't No Good, Good Boys Ain't No Fun"

Even with all the new material @drake has put out lately, the majority of it hasn't taken on the serious conversational tone like he did on @maryjblige's new single Mr. Wrong. When I say serious conversational tone, Paris Morton Music or Karaoke come to mind. The songs that he mixes in a little R&B harmony and kicks a thoughtful verse are where he's able to differentiate himself from the rest of the less talented R&B artists who can't rap and the rappers who can't sing.

I know what you're thinking, what about Marvin's Room and Club Paradise? To an extent they're worthy of comparison and maybe it's wishful thinking on my part that the other half of Take Care will be filled with tracks that share that tone. It isn't much of a stretch to assume his track with Stevie Wonder will at the very least be a ballad, but at best all I can do is speculate. All I know it's I'm pretty pumped that there are still up to ten tracks that I still haven't heard out of the 18 that are slated to be on the album.

Enough about Drizzy though, what you need to know is that Mary J is dropping her 10th studio album on November 21st. It is set to be titled My Life II...The Journey Continues (Act II) and will feature multiple tracks produced by @iamjimjonsin and one by @ONLY1DARKCHILD. If you weren't listening closely, the twinkling synthesizers on Mr. Wrong were a dead give away that Jim Jonsin did the beat. Shouts out to @iamricolove, who never gets the credit he deserves for all the production/writing credits he churns out.

Mary J Blige feat Drake - Mr. Wrong (prod by Jim Jonsin & Rico Love)
|Pre-order

"Shawty Was Pinkberry Sweet and I Ain't Lactose"

Remember a couple of days ago when I said I had a few tracks circled on @Wale's new album Ambition? The one below, Slight Work, was one of those tracks and no matter how interesting I could have predicted the track would be, there's no way I could have foreseen it being as off the wall as it ended up sounding. Let me preface that by explaining that the track was produced by @diplo, who is known for a lot of eclectic beats for @_M_I_A_.

The best description I could come up with to describe the beat is a mix between the Young Gunz's Can't Stop Won't Stop and crazy erratic distorted police sirens. The "work it, work it!" and aggressive, wispy synths combine at a fast pace, which will make it difficult not to dance to in the club. It's definitely an original sounding track, which is intriguing, but a lot to take in. One thing is for sure (and I'm thankful for this), Wale isn't done pushing the boundaries of Hip Hop and expanding his sound.

It's hard to ignore this track and you're probably going to appreciate it for it's uniqueness or hate on it and think it's garbage. I'm cool leaning toward the former on that divide, especially since @bigsean did his best to elevate the track on his verse. Again, November 1st is a week away, so don't be afraid to be Ambitious and cop the pre-order...

Wale feat Big Sean - Slight Work (prod by Diplo)
|iTunes

"New Gang Alert: Hashtag #Occupies"

No rest for the weary in the world of Hip Hop...or should I say in the land of @LupeFiasco. Having sold around a cool half milly in the US with Lasers, he's back on the grind with a new mixtape due out on November 24th, Friend of the People. Having already been cancelled once and rumored to be a follow up to Food and Liquor 2, it's on like donkey kong, just in time to eat some turkey.

To say Lightwork is a solid mixtape track would be like saying Santa likes giving gifts. I'd argue that it'd make a hell of a lead single for Food and Liquor 2, but shoot, if he's got material that is as good or better than this, then I'll be writing about Lupe a lot in the coming months. The calming build up of the synth lead-in that gives way to the quasi-dubstep beat provided @bassnectar is a good look when mixed with the gentle and unique vocals of @elliegoulding. Really cool they were all able to get together on a collaboration because not many Hip Hop fans know of Elena Jane Goulding or Lorin Ashton. If you're a fan of unique Hip Hop and don't mind a little political banter in the verses, you may just love this one. It's going to be really hard for Lupe to top this one, but I'll be listening just in case...

Lupe Fiasco feat Ellie Goulding - Lightwork (prod by Bassnectar)

"Chain So Big Can't Pop My Collar"

I know I'm a little late to market on @Wale's first single off Ambition, Chain Music. Like anything worthwhile, though, it grew on me with time as I found myself repeating the @rickyrozay sample and nodding my head to the @bksTONEP produced beat. Keppin' it 100, the new album is shaping up to be just as good as Attention Deficit and I'll be the first to admit I was dead wrong by forecasting the demise of Wale after a few "experimental" MMG features. Turns out, he was obligated to do a few tracks with his other Maybach brethren and in an effort to get in where he fit in, he spit on a few cameos that didn't necessarily jive with his previous style. I get it, I'm past the hate and have moved on to looking ahead and promoting the new album.

As far as his new albums' singles, I'd pickChain Music over Bad Girls Club, Lotus Flower Bomb and Focused. I'm not about to be negative about any of them, though, they're all are worthy singles that showcase a unique sound and bring quality to the album as a whole. By the way, shouts out to Wale's marketing for the consistently post-worthy cover art on the singles too. Y'all are really making it easy on us and for that you will always be rewarded with the iTunes link at the bottom and throughout the post.

Only a week til the November 1st album release and there are still a lot of tracks I'm excited about that I have yet to hear like Slight Work with @bigsean and White Linen with @NeYoCompound. Lots to look forward to and plenty to write about, which makes my life easy.

Wale - Chain Music (prod by Tone P)
|iTunes

"I Don’t Wanna Be in the Blind, But Sometimes I Stevie Wonder"

As bits and pieces of Take Care continue to trickle out before it's November 15th release, the album as whole is starting to take shape. If you're like me, you're most excited to hear @drake's collaboration with Stevie Wonder on Doing it Wrong and you've been mostly satisfied with the material that has surfaced so far. To recount, I'm a big fan of Headlines, Marvin's Room, Club Paradise and Make Me Proud, which means I'm 50/50 on Free Spirit, Dreams Money Can Buy and the newest addition below, The Real Her.

You might be wondering how I could be on the fence about a Weezy and Drizzy collabo? To be fair, they have set the bar really high with all the songs they have done together. In comparison, their last track together, She Will, might have been my all time favorite, but that wasn't because of anything Drizzy did though, as he only added a hook and @liltunchi went all homicide on the verses. Still, Wayne seems to think Drake's style is from another planet because of his trend setting conversation verses that draw the listener in. Couldn't have agreed more, he did a great job of summarizing part of the intrigue that Drake provides as an artist (below):

You've gotta be in the mood for a slow jam if you're going to give The Real Her a full listen. On the track Drake speaks on an the immediate connection that he's felt with a woman before, attempting to rationalize the undeniable allure the woman possesses. It's a scenario he's really good at explaining, especially over a slow, @ovo40 piano beat. It will probably grow on me over time, but for now there are more tracks out there that I'm excited about on the album that I'm cool with it.

Stream only since it wasn't an OVO sanction release. Til the next time, change that hash tag from #Oct24 to #Nov15 and keep it locked the next couple weeks as the official tracklist starts to unfold...

Drake feat Lil Wayne - The Real Her (prod by 40)
|iTunes

Videos of the Week

High powered week as far as videos are concerned, with Drake, Coldplay, Rihanna, Ash Roth, B.O.B. and Wale all releasing new ones. Not gonna lie, I'm a little disturbed at both Coldplay and Rihanna's videos. A person in an elephant costume riding a unicycle down the highway to meet up with his other elephant band friends? Who knows, it's buzzworthy, weird and low budget, maybe it works. As far as Rihanna, I get the track is all about finding love in the most hopeless places, but good god, drugs much? Little too trippy and downward spiral-ly for my taste, but maybe that's why there's successful. The more people talk about them, the more free publicity they get I guess. Whatever works I guess, have a good weekend y'all...

Coldplay - Paradise (Video)

Drake - Take Care Album (Trailer)

Rihanna feat Calvin Harris - We Found Love (Video)

Asher Roth feat Chuck Inglish - In the Kitchen (Video)

B.O.B. feat Playboy Tre & Meek Mill - Epic (Video)

Wale - Bait (Video)

Looking for Workout Music? Look No Further Than Run Hundred

It's rare that I step outside my song of the day comfort zone and post about something other than a new music. That's mostly due to time constraints (I'd do more album reviews, posts, concert reviews and interesting stuff if I didn't have an 8-5), but also because I don't get much daily mail to greatwhitedj@gmail.com that really interests me...#ShamelessEmailPlug

Last week, though, I was notified of an intriguing service/music database called Run Hundred. It's noteworthy for a lot of reasons, the biggest being that it addresses a need for a service that provides new, upbeat workout music. Much of what I write about on a daily originates from music that I added to my daily iTunes playlist I created the night before and then reviewed while working out at the gym. Run Hundred's song lists (emailed weekly and monthly to subscribers who provide their email) and searchable music database do the work for you by providing a free list of music that is constantly being reviewed and voted by others. Better yet, if you like the song, links are provided underneath the song to purchase the track using the iTunes or Amazon.

As far as selection is concerned, the music on the site ranges from Country to Hip Hop to Electronic/Dance music from the past decade. It may not matter much to you, but for DJs like me, I appreciate the fact that every song includes beats per minute (BPM), which is great for mixing or even making a cycling/running mix. If you have never tried it, make a mix that has a high BPM and I'd bet the farm you work out harder and burn more calories. To give a good representation of what to expect, I'd give a look at their list of the Top 10 Workout Songs. I run through a lot of music weekly, but I hadn't heard a lot of the remixes on their Top 10 list, which was cool. Finding a few tracks that I really like that even I had never heard of was a huge selling point for me.

You may be wondering what exactly the song list service that @RunHundred provides entails. First off there are a couple of ways you can get in the free email subscription. You can either email Admin@RunHundred.com or go to www.runhundred.com/ and submit your email on the website to join. As far as song list content, below is a recent example of an email that was sent out to all monthly subscribers...

"Fort Wayne, IN – October 8, 2011 – This month's list brings two questions to mind:
#1. For how many consecutive months will David Guetta turn up in these top 10 lists? (His new track with Usher made the cut--and he just barely missed making it again with his recent Nicki Minaj collaboration).
#2. Will Calvin Harris, Benny Benassi or Afrojack be the one that unseats him? (All three are making their second appearances on the charts this month. And, like Guetta, each has begun being billed as the artist on his tracks--rather than being credited as the producer/remixer, which was the case a couple years ago.) This month's top 10 is rounded out by a new track from LMFAO, a Britney remix, and a song by Young The Giant--brought most folks' attention by the band's surprise inclusion on this year's MTV Video Music Awards.

Here's the full list, according to votes placed at RunHundred.com--the web's most popular workout music blog.

Rihanna & Calvin Harris - We Found Love - 128 BPM

Dev - In The Dark - 125 BPM

Afrojack & Eva Simons - Take Over Control - 128 BPM

LMFAO - Sexy And I Know It - 129 BPM

Chris Brown & Benny Benassi - Beautiful People - 129 BPM

Shortee & Faust - Friday Night Special - 133 BPM

Kelly Rowland & Lil Wayne - Motivation (Rebel Rock Remix) - 130 BPM

Britney Spears - I Wanna Go (Oliver Remix) - 129 BPM

Young The Giant - My Body - 130 BPM

David Guetta & Usher - Without You - 128 BPM"

I've already copped a few of the tracks above and added them to my weekend cardio mix. There a lot of song titles I still need to go through on Run Hundred's site this weekend too. Put it this way, there aren't many other sites on the internet that provide free indexed content that has been reviewed and voted on by lots of people. The real time feedback on new music is invaluable and if you're like me, you appreciate sites that are able to consistently find new, upbeat music you haven't heard yet. Plenty of room on the bandwagon folks, do your iPod a favor and re-vamp that cardio mix you're been running to the past year...

Araabs Who Wear Pink Stay Gold

You may remember a year ago when I posted a @NickiMinaj track called Dominoes that sampled a song from the British pop duo The Big Pink. In case you didn't read it, long story short, had I not heard Nicki's version, I would have never looked up the original track by @thebigpinkin that I ended up liking just as much.

Different year, same concept as the extremely talented @araabmuzik was quick to put his own spin on the British duo's new single Stay Gold. It's similar to what European dance music producers (Guetta, Afrojack, Calvin Harris, Benassi, Crookers, etc.) are doing to American flavored, R&B/Pop music. Find a well known American Hip Hop artist/producer, get them to produce or remix your track and you're golden. It opens up the door to a completely untapped demographic that you otherwise wouldn't have had exposure to. In other words, I would have never found this new Big Pink single had they not bundled it with araabmuzik's remix. Before I go further check the MPC king's version of Stay Gold...

The Big Pink – Stay Gold (AraabMusik Mix)

|iTunes

Forgive me if I haven't give you a proper introduction to why Araabmuzik is known as the MVP of the MPC. Dude is an absolute beast with hands quicker than Jose Reyes on the beat.

Yea, I know, I could watch him do that all day long and be consistently memorized at his rapid fire ability to weave electronic sounds together. Simply put, what he does is an art and he's the best at his craft.

If you're digging The Big Pink and their catchy, repeatable, throw back brand of British electro pop, then check their video for Stay Gold. Oh yea and don't be bashful about visiting iTunes when this song drops in two weeks.

The Big Pink - Stay Gold

|iTunes

"When Everybody is Fresh Out of Collateral to Damage"

In a world where collaborations are as predictable as Shia LaBeouf beat downs, it's hard to be wowed or surprised when two artists get together theses days. Sure, I didn't see @liltunchi collaborating with @joejonas or @drake collaborating with @LennyKravitz, but neither managed to inspire me to write.

Then I see this new @theroots single feat @BIGKRIT fly across the radar, which immediately piqued my interest. I'd consider myself a fair weather Roots fan who has a deep appreciation for the brand of Hip Hop they create and I've been a K.R.I.T. believer since day 1. Being familiar with their styles is what made me most excited to hear what they could do together on a track. Add that to the fact that I never considered they'd ever collaborate on a track and you can see why I'd be optimistic about the song below.

Optimism doesn't quite do justice to the calming, smooth rhythms and mellow verses that Black Thought and K.R.I.T. delivered. My god, you would have thought K.R.I.T. was a surrogate member of the group the way he blended in seamlessly with the Philly group. Even better, the quiet pitter-patter throughout the track was a subtle reminder that papa @questlove was piloting the track to greatness. I don't have enough positive adjectives in the arsenal to describe this one, it's simply an awesome display of a type of Hip Hop that is so uniquely refined that it can't be compared to any other form in the game without diminishing it.

Make My will land on iTunes in two weeks on Nov 1st and be the first single off Undun, which is set to hit stores on December 6th. Doesn't get much more classy or classic than the legendary Roots crew folks. They can pull off what a lot of other Hip Hop acts wish they could achieve with the live band sound. Daps & lbs for seeking out K.R.I.T. on the feature too, I guess an old dog can do new tricks...

The Roots feat Big K.R.I.T. - Make My
|iTunes

"They Don't Make 'Em Like This No More"

I know it's getting old, but until @kevincossom has a million followers on Twitter and is a household name, I'm gonna keep posting every song of his. Sure he's gotten a few big features of late and his newest single did some work on iTunes and in the clubs, but I feel like everyone is still missing out on a lot of the quality tracks like his new one below. It's never a bad thing to be partners in crime with one of the best producers in Hip Hop (Danja), but make no mistake, he can get it done as a vocalist no matter who is behind the boards. No word yet on whether this will appear on his upcoming Hook Vs. Bridge 2.0, but if it's anywhere near as good as 1.0, you can count on me letting you know all about it.

As far as the track is concerned, you can expect a mid-tempo ballad with plenty of harmony. The beat is easy on the ears and the hook will suck you in and have you singing "from you head, down to the floor" on first listen. I'm guessing this is a rough draft/unfinished version of the track since there is a good 30 second beat ride out after the last verse where a bridge would have been inserted. Regardless, it's worth an addition to the newest iTunes playlist that you can now wirelessly sync with your iPhone/iTouch/iPad. Speaking of updates, I don't know about y'all, but Siri has the potential to be revolutionary and if you don't know what I'm talking about go here. I personally can't wait til I can teach Siri to understand what I'm in the mood for music wise...#StepYouriGameUp

Kevin Cossom - They Don't Make 'Em (prod by Danja)

"I'm So, I'm So, I'm So, I'm So, I'm So Proud of You"

With Take Care looming on the horizon and rumors circulating in regards to potential tracks, it was cool seeing the timing of his newest leak that lead up to his SNL performance last night. Set to be the second single off the album, it's a feel good track that pays homage to that special woman that's worth penning a song about. You know that special chick that is so bad that calling her underrated is a understatement?

As far as the collabo is concerned, the chemistry between @nickiminaj and @drake is undeniable. @ProducerTMinus did his thing by providing a simple, but still head-nod worthy beat for Drake to do his well-known harmony on the hook and rapping on the verses with Snicky. If you're wondering what to expect when you hear the track, look no further than the YouTube re-run from SNL last night...

Good god Nicki was blessed with curves, that's all I gotta say bout that video. Exactly 30 days left til Take Care and I have yet to be anything but pumped about everything I've heard. It's still going to have to be better than great to top Game's R.E.D. Album...#JustSayin

Drake feat Nicki Minaj - Make Me Proud (prod by T-Minus)
|iTunes

"With or Without Sales, I’m Killing These Blackheads, My Rap is Noxema"

The biggest surprise coming our of @Wale's new album Ambition will be his collaboration with @wizardcud. If you remember, they got involved in a public beef about a year ago when Cudi aired out Wale's diva-like attitude during a photo shoot. Evidently a lot can change in 6 months when they kissed and made up on Twitter back in March, which presumably led to the creation of the track below.

Don't expect a single worthy track, but it will definitely add value to Ambition and give us all plenty of hope for future collaborations. Also worthy of note is the production credits going to @Kore_official, who is new to the game and will hopefully use this as a starting point resume wise. I wish Cudi could have snuck in a verse on the track, but beggars can't be choosers and I'm just happy they got together on a track. Two more weeks til #Ambition drops...

Wale feat Kid Cudi - Focused (prod by Kore)

|iTunes

Videos of the Week

Two main things to note:
1. @labrinthda1st's track Earthquake will put him on the map and be a #1 single eventually. I cannot stop playing it, it's simply...dope!
2. We've been teased like this before, but the footage of Dr. Dre in studio previewing one of his "Detox" tracks in studio is downright exciting. That album will always be the hot girl no matter how long it takes to release it or if it ever comes. It doesn't matter how many times we get teased, we'll always stop what we're doing to listen in hopes of getting a taste of the real thing. Have a good weekend y'all!

Labrinth feat Tinie Tempah - Earthquake (Video)

Dr. Dre Previews New Detox Track in Studio

Travis Barker feat Beanie Sigel, Bun B, Kobe - Just Chill (Video)

@KarminMusic - No Scrubs (Cover)(Video)

Kelly Rowland feat Big Sean - Lay it on Me (Video)

Tyrese feat Ludacris - Too Easy (Video)

"On Twitter We Block Oprah and Deepak Chopra"

It's been a while since any new material from @DaRealSlaughter leaked to the masses, so you can imagine how excited I was to unwrap this heat nugget tonight. I'm still patiently waiting for their first official Shady records release, but hopefully the new material is only the beginning of what's to come. Pretty hard to compete with @JoellOrtiz, @TheRealCrookedI, @JoeBudden and @therealroyce59 over a grimy Biggie Smalls sample cooked up by The Klassics.

There are a lot of combinations I'm looking forward to hearing in the near future and at the top of list I'd put @Yelawolf gettomg on a Slaughter track. Or just for fun, how about an all white rappers track with Yelawolf, Mac Miller, Machine Gun Kelly, Eminem and Asher Roth? Hard to imagine that would ever happen, but what the hell, might as well dream right? Even if it never happens, I'll still continue to enjoy the well crafted wittiness that the fearsome foursome always brings when they combine forces...#Slaughterhouse

Slaughterhouse - The Illest (prod by The Klassis)

"There She Goes, Looking Like A Star, With Her Body Shaped, Like A Rock Guitar"

If you were in the market to craft a perfect collaboration for a club track, it would be hard to argue against the dream team effort given by @TaioCruz, @Pitbull and @Redone_official. Pitbull can at least be described as a seasoned vet when it comes to radio friendly club tracks and Taio Cruz isn't very far behind with his growing mountain of club hits like Higher, Dynamite, Break Your Heart and Little Bad Girl. Then when you throw in RedOne, who has produced tracks like Takin' Back My Love, Just Dance, Poker Face, Bad Romance, Alejandro, Judas, Fire Burning and More. That was a concise list meant to spotlight the more well-known tracks he produced too. For the full list, go here.

Safe to say this will land on Taio's upcoming album TY.O, which is slated to hit iTunes and retail outlets on December 6th. I'd be willing to bet everyone between the ages of 18-30 will know the words to the track by then because they will be able to cop it well in advance of the album release on iTunes. I personally like the track, but don't expect anything earth-shattering, it's about what you'd expect. Safe, middle of the road type of quality...that will soon be bludgeoned to death by mainstream radio. Enjoy it while it lasts folks!

Taio Cruz feat Pitbull - There She Goes (prod by RedOne)

"No Matter What They Say, You're on to Something Great"

"If Stevie Wonder read braille,

Michael Jackson made thrill,

And Malcolm X-celled,

Like gettin' 5 mics on Double XL"

Seems everywhere I look these days I hear a new standout track produced by No I.D. And that's not to take away anything from @ITSPACDIV, who consistently bring relevant and creative lyrics every time they get on the mic. If @thecoolkids are my favorite Hip Hop group, there would be an absolute dog fight for second between Pac Div and @DaRealSlaughter. Pac Div always takes the rhymes over beats approach, which is admirable when you've got the skills to back it up and it makes for classic material when a top notch beat ends up on their plate. Even better, I couldn't name one of the members of Pac Div off the top of my head or tell you which member of the group I like best on the mic. They are all talented and the sound they produce is as consistent as it gets.

I wouldn't say this is the flashiest beat that No I.D. has ever done, but it's perfect in that it provides a basic canvas that allows Pac Div to do what they do by shining lyrically. I like that the complete hook doesn't even come out until after the second verse. I found the teaser hook between the first and second verse stylistically interesting because it gave a glimpse of what's to come, but they made you wait for the real thing. It's simple Hip Hop, but there will always be a collection of fans that can appreciate groups like Pac Div because they embody a lot of the qualities that were coveted during the genesis of what we can now appreciate as the Hip Hop movement.

(Climbs down off soap box...) Anyways, November 8th is date you'll be able to cop Pac Div's new album, The Div on iTunes. I know I got deep there, but if you're a reader of this blog and are plugged in to the RSS feed, you can appreciate my steez. It's gonna be a good week, I've got some solid new tracks to share and that's on top of what will eminently be coming the next month on November 15th...#TakeCare...keep it locked!

Pac Div - The Greatness (prod by No I.D.)

White Boys Are Taking Over Hip Hop

Alright @machinegunkelly, I hear you and what you're doin'. Chalk this up as the second track of yours to catch my attention. And it's not because you attacked the bars like an alcoholic who doesn't GAF, it's more because the multi-syllabic assaults reminded me of some of my favorite artists like @Yelawolf and @TWISTAgmg.

Why do I like his new track below? For starters, daps & lbs are in order for whoever did the beat because the rat-a-tat bass line fits your style perfectly. The in your face vulgarity is offset with the tranquil hook delivered by @mikeposner and it makes the track more interesting. Maybe I'm a sucker for silky smooth hooks, but after a ferocious verse, it's needed to reel back in the listener so they don't get too alienated by the ruggedness of the storytelling. Again, I don't think @iamdiddy is a fool, so I'm gonna buy a ticket on this dude's bandwagon and keep hoping for new material. Don't hate, #LACEUP like everyone else will on October 14th when they cop the Rage Pack...

Oh and if you need to know more about Machine Gun Kelly, look no further than his Twitter intro...

"Pro-#PowerRAGER. I like threesomes, chocolate milk, social studies and I'm so Cleveland its a God damn shame..."

Machine Gun Kelly feat Mike Posner - On Fire (Drug Dealer Girl Part 2)

Mountain Dew Sets New Music-Business Trend

This song caught me by total surprise, and I have Mountain Dew to thank??

If you haven't heard, Mountain Dew created a "record label", called Green Label Sound, where they release free MP3's by certain buzz-bands, and sponsor tours, as a means of building brand awareness.

In addition to @StarSlingerUK, Mountain Dew's star-studded roster includes Wavves, Neon Indian, Freelance Whales, The Cool Kids, Matt & Kim, and Chromeo, so it's definitely not a lineup to be taken lightly. (@dew_GLS provided plenty of free music from these artists and others that you can find at www.greenlabelsound.com/artists.)

I'm anxious to see what role, if any, Corporate America plays in the future of the music industry. Currently, Motel 6 is offering free lodging for touring bands, Converse opened a recording studio in Brooklyn where artists can record for free, and Taco Bell gave away $500 gift cards to 100+ deserving bands to be spent while on tour.

It remains to be seen whether these relationships between bands and brands are an anomaly, or part of a growing trend of artists making money through unconventional means. Bands like Freelance Whales deserve the right to make money and raise band awareness through credible means such as this, so for now, don't call them sellouts, just enjoy the music!

"Panties Off, Stupid Booty, Ready for War, Call Of Duty"

There are a few things you can count on in life. Snow in the winter, taxes due in mid April and the likes of Southern DJs like @djdrama and @therealdjkhaled pulling together big time collaborations. I'm not sure I'd put the track below in any sort of top 10 list, but it's still pretty awesome to hear @chrisbrown and @JColeNC together on a track. Being a fan of @TheAphilliates ever since they took over Atlanta about a decade ago, I found it noteworthy that one of their crew members, @V12THEHITMAN, produced the track. From DJ Drama to @djsense to @DonCannon, I'd challenge anyone to find me a more talented production crew.

DJ Drama's newest compilation hits the shelves next Tuesday, so don't be shy on copping The Third Power on iTunes pre-order. Add this one to the already successful Oh My and the yet to be released collab between @bobatl and @THEREALCROOKEDI called Take My City and you've got yourself the making of a powerful album. That play on words was pretty lame, you're better off just pressing play...

DJ Drama feat Chris Brown & J Cole - Undercover (prod by V12 Da Hitman)
|iTunes

Videos of the Week

Seems like when @drake releases a video, it's a mandatory post for every blog. I'll gladly follow suit along with a few others from some of my favorite artists. One thing is for sure though, I will never get tired of seeing @araabmuzik on the MPC. Dude is an absolute #BEAST...

Drake - Headlines (Video)

Beats by Dr. Dre & Beats TV Presents: AraabMUZIK

Big K.R.I.T. - The Vent (Video)

Ace Hood feat Kevin Cossom - Memory Lane/Spoke to My Momma (Video)

J Cole Performs Cole World on Jimmy Kimmel

Final Episode of Wiz Khalifa's DayToday Series

Florence and the Machine - Shake it Out (Video)

Kendrick Lamar Likes His Windows Phone

It's about damn time tech companies like Microsoft start tapping the relatively untouched Hip Hop marketing demographic. On the shortlist are auto industry giants like Chrysler embracing Hip Hop legends like Dr. Dre and Eminem and HP enlisting the help of Jay-Z and Dr. Dre. Other than the quick Windows 7 logo at the beginning of the Dr. Dre HP commercial, there has been little effort made by Microsoft and Apple to add Hip Hop flavor in their adds. Knowing that, you can understand why I was a little surprised to see the Windows Phone dominated video highlighting the studio session that @kendrick_lamar and @NOSAJTHING...

Up to this point, I had no idea who Nosaj Thing was. One beat later after hearing the simple, but well done beat, I'm all ears. The be fair, the beat isn't going to leave you in awe, but when you're working with an artist that has the delivery and abiilty of a Kendrick Lamar, you don't need to do much. I can't tell you how excited I was to see that Kendrick will be opening up for @drake on his upcoming Club Paradise tour. With every new track Kendrick is erasing any doubt in my mind that he's going to be an absolute force in Hip Hop for years. He's got a rare combination of intelligence and tenacity on the mic that augments a consistently on point delivery. Plenty of evidence below if you want to press play below...

Kendrick Lamar - Cloud 10 (prod by Nosaj Thing)
|Link

"Suited in Prada, Stay Melo Like Lala"

"Daylight beams, Nightlife schemes, 

This is my inception, I'm writing my dreams"

I'd argue that every talented artist needs a producer or someone behind the boards to bring out their best work. There's no doubt that @COMMON is so beyond needing a hot beat to make a name for himself because his poetry alone can carry a track. Still, it can't hurt to put whipped cream on the sundae right?

The whipped cream I'm referring to is No I.D., who is executive producing Common's upcoming album The Dreamer, The Believer. The album is set to drop on November 22nd, and if it sounds anything like his first singleBlue Sky, then you're going to get real tired of me singing the praises of both Common and No I.D. Considering the work he's done on Big Sean and Kanye's most recently albums, there's a lot of reason to be excited for what's to come.

What you can expect from the track below is some high quality wordplay from Common over a feel good beat. Call it a marriage of organic Hip Hop and quality production if you want. I call it a great, high energy lead single that will set the table nicely for a exciting new album.

Common - Blue Sky (prod by No I.D.)