Sunday, September 30, 2012

"I Smell Bull***t, it Must Be an Election Year"

Nine times out of ten when a well-known Hip Hop artist collaborates or samples a well-known Indie artist, it's a success. The latest evidence is below where @JColeNC added his own twist to @majorlazer's collaboration with @DirtyProjectors's lead singer @Amber_Coffman. Check the original below...

The common thread for both tracks is the production by @diplo, which has a heavy reggae vibe to it. What it amounts to is an ideal mix of mellow reggae, feel good vocals and on point lyricism, which is not something easily achieved. Dap to all involved in the making of the track...#Carefree


Saturday, September 29, 2012

"So Can You Rescue Me, From Me?"

The last time I spoke about @slaughterhouse, I explained why I wasn't a big fan of a track they did with @SkylarGrey and @AlexDaKid. Maybe I just picked the wrong track featuring the duo because they completely redeemed themselves on Rescue Me. Their last collaboration failed in my eyes because it tried to hard to be a radio friendly track, which isn't usually where Slaughterhouse is at their best.

I feel like they did a better job of walking the radio friendly, but still lyrically edgy line on the track below. It's hard to go wrong with an Alex da Kid beat or a Skylar Grey hook, but the track below is proof that all superstar collaborations aren't executed equally. It's tracks like this and Goodbye that really make me appreciate that Slaughterhouse signed with Shady Records. In other words, prior to signing, we wouldn't have been privy to songs like Rescue Me...#Grateful

Slaughterhouse feat Skylar Grey - Rescue Me (prod by Alex da KiD)
|iTunes

Friday, September 28, 2012

Videos of the Week September 28

Between @liltunchi's deposition video leaking and @SamuelLJackson's political parody video that is strikingly similar to Go the F**k to Sleep!, it was a week full of entertainment. For starters, you would have to be the stupidest person on earth to let a high strung suit ask Lil Wayne contentious questions. Sure, it's hilarious to watch, but honestly, did they expect him to just roll over and play nice with them?

As far as the Samuel L. video, kudos to the folks who wrote that. Sure it's completely biased, but that doesn't mean it isn't funny as hell. As a sidebar, it's good to see the Fresh Aer Crew are still getting after it. Dispatch has always been one of my favorite acoustic groups, so to see @TheAerMusic cover one of their best songs was really cool. As a parting note, have you ever seen a wolf hunting hunters? Welp, here's your chance if you're in the mood for some electronica...#WhiteBootyAtTheEnd

David Guetta feat Sia - She Wolf (Falling to Pieces) (Video)

Chris Brown - Don't Judge Me (Video)

Lil Wayne Being Deposed and Not Enjoying it

Samuel L Jackon's Wake the F***K Up

Aer - Two Coins (Dispatch Cover)

Thursday, September 27, 2012

"Life Goes on Pimpin', the Wise Don't Doubt it"

It's not a common thing for someone to characterize a track as easy-listening rap, but I'm going to put that label on @frank_ocean's new one Blue Whale. Similar to the way Drake always goes back and forth between Hip Hop and R&B, I feel like Frank wants to be regarded as more than just a vocalist. In other words, he's got a Hip Hop side and can willingly weave together an introspective story about anything from family to the finer things that life is now affording him.

You can bet that Channel Orange selling over 300k is helping out Frank's lifestyle. Sometimes a stream of consciousness Hip Hop track can be perfect for getting a lot of inner thoughts off the chest. As jumpy and scatterbrained as the song comes off, it's never a bad thing when an artist reaches out to give fans a glimpse into their thoughts. What I hope is that more easy listening Hip Hop is on the horizon...#TakeNoteHipHop

Frank Ocean - Blue Whale
|iTunes

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

"Make Me Remember You, Like You Remember Me"

With @RealWizKhalifa's new album O.N.I.F.C. due out in early December, it's interesting that the official track list surfaced this week. On the plus side, I'm a fan of his new one with @theweekndxo because it's not like anything he did on his first album. It definitely fits The Weeknd's style more with the soulful, dramatic tone.

Wiz Khalifa feat The Weeknd - Remember You

Lyrically it's an interestingly sentimental ode to the one night stand. In sort of a show me what you got so I'll remember you sort of way, both Wiz and Weeknd talk of earning bragging rights and taking a girls number after a prior night's performance. Shoot, might as well dub this one the groupie anthem of 2012 since this song epitomizes the general goal of a groupie.

I still haven't been able to put my finger on why I really like The Weeknd as an artist, but when I figure it out you'll be the first to know. There's just something about his somber, but melodic vocals that sucks you in man. Let's just hope Wiz doesn't catch a case in between now and his album release so we can get his new disc on time...#RIP69Chavelle

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

New Nero - Won't You (Be There)

Let's get one thing straight, there is no such thing as low-intensity music from @NeroUK. In the realm of EDM, their music is the most "stadium" ready, meaning their sound could fill a small county in Africa if you gave them the chance. Epic, extravagant, magnificent are all adjectives that describe the caliber of raw energy their music is consistently packed with.

With a re-release of Welcome Reality on the way, Won't You (Be There) will be a perfect addition to their already top-notch electro-dubstep masterpeice of a debut. I'm looking forward to their other upcoming trace Etude, which will be the second addition to the re-released Welcome Reality +. If it's anything as good as Doomsday, which it's set to replace as the opener on their set list, it should be pretty damn awesome...#PeepUsTourDates


Monday, September 24, 2012

"Let's Make the Most of Tonight Like We're Gonna Die Young"

Every now and then I allow myself to indulge in the sugary delight of a soon to be #1 and extremely over-played single. In this case it's @keshasuxx's new lead single Die Young off her upcoming album Warrior. The proof is in the ingredients too with the usual suspects @THEDOCTORLUKE and @ItsBennyBlanco behind the boards. It's getting a little ridiculous how many top singles Dr. Luke has had his name attached to the past few years.

If this isn't catchy, I'm not sure what is. Good luck trying to get this one out of your head after you listen a few times. You'll be singing along too, don't even trip...#DieYoung

Ke$ha - Die Young (prod by Dr Luke & Benny Blanco)
|iTunes

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Wolfgang Gartner Makes Love & War

Very quietly @wolfganggartner is becoming one of the best electronic artists in the world. Sure, that's probably from a naive American perspective since he's signed to the biggest electronic music labels (Ultra), but to me his music is new, so I'm going to keep assuming you are as informed as I am.

If there were a way to bold the song below to show how much I really like it, I'd find a way to do that. It's got a very @deadmau5 sound to it tempo wise, but it's all over the place in a crazy, unbridled way that's hard to dislike. It has the build ups that lead to the meat of the track that absolutely GETS AFTER IT in a dance like nobodys looking sorta way. Matter of fact, I think I might just do that in a few weeks...#HollaAtchaBoy


Saturday, September 22, 2012

"My Feet on the Ground, My Head in the Clouds"

Sticking with the different music theme of this week, I've got a new one for you from @diplo. Up to this point, no one had heard of @JAHANLENNON, but people on the east coast may know him as the lead singer Zeb from the Philly punk band Po Po. Either way it would appear that they're both together under the Mad Decent umbrella, so a collabo shouldn't be a surprise. Visuals below...

Pretty cool tripped out Beatles feel with Diplo chipping in plenty of percussion, acoustic guitar and woodwinds to make it interesting. Throwback as hell, all around from top to bottom. Feel free to zone the hell out to this one...#GetLifted


Friday, September 21, 2012

Videos of the Week September 21st

Three main takeaways from this week's videos.
  • I would pay good money to see John Mayer OR @frank_ocean in concert. Seeing them perform together would probably result in my head exploding. The only thing greater and more ironic performance that would top seeing them together would be if John Mayer swapped roles with his own guitarist @drh3, who just so happens to have one of the most under-appreciated voices in the game.
  • Where is the Celebration (remix) featuring the whole Bone Thugs crew?
  • Is @DMX really serious about being that clueless with working a computer? "I don't have the patience?" Really man? Either that video below is a complete act and he's throwing us all for a huge loop, or dude has maybe used a keyboard twice...ever. Either way, why again is he getting interviewed like every week? I want to start a wager right now. Which happens first, Antonio Cromartie fathers another child or DMX gets arrested again? #TooToughToCall
Frank Ocean feat John Mayer - Thinkin Bout You (Live on SNL)

Frank Ocean feat John Mayer - Pyramids (Live on SNL)

Game feat Lil Wayne, Tyga, Wiz Khalifa - Celebration (Video)

DMX on Google (Seriously??)

Calvin Harris feat Florence Welch - Sweet Nothing (Video)

Thursday, September 20, 2012

It's Istanbul Not Constantinople

This is me venturing off the beaten path and posting something you wouldn't normally hear. First off, even though you may not recognize the original Four Lads sample from Istanbul in 1953, you may associate the general swing sound with Harry Richman's Puttin on the Ritz. I know that's where I initially went when I tried to put my finger on it. Crazy how a song can morph over almost a century and still be relevant.

It just so happens that Milan & Phoenix released a video for the track below and it's just as throw back as you'd imagine.

S/O to all the folks who thought the music I was posting was getting to be predictable. Shoot if I knew what music I planned to post new week, all the fun would be taken out of it...#YOLO

Milan & Phoenix - Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
|Beatport

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Missy and Timbo Are Back With a Vengeance

Just when you thought @MissyElliott was on permanent hiatus from Hip Hop, here she comes with two @timbaland produced heat rocks. Earlier this week she let loose two singles in one day via her website titled Triple Threat and 9th Inning. Feel free to preview them below...


There were rumors last year that she was going to be putting together a new album set to be titled Block Party, but that title has been squashed for the time being. Cool thing is she already has twelve...count that 12 Timbaland produced tracks that are confirmed to be on the new album. Anybody else think that's just a little bit exciting?

If you were to force me to pick a favorite from the tracks above, I'd go with Triple Threat. From the beat, hook to background vocals by Timbo, it fits the bill for a Missy Timbo collabo. Much more to come from these two, including *hopefully* some new material on Drake's new Aaliyah album if everyone finally gets in the same damn page. Just don't tell DMX...

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

"A Goal is Just A Dream With a Deadline"

For every album there is usually a whole second album's worth of material that never makes it to see the light of day. Or, in the case of the track below, it is re-purposed by someone who is featured on the track and released on a mixtape. Going from generals to specifics, the track Where Were You? by @drake was a throw away track off Thank Me Later that featured former @danitykane member @DawnRichard and @colinmunroe. Check the description below for specifics from Colin's manager on the genesis of the track:

"Where Were You" is a collaboration between Toronto producers Boi-1da and D10 and Capitol Records artist Colin Munroe. The track was originally titled "Whatever Became of You" and was submitted for Drake's 2010 release 'Thank Me Later'. Drake recorded additional features on the track. Although the song didn't make the album's cut, that didn't diminish the excitement for the track."

Cutting to the chase, Colin just released his version of the track last week on his Unsung Hero mixtape. In comparing the two, Drake's original is a lot slower and it would have seemed to fit like a glove with the general mood of Thank Me Later. I could have at least seen it as a bonus track? Either way Colin flipped it and made it his own mid-tempo ballad, which is pretty solid in his own right. It even has a little 80s percussion in it, anybody else hear that?

I'd encourage you to try both out, but if I had to pick one...you know which one I'd choose...#DrizzyAllDay

Drake feat Dawn Richard - Where Were You? (prod by Boi-1da)

Colin Munroe - Whatever Became of You? (prod by Boi-1da)

S/O to Cloudmusiq on the Art

Monday, September 17, 2012

"In Our, House We Spit Like Sig Sauers"

Now that the public have had a couple weeks to take in @slaughterhouse's new Shady Records debut Welcome to: Our House, it's safe to say the consensus had the album rated between three and four stars out of five. From XXL to Rolling Stone, it's pretty safe that there was an overall positive vibe surrounding the album.

I'm mostly in agreement with their reviews, but before I listened to the track below, I had really really high expectations. Anything @skylargrey or @alexdakid have touched the past year has been white hot and on top of that you're going to put Slaughterhouse and @eminem rhyming over it? Might as well call it the best track of all time, right?

Not so fast (#CorsoStyle)! Maybe it's a style clash, but the lyrics heavy track kinda dragged on, even with Skylar's help on the hook. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of greatness that I'll probably end up writing about in the near future, but this isn't the best of what they had to offer. Just giving you a heads up so you can hold your expectations in check prior to listening...#StillADopeAlbum

Slaughterhouse feat Eminem & Skylar Grey - Our House (prod by Alex Da Kid)
|iTunes

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Star Slingin' on a Sunday Night

When I think of @StarSlingerUK, I'm somehow always reminded of this dude (@mrdanfogler for all of you who don't recognize him from Fanboys or Balls of Fury). To catch you up on the comparison, below is a picture if you want to judge how far off I am on the comparison...
You can't tell me they don't look really alike? Either way, he always comes correct by weaving together a great mix of Hip Hop sounding break beats and a little bit of EDM. Take This Up is no exception, as he managed to keep it simple, yet produce something really catchy.

My guess is that most of you won't have the attention span for the track below, but I'm encouraging y'all to give it a shot...#NotAllSongsNeedLyrics

Star Slinger - Take This Up

Saturday, September 15, 2012

"Our Hearts Will Nev-er Be...the Same...Again"

The collaboration between @calvinharris and @nickyromero is about as disjointed as you'll get in EDM. I say that because there is a calming element to every one of Calvin Harris's tracks that is a stark contrast to most of the music Nicky Romero creates. Yes, they can meet in the middle on the synths, but Iron is a mix of calm lyrics and intense sythns. It's almost as if they embedded a quick piano oasis into a wild electronic track and pasted a Calvin Harris verse in the middle of it.

As disjointed as I'm making it out to be, it's still tolerable. May not be my favorite, but you'll have a few Jekyll and Hyde concoctions along the way when two electronic artists get together. Listen at your own risk or just get really drunk and wild out to this...#BothWork

Nicky Romero feat Calvin Harris - Iron (Original Mix)
|Beatport

Friday, September 14, 2012

Videos of the Week September 14

Somehow I feel like I'm late to the party, but literally every time I load this web page, it seems like Gangnam Style has moved up another spot in the iTunes top 10. Literally in the past 24 hours, it has skyrocketed to #1 from #7. I need to give some respect to my buddy Nic in NYC for getting me in on the story literally as it's breaking. Like anything news worthy, it hits the big markets (NY or LA usually), then word of mouth travels to every nook and cranny imaginable in the US.
In short, it's amazing what a Def Jam record deal can do for an artist. I find it fascinating that Americans can't understand a word in the song other than "Gangnam style", yet they are buying the track at a greater rate than Call Me Maybe. It's an interesting case study on marketing, branding and how lyrics don't matter as much as style, presentation and tempo of a track. #FoodForThought

In other news, @asvpxrocky is now mainstream, @G_O_O_D_Music and @LupeFiasco have new albums coming out and @swedishousemfia are still calling it quits...#ThatIsAll
Psy - Gangnam Style

How A$AP Rocky Rose to Prominence


G.O.O.D. Music Cruel Summer Commercial

Lupe Fiasco's Food and Liquor II: The Great American Album Trailer

Swedish House Mafia feat John Martin - Don't You Worry Child

Thursday, September 13, 2012

"London Bridge is Falling Down, But I'm Too Drunk on a Bottle of Brown"

Ever hear of punk rap? Well if you haven't then you'll understand what I mean when I characterize the song below as such. From what I'm gathering, @yelawolf and @travisbarker are planning on releasing an EP together and Push Em is the first course.

The title of the album, Psycho White, fits the schizophrenic, crazy-ass white boy vibe of the track to a T...or a Y...however you wanna slice it. Simply put, the track below will make you want to wild out. The fast paced drum rhythm will make your neck hurt from bobble-heading to the beat. Feel free and break this one out at whatever party you're at this week, my only caution...#MayInciteRiots.*

Travis Barker feat Yelawolf - Push Em

*warning only applicable to crazy white kids

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

"I Killed Off Heaven Now I Live in Hell"

"You ain’t saving them from danger,
you’re keeping danger safe"
Coming from someone who isn't from the streets and doesn't see murder and crime on a daily basis, I feel like I'd be a fool not to talk about all the events surrounding Hip Hop in the Chicago area the past month. The realization and connection to the problem began for me when I saw @RealSway interview @lupefiasco and reminisce over a video filmed back in 2006 that ended up bringing Lupe to tears. It's a powerful video and I'd recommend you watch it if you care about a large scale problem that needs to be brought to light and talked about...

My first reaction after disbelief was "I can't even imagine what that feels like." The that I'm referring to is the ghosts Lupe alludes to that are friends or neighbors in the video who are no longer alive or currently in prison. It's alarming how many teenagers have turned into ghosts in the Chicago area with the murder rate up 38% in the first half of 2012.

Which makes the video above ironic and even more powerful is that less than a month later, a couple rival teenage rappers in Chicago decided to take the guns and violence to the extreme. After weeks of diss tracks and YouTube posts created by two rival Hip Hop gangs, rapper Lil Jo Jo was gunned down. Long story short, new Interscope signee @ChiefKeef (who recently became relevant in Hip Hop solely because Kanye decided to remix his song I Don't Like) decided to take to Twitter to express pure glee in the rival Lil Jo Jo's death. You could imagine how publicly laughing at another teenager getting shot to death in a rival group would ruffle some feathers, but instead of apologizing for his ill time tweets, he decided to continue to fight back by threatening to fight Lupe Fiasco who condemned Keef's celebratory tweets.

So what happens when you have a teenager committing career suicide on Twitter? Well...management steps in, by first saying his twitter account had been hacked...um...at various times the past few days when the tweets came out about Jo Jo..oh..and Lupe too. In other news there's some oceanfront property Chief Keef would like to sell you in Montana (#SMMFH). Now it seems that Keef is being investigated in the murder and management went a step further and made him apologize and send prayers out to Jo Jo's family. Evidently the "he's just a teenager" excuse works well in this kind of situation too.

To sum it all up, the quote below summarizes the outcome in a very succinct, eloquent way:
"Chief Keef is a bomb. A bomb has no responsibility or blame, it does what it was created to do; DESTROY. - @rhymefest"
Taking it one step further,@gouldmovements of the Independent Blog put it best when he opined and further questioned the state of Hip Hop by saying:
"There are a thousand debates to be had here. Questions about authenticity in hip hop and the essential tragedy of this rich, fascinating counter-culture. The gap between the mainstream and the underground, between the poor inner city and the wealthy establishment, about how Chicago’s music has suddenly become ‘interesting’ for all the wrong reasons, and about how, in roughly five minutes, we’ll all forget about its problems and go listen to the next 2Chainz track about cars and hoes, because it’s all harmless fun, isn’t it? Forget Snoop Dogg’s early 90s criminal persona (and actions) and focus on his current incarnation as a Rastafarian. Deep down, we, the white media, will fetishize the violence hip hop sometimes endorses or reflects, because it’s something we’ll never witness at first hand, and then we’ll all go back to our safe happy homes. Well I’ll say one thing is certain. We can’t just put our headphones in. We have to keep asking questions." - source
So what's the fall out, end game or better yet music in this post you ask? For starters, it seems like any and every Chicago Hip Hop name has pitched in their 2 cents on the issue including producer No I.D., Rhymefest and even 50 cent. The range of reactions go from disgust all the way to support for Chief Keef. I know, I know, it's insane someone would try to rationalize the way Keef reacted. Shoot, after taking all this in I can see why Lupe is wanting to distance himself from the Hip Hop culture as a whole and retire to solve bigger world problems because, in part, rappers like Chief Keef will continue giving Hip Hop and his home city of Chicago a bad name.

If it is true that Lupe is going to walk away from Hip Hop to pursue more meaningful endeavors, I don't blame him and he will be missed. Missed because his last album Food and Liquor II: The Great American Album Part 1 is shaping into a classic because of inspiring and meaningful tracks like his most recent one below. His knack for storytelling in an evocative way is unmatched and even though I've been critical for his at times overly political messages, his expression is about as close to lyrical art as you'll get in Hip Hop. For every 1000 typical rappers, there is 1 Lupe Fiasco who actually fights for and believes in meaningful things that need to be talked about in the world.

If you don't want to listen to the whole track, at least fast forward to the 2:15 mark of American Terrorists (Superheros Part 2) and follow word for word. There's some depth in his message and I'm betting everyone who reads it will find different meaning in his message. Not only is the delivery beautiful with the soft piano lead in, but the infusion of dubstep at the verse's apex is brilliant.
"Last remarks, they did it to themselves
I killed off heaven, now I live in hell
So complicit and they all non-survival
Told them that they biggest rival is inside you
I do possess the power to revive you
But if I did that, I’d just have to fight you
Cause you truly are the hero and the villain
The world stood froze, hearing a truth so chilling
Reporters start filming, somebody shouted, “Kill him!”
He looked back in disgust and flew up to the ceiling
Busted through the roof and kicked over the building
Before it hit the ground, a younger hero flew around
And put it on his shoulders, said you’re naive now
But believe, you’ll believe me when you’re older
Every asteroid you stop and bomb you fly up into space
You ain’t saving them from danger, you’re keeping danger safe"
If this is a part of the last chapter of his Hip Hop career, he truly did leave the best for last...#Sept25

Lupe Fiasco - American Terrorist (Superheroes)(Part 2)
|iTunes
S/O to B*tches and Art for the cover art

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

"This Girl is on Fire!"

With a fresh new outlook on life with the birth of her boy, @aliciakeys is out to conquer the world. The past week she has been on an all out blitz promoting her newest single Girl on Fire, which is now on every radio, TV and award show (below):

The track is par for the course for her and her never ending catalog of vocally uplifting tracks. In fact, if you're not an @nickyminaj fan, then Alicia has you covered with her own Bluelight (Solo Version) where she goes solo on the keys and vocals.

In my eyes determining which version is better depends on mood. I will say that the incorporation of @gabrielledoug into Nicky's verse and VMA performance was really cool. I'll gladly get out of my seat and golf clap for that one. Alicia's new album Girl on Fire is due out in November...#StayTuned

Alicia Keys - Girl on Fire (Blue Light Version)


Alicia Keys feat Nicki Minaj - Girl on Fire (Inferno Version)


Monday, September 10, 2012

Avicii and Mike Posner Want to Stay With You

On the coat tails of @Avicii's latest single Last Night comes a new promo single featuring none other than @MikePosner. The new song, Stay With You, was premiered on BBC radio last week as a "preview" version despite it being three and a half minutes long. I'll put it this way, if it were a snack, it would be a king size snack rather than fun size snack. Know what I'm sayin? Shoot I'm barely hungry for the final meal...

Word has it Avicii has an album coming out titled The Battery Pack. No word on when it's set to be released, but I think that we can all agree that the world would be a better place if we got were able to listen to it before the world ends in December. #MayanKoolAid

If you can't already tell, I'm usually a fan when two of my favorites artists collaborate together. The track below isn't an exception to that statement and if it finds it's way on contemporary radio, it'll wreck shop. It won't Levels wreck shop, but the inclusion of Mikey P will open up Avicii's audience even more, which is always a good thing...#Hipsters4AviciiMovement


Avicii feat Mike Posner - Stay With You (Preview)(Overline Edit)


Sunday, September 09, 2012

2AM Club's Ode to Mary Jane

After seeing both @2amclub and @BigSean react to the leaking of the track below, I was hesitant to post it. I enjoy sharing music I like on a daily basis, but when the artist themselves are upset that an unfinished version of a track leaks, it's not cool.
I wouldn't want someone I didn't know turning in an assignment to the boss or a paper for school a couple days early before I was cool with it. The reason I changed my mind is because I noticed that 2 AM Club was more or less rolling with the punches by re-tweeting other blogs who were posting the track. I know they probably didn't have a choice because once the chicken has hatched, you can't put it back in the egg, but still it's an unenviable position to be put out of position martketing wise when the track you were going to market with hits the market before you've got your ducks in line.

The good news is 2 AM Club has a new album coming out soon and it will (presumably) feature some version of the track below featuring Big Sean and @devishot. Sure the subject of the track is played out, but it's a fun track that's about as pop as the corn at the movie theater. Still a dope track and I hope for the track's sake it does some work on iTunes to over correct the leak...#SomethinBoutMary
"I gave your girl a t-shirt since she gave the whole crew neck"
2AM Club feat Big Sean & Dev - Mary
|iTunes

Saturday, September 08, 2012

"Here We Are We Are the Champions"

Talk about a random combination of new and old. When was the last time you heard @freddurst on a new single? Take it from a longtime Limp Bizkit fan, if there's room for Kid Rock, there will surely be a play for Fred Durst to co-exist. And then there's @BIRDMAN5STAR...man just keep YMCMB in line behind the scenes and it's all good. Never been a huge fan of his verses, but have plenty appreciation for his ability to built squads that compete.

I'm guessing this will surface on some sort of @itsKevinRudolf album at some point, but for now it;s slated to his iTunes in two days on Monday, September 10th. The song was created to be a theme song for the upcoming WWE Night of Champions on September 16th. Just so everyone starts getting used to hearing it, the song debuted last Monday on WWE Monday Night Raw

I'm not sure it goes hard enough to reel in the WWE crowd, but it's catchy and pop enough to have a chance. I'll take Let it Rock or Welcome to the World though, y'all can have this one...#Underwhelmed

Kevin Rudolf feat Fred Durst, Baby & Lil Wayne - Champions
|iTunes

Friday, September 07, 2012

Videos of the Week September 7th

Plenty of news and performances from last night's MTV Video Music Awards (#VMA). First we heard that Wiz knocked up Amber then we watched as Ri Ri did her sexual seduction act in an attempt to steal the show (below). Conspicuously missing was Kanye who was reported to be supporting Kim out in NY, but it turns out he wasn't planning on going there in the first place. Or maybe they were just planning on making babies since that's what Kim wants NOW! Never a day goes by without a rumor getting started about those two, but they live that life so it probably works for them in an interesting and strange way.

It's pretty disgusting how much Dr. Dre has made off his headphones. The creation of his headphones was clearly a Steve Jobs-worthy design and for that he deserves some credit. No he didn't re-invent the wheel, but he sure as hell made the wheel a lot cooler and even managed to get Chrysler in on it. It looks like from the pic above Lil Wayne has entered the fray and will probably find a way to push the profit even farther. That is until the next coolest thing comes out...#NeverOnTopForLong

Rihanna & A$AP Rocky Perform Cockiness at the VMAs

Frank Ocean - Thinkin Bout You (Live)

2 Chainz feat Lil Wayne - Yuck/No Worries with Lil Wayne (Live)

Forbes Report on How Much Money Rappers Make

Big Sean Talks About How Clique Came About

Thursday, September 06, 2012

"Ain't No Nobody F'in With My Clique"

Not much to say about the track below, it speaks very loudly for itself. With a beat done up by @Hit_Boy that has the essence of grandeur both @kanyewest and @s_c_ thrive on, you can tell after a minute that there aren't many competitors in the game that can put out something as hot as this. Shoot even @bigsean gets in where he fits in with a quality verse and a memorable hook.

No more rhetoric is necessary for hyping Clique other than to say it will surface on G.O.O.D. Music's Cruel Summer LP due out on September 18th. Hip Hop simply doesn't get more refined or crisp than what's below...#ClassicShit

Big Sean Kanye West Jay-Z - Clique (prod by Hit-Boy)

Wednesday, September 05, 2012

R&B Rewind Emeli Sande - Next To Me

I admitted earlier this week how behind and generally out of the R&B game I've been the past few months. Case in point the absolute gem below delivered by @emelisande. Forgive me for being about a half year late on Next To Me, but even delivered late, it's a standout track. Video below if you want the full the full experience and visuals on Emeli's Janelle Monae style haircut...

It's hard not to draw Alicia Keys comparisons because she's got that unmistakeable soulfulness in her voice. The single below is off her debut album Our Version of Events if you want to hear more. I know I need to catch up on the Scottish diamond in the rough's debut because those pipes are not to be trifled with...#NextToMe

Emeli Sande - Next To Me
|iTunes

Tuesday, September 04, 2012

Avicii Always Gets the Last Dance

Evidently @avicii dropped a teaser of this track back in March on BBC Radio 1. Fast forward to the present over a half year later and we get the full instrumental mix. It's everything you'd expect in an Avicii single, the only notable difference is the whistling throughout, which is a unique touch. The build ups and high energy synth-driven crescendo's are definitely there, though.

I hope the "American" love story with EDM morphs into a more mature enjoyment of the enjoyment of the genre. What I mean by that is I hope an electronic track like the one below can get by without lyrics because it seems like more often than not, it's only the vocal versions that make it on the radio in the US. Maybe it's the DJ in me, but all I know is when people get in the club, lyrics don't mean a damn thing...#BassOverLyrics

Avicii - Last Dance (Instrumental Mix)
|Beatport

Monday, September 03, 2012

"You're Giving Me Such Sweet Nothing"

The phrase match made in heaven comes to mind when I think of combining the high octane vocals of @flo_tweet with the electro-pop rhythms of a @CalvinHarris. While most would probably favor @rihanna's voice on Calvin's material, I'd pick Florence any day of the week. Her uniquely intense delivery is powerful and downright awe-inspiring.

Good luck keeping this off top 40 radio! It's about as easy listening as EDM gets, which plays extremely well on the radio these days. For all of you keeping score at home, Calvin is now five singles deep on his upcoming album 18 months. It's strange too, that the first single off the album came out in June 2011, over 13 months ago. Nonetheless, it's scheduled to hit shelves on October 29th and might be one of the most stacked albums in the past five years. What other album has five singles as a good as Bounce, Feel So Close, Let's Go, We'll Be Coming Back and Sweet Nothing? #Crickets

Calvin Harris feat Florence Welch - Sweet Nothing
|iTunes

Sunday, September 02, 2012

"You Play Your Cards Right and I Can Deal With You"

With R&B completely taking a back seat in my www daily music journal, it's refreshing every now and then when I come across some grown and sexy R&B. To be honest, I should have posted @MiguelUnlimited's original version of Adorn. Man, Miguel kills it with the falsetto at the end of the track too (video below)...

...but in an effort to overcompensate, maybe waiting for the remix wasn't such a bad idea. Love how @realwizkhalifa's verse fits like a glove over the smooth R&B syths. It makes me even more pumped for ONFIC. Cool out to this one over your long weekend y'all...#Grown&Sexy

Miguel feat Wiz Khalifa - Adorn (Remix)
|iTunes

Saturday, September 01, 2012

Mac Miller is Known For His Bright Eyes

Bravo to @macmiller for stepping outside the norm for a minute right quick to cover @brighteyesband's First Day of my Life. I had to look up the original from back in 2005, so don't feel bad for not recognizing the track below.

All things considered, Mac did his thing in covering the song. His harmony isn't perfect, but what do you expect for a lyricist? I'm of the thinking that he deserve some daps & lbs for his vocal showing on the cover version. It's a pretty chill rendition, so if you're in a mellow mood and need something to cool out to, this is what I'd prescribe. #MusicPills

Mac Miller - First Day of My Life (Bright Eyes Cover)

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