Videos of the Week October 20th

Bit of a slow week for videos, but that didn't stop the top five from rolling along. Rather than post the usual suspects, I went a little off script this week including the likes of Thundercat's Tiny Desk bass brilliance and a long form interview of Chance the Rapper's manager Pat Corcoran. There's a whole lot of soul baked into Thundercat's music and that fact was on full display with his stripped down performance at NPR. If you haven't read up on Chance's unique come up that has defied traditional super stardom in music, there's plenty to unpack in the hour long interview detailing how it all went down.

In the latest example of music, culture, and brands mixing, look no further than ZHU's collabo with Adidas. I will admit, as long as it results in new music, you can try and sell me anything you want to attach to it. If some real music videos is what you're after, I've got an EDM and Hip Hop favorite for the week. Afrojack and Hardwell need no introduction and their latest video shows how much fun they're capable of having on stage and on tour together. Man being a DJ sure seems like a fun occupation. Don't leave out Hip Hop, though, there are plenty of perks to being able to flow on the mic. I've been listening to Redman and Method Man for the greater part of two decades now and it's refreshing to know they haven't lost a step over the years. If Time is Money is about as dope as it gets from Red and Meth...#WuTang

Thundercat Performs at NPR's Tiny Desk

Chance the Rapper's Manager (Pat Corcoran) Speaks on Chance's Come Up

ZHU - Waters of Monaco (Adidas Campaign Video)

Afrojack & Hardwell feat MC Ambush - Hands Up (Video)

Wu-Tang - If Time is Money (Fly Navigation) (Video)

Photo Credit: YouTube

RL Grime Kicks His Tour Off With Dope New Single, Era

Here he goes again with those loud, arena filling horns. RL Grime has always had a reputation for being able to turn up to a level that most DJs could only dream of reaching. Need some recent evidence? Look no further than his latest single, Era, where he shows off that ceiling yet again.

The track takes a full minute to rev up and take off. When it does, it unleashes a symphony of bass, whiny horns, and a steady click-clack of percussion. What's cool too is the complete tear down and start back up of the beat multiple times throughout the track. Sure, all DJs love to follow the formulaic build up and drop model, but nobody does it quite as thoroughly as RL Grime. If you listen real closely, you might hear Redman cameo in the mix too.

Simply put, words won't do justice to how pumped I am to see him in concert next weekend in SF at Bill Graham. As an FYI, his tour kicks off tonight in Vancouver and will go all the way through Thanksgiving. Someone in between his upcoming Nova album will presumably drop, which means there's plenty of RL on the horizon in this neighborhood of the internet...#Era


RL Grime - Era

Videos of the Week October 6th

It was an odd week for videos, which reflected a tumultuous week in the U.S. Words can't adequately communicate the amount of loss and despair we all felt when the details started to emerge surrounding the Las Vegas shooting. The fact that it was at a music festival was even more harrowing for those of us who frequently attend those large scale events. Personally, I've grown accustomed to turning to music when everything else in the world doesn't make sense, so hopefully this abbreviated list of videos somehow provide the escapism you're looking for if you feel the same week.

All that being said, it would be hard to find a more appropriate video than Miley Cyrus and Adam Sandler's performance of No Freedom shortly after news of the shooting broke. The tone of the track seemed to strike just the right chord for me and while I don't normally listen to country, I felt the need to be a little more open minded this week. If you came to this post looking for some actual music videos, both Fergie and Wu-Tang have you covered. Fergie's Love is Blind may not be the most appropriate video given this week's events, but the use of dolls carrying out the plot saved me from taking it too seriously. It's been a while since Wu-Tang got together and seeing them with Redman added even more nostalgia to their new video for People Say. If you need a bit of humor to get you back on the brighter side of life, the latest rendition of Celebrity Mean Tweets might do the trick. And if you're really looking for a mix of pop culture and great music, Jay Zv covered all those bases with his SNL performance. Donning a Kaepernick jersey, he started the latest season of SNL off with bang by performances of Bam and 4:44. Here's to hoping Colin finds his way into the NFL at some point this year...#FreeKaepernick

Miley Cyrus and Adam Sandler Perform "No Freedom" to Open the Fallon Show

Fergie - Love is Blind (Video)

Wu-Tang Clan feat Redman - People Say (Video)

Celebrities Read Mean Tweets on Kimmel

Jay Z Performs Bam on SNL

Photo Credit: YouTube

"People Say, Love is Just a Energy"

Wu-Tang stand up! People Say is a blast from the past with Redman teaming up with the W's finest. Method Man, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck and Masta Killa all chipped in hot 16's to power the new single produced by Mathematics. It plays more like a cypher than a polished single, but with this cast of characters, that's all good with me.

Despite not being on the track, the release coincides with RZA's recent announcement of an upcoming Wu-Tang album, Wu-Tang: The Saga Continues. The album consists of new beats from Mathematics with previously recorded verses from Wu members. The album is slated to drop on October 13th and if there's more newness like the one below then I'll be having it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner...#PeopleSay

Wu Tang feat Redman - People Say (prod by Mathematics)

"I Turn it Way High, I Don't Even See Y'all"

No matter what happens from now until the end of time, I'll always appreciate the buck wild energy Redman brings to the table every time he gets on the mic. That Method Man and Redman Blackout album has to go down in my top 25 favorite albums, hands down. Knowing that, it's been a bummer he hasn't released a lot of noteworthy music since the Millennium. Maybe it's because Hip Hop has started to take a back seat, maybe it's because I haven't been paying attention to Hip Hop or the fact that Redman released a new album back in 2015. The fact that I just learned that speaks volumes about how in tune I am with Reggie Noble's career.

But I'm not here to take a stroll down memory lane. I'm here to hype his new collaboration with 1000 Volts that showcases the same raw energy, but in a much more electronic setting. Led by the production of Jayceeoh, there's a bouncy trap vibe that will have you double taking. It's like a mash up of the past two decades with 90s Rap and Trap mixing together in an audio molotov cocktails of sorts. If you're ready to "let the dogs out" and like free stuff, then hop on over to theartistunion.com for a free copy of the fiery one below...#BitchImLit

1000 Volts feat Redman - B*tch I'm Lit (prod by Jayceeoh & B-Sides)

A Clutch Def Squad Mini-Reunion 17 Years Later

Talk about a blast from the past! Nostalgia to the max with this mini-Def Squad reunion from out of nowhere. Let's rewind back to the summer of 1998, when I was just getting into my teens and Hip Hop was coursing through my daily being. Def Squad's El Niño was one of those unforgettably classic albums that I'll never forget no matter how old I get. Follow me for a minute back to when Redman, Keith Murray and Sermon were at the apex of their game..

There was a time when I could recite every bar from Full Cooperation in my sleep, love that track. So now here we are today, seventeen years later and two-thirds of the unstoppable trio are back at it (sub in Method Man for Keith Murray). Clutch won't blow your mind by any stretch of the imagination, but it's more of a vehicle to take you back in time to the glory days of Hip Hop. Meth hasn't lost a step over the years, so for those of you wondering if age is the reason, think again. If your appetite for more E Double hasn't been quenched he's got a new album coming out on August 28th titled Perception E.S.P...#PerceptionESP

Erick Sermon feat Method Man & Redman - Clutch

"I Like To Fly the Friendly Skies Until the Sky Fall"

Man...I miss Red and Meth...the Funk Doctor Spock and the Iron Lung...Reggie Noble and the Ticalian Stalian. They vibe off each other like no other rap duo in their own easygoing, humorous, but lyrically intense way. The original Blackout album they did in 1999 was classic in every way shape and form, with tracks like Y.O.U., Blackout and the ultimate classic Rocwilder. Basically if you ain't excited as a mofo that they're even hinting at a Blackout 3 that is due out the oven in the next year, then you must cheer for WikiLeaks. 

The track below is off Redman's seventh studio album Reggie, due out tomorrow in stores. It combines the skills of @therealredman, @methodman with a guest spot from Trill University representer @BUNBTRILLOG. All three weave in and out of a bouncy beat over dreamy keys, creating a relaxing tone that fits perfectly with their uplifting subject matter. Not everyday you get all three heavyweights on one track, so indulge in the moment and feel free to continue being excited for more music to come from Red and Meth.

Redman feat Method Man & Bun-B - Lite 1 Witcha Boi

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