"Gotta Keep Ya Head Up, Sit Back and Just Breathe"

Summer is damn near over, but that didn't stop Chiddy Bang from dropping a carefree single that puts listeners on relaxation to the max. Nobody is ever going to question Chiddy's lyrical ability on the mic, but I already miss the duo of Chiddy and recently disbanded member Xaphoon Jones. The song below is great, but the duo is what made the group Chiddy Bang formidable. I'll concede that with the help of Yuri Beat$, Chiddy's solo lead single Breathe did exactly what a lead single should do...build hype for an upcoming album.

Case in point, I now know that the title of his upcoming album is Baggage Claim and it's due out before the end of 2013. Not sure if will be a separate effort or not, but we can also expect a Baggage Claim mixtape to drop sometime in the next month or so. I'm gonna guess that this one will also find it's way on the mixtape/album, but either way, there's a lot coming from the land of Chiddy that's worth looking forward to in the near future...#BaggageClaim

Chiddy Bang - Breathe (prod by Yuri Beat$)

Ellie Goulding Gets High on The Weeknd

Rarely do cover versions of great tracks come anywhere near the quality of the original. That's why @elliegoulding's version of @theweekndxo's High For You came through the speakers like a breath of fresh mountain air. If you're wondering where the comparison comes from, below is the original version of the track that was featured on The Weeknd's House of Balloons mixtape...

While The Weeknd's version is undeniably soulful and dramatic, Ellie's uniquely melodic harmony is addicting. Equally important to the success of the cover is the influence @xaphoonjones provided behind the boards. The keyboard work he put in on the instrumental is mellow and funky at the same time, which perfectly compliments the vocals.

Right now I'm at a point now where I'm wishing I had more of Ellie's music because her voice has a distinctly beautiful tone. Don't fall behind like me, it's never cool to catch on after the sophomore album...#ByThenItsPop

Ellie Goulding - High For You (prod by Xaphoon Jones)(Weeknd Cover)

"Oh Yes Oh Yes I'm Fresh as Hell"

Not only is @realchiddy one of the most unassuming Hip Hop World Record holders, he and his partner in crime @xaphoonjones are about to serve up a Denny's Grand Slam quality Breakfast in the form on a studio debut album. I'll put it this way, if their "real" debut album, that dropped about a week ago on February 21st, is half as good as both their EPs (The Opposite of Adults EP, Chiddy Bang: The Preview), I'll be satisfied.

Waaay back in July I posted their lead single off Breakfast titled Mind Your Manners. I'm not sure they could have picked a better lead single, but to be honest I haven't heard more than these two tracks and Baby Roulette so I can't really judge yet. As an aside, it's great to see more artists collaborating with @chip216 and allowing him to finally start becoming a household name. I've heard too many @chuckisdope beats where Chip goes in and rips it up to think he's anything but under-appreciated.

The production of Xaphoon Jones is a great thing to bank on for @chiddybang because as a writer and fan of their music, I always know that there's going to be a standard quality level on the instrumentals. If more bands had such a high standard of quality, I'd probably link the hell out of all of their posts too in support. For now I'll stick with Chiddy because they rep my current city to the absolute fullest...#TeamSwelly

Chiddy Bang feat Chip tha Ripper - Extra Well
|iTunes

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)

"Damn How High Are We, They Gotta Gamble in This Life Charles Barkley

Coming off a stellar new mixtape, the likes of @realchiddy & @xaphoonjones refuse to slow down the steady stream of great music. For all of you that missed Peanut Butter & Swelly, there's good reason why over 61,000 people downloaded the tape and don't even try and blame me cause I've been throwin' tracks and concert videos from that tape at y'all left and right. Even this week they let loose another video for the I Can't Stop (freestyle) off the mixtape (below)...

Below is their newest internet release that shines mostly due to Xaphoon's electric beat and addicting sample of the Swedish pop group @iconapop's Manners track. There's always room for creative sampling in Hip Hop and you'd be hard pressed to find someone that does it better than Noah Beresin. I usually find myself saying, "this track is pretty good, but I can't wait for the real quality tracks that surface on a studio album." That's not the case with Chiddy, they don't care whether it's a mixtape or studio release, the quality is assumed, which is why I have so much respect for them. And you should too...#StopTrippinAndListen

Chiddy Bang - Mind Your Manners (prod by Xaphoon Jones)

"She Familiar with Fendi, Comfortable in Chanel, And You Know Errthang' High When You Livin' Swell"

About 8 days and 9 hours before @bigsean's debut album Finally Famous drops. After one lap around it I've found a few favorites like the one below and his collab with @LUPEFIASCO, Wait For Me, which are all added bonuses because tracks like My Last, I Do It and (my personal favorite) What Goes Around were enough to make it a solid album. I'm not proclaiming front to back greatness regarding the yet to be released album, but I'll at least note that there are hidden gems in there that make you feel like you're not playing Air Penguin jumping from single to single and avoiding filler tracks.

On the track below you're going to get a couple well put together verses big Sean Don that showcase the pause and stop flow that he coined before artists like Kanye, Lil Wayne and Drake followed suit. The features are fitting too with @realWizKhalifa starting his verse with a trademark, glee club quality harmony followed by a fierce, energetic 11 bars. Put it this way, how could you NOT involve Wiz in a track called high? #NoBrainer...

With every track I'm becoming a bigger fan of @chiddybang and more specifically @xaphoonjones when he surfaces on the production credits. The heavy bassline with a touch of percussion and synth sets the tempo well on this and set the stage for all three verses. I still need a listen or two before I make a final judgment, but the likelihood of Finally Famous living up to the high expectations is a good bet.

Big Sean ft Wiz Khalifa & Chiddy Bang - High (prod by Xaphoon Jones)

|iTunes

"We're Only Young and Naive Still, We Require Certain Skills"

If you would have blind folded me and made me listen to the song below, I would have told first off it has to be @passionpit. If you'd then give me a second guess, I'd probably question you then say if it's not them, then it's gotta be MGMT. After denying my second guess and telling me it's this new group, The Naked and Famous, I'd probably say WTF! followed by #GTFOH. Then I'd go research them and find more of their music...

Which brings me to this post where I get to tell you about this new group from New Zealand called @TNAF, which consists of five members David Beadle (bassist), Thom Powers (singer-guitarist), Aaron Short (synth player), Jesse Wood (drums), Alisa Xayalith (co-vocalist/keyboardist). Their debut album Passive Me, Aggressive You was released about 8 months ago in September and managed to climb atop the New Zealand charts. As far as the name of their band, it came from the song Kid by Tricky with the lyrics "Everyone wants to be naked and famous." When asked to elaborate on the group title, band members Aaron Short elaborated saying:

"We were all just really big fans of Tricky around the time of the band forming - Thom, Alisa and I - and thought it was really fitting for the way we were looking at things at the time and it was something that stuck with us. There’s a bit of irony there, for so many people there’s a lot of stuff attached to the music industry and musicians in terms of everyone wants to be a big famous rockstar and all that kind of stuff. At the time of us starting the band out it’s always remained a big principle for us, it’s never been what we’ve been about. Stuff like getting in the charts and the awards we’ve had it’s all really overwhelming and you can’t help be really pleased with the result, but at the same time it’s never been the absolute focus of why we’re putting music together and why we’re doing what we’re doing." - Source

Yea I agree, I'm a few months late on this track, but it's making my XM satellite radio subscription worthwhile since I found this gem from across the world on there. Check out the video for the track below...

The synthesizers sucked me in on first listen and perfectly augmented the upbeat, rolling beat. The MGMT and Passion Pit comparisons come from the childlike, carefree vibe their lyrics give off. The fun and dreamy vibe is infectious to me as I've had this in heavy circulation since finding it last night. You might ask, what could possibly make this track more likable?

Enter @chiddybang or more specifically @XaphoonJones, who is doing his absolute best to make me forget about @corybold with all these dope remixes he's pulling off of late with his partner in crime, @realchiddy. The sample is executed perfectly and flipped all Hip Hop like any self respecting Hip Hop fan would hope. The bubbly synths are where I draw the Cory Bold comparisons, but I need to be clear in saying that ya boy Xaphoon can absolutely hold his own producing a beat (PROOF).

Can't go wrong with either of these and I'm gonna keep the @TNAF original track on heavy repeat as I give their album a spin...#BetterLateThanNever

The Naked and Famous - Yonug Blood (Chiddy Bang remix)

"Hotter Than This Wasabi, Pittsburgh Boy, Sidney Crosby"

Nice to see we're starting to get a whole lot of consistency out of @chiddybang, as they keep cranking out quality tracks. I value originality in music, which why I've hitched a ride to their bandwagon. Their Indie vibe made of grimy verses delivered by @realchiddy and interesting, organic production is makes their sound unique. Seems like Hip Hop is starting to take note as more and more artists like @macmiller are contributing verses on their upcoming album Breakfast, due out sometime this summer and coinciding with the Bamboozle Roadshow they are embarking on with @/pusha_T.

Digging the 1960's Martha and the Vandellas - Heatwave sample too, feel free to check the original below...

Also, if you haven't heard of @XaphoonJones aka the other half of Chiddy, you should give his new mixtape Xaphoon Jones Vol 2 a listen. The beats XJ is capable of making are awe inspiring, like this break beat right here. Pretty sick, it's no wonder they've got such a fresh sound with him behind the boards...

East coast could use a damn heat wave with all this rain/sleet this week. Better get some damn sunshine for Sundaze this weekend before I do the unthinkable double header and finish the night watching Chiddy and Wale...#HollaAtchaBoy

Chiddy Bang feat Mac Miller - Heatwave

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