Videos of the Week May 1st

To be completely honest, it was a dreadfully slow week for music. Rarely is there ever a week where it's a struggle to decide what the heck to write about. Luckily, videos of the week touches on much more than just music and Jimmy Fallon is always there with something entertaining to offer. My personal favorite of the week was Jimmy's sidekick Steve Higgins trying to one up Shaggy at his own accent. Needless to say hilarity ensued. Likewise when Kristen Wiig hopped on the set to deliver an interesting Khaleesi impersonation. I'm not a huge Game of Thrones guy, so it was tough for me to judge how funny she was when being interviewed.

Despite a lack of quantity, there was some quality when it came to music videos this week. The X Ambassadors are growing on me more and more as I can't stop listening to their new single Renegades. Similarly, when Eminem decides to rip through a few verses with the help of Yelawolf, it's always worth a listen. Finally, if you've ever wish you knew more about T-Pain, here's your chance. His Bigger Than Pain documentary was an interesting biopic on someone who never seems to get the credit he deserves talent wise because the majority of his vocals are auto-tune aided. Needless to say, he's a talented dude from Tallahassee and the 20 minute documentary is proof why...#BiggerThanPain
Jimmy Fallon & Shaggy Have a "Shaggy Off"

T-Pain Bigger Than Pain Documentary

X Ambassadors - Renegades (Video)

Yelawolf feat Eminem - Best Friend (Video)

Jimmy Fallon Interview Khaleesi From Game of Thrones Played by Kristen Wiig

Photo Credit: YouTube

Yelawolf & Eminem Just Shut it Down With Best Friend

With Yelawolf's sophomore album about a week away from release, feel free to fully allow yourself to get excited. His last two singles are evidence that he's regained the momentum that landed him a Shady Records deal. It's not just me that thinks it either, he touched on "things changing for the better" in a recent interview he did with Complex. As it turns out, all he needed was to go back to Tennessee to regain that low-fi, analog sound...

As soon as I noticed that tracklist to Love Story was devoid of features, it became abundantly clear that Yelawolf wanted to get back on his feet without any help...except for one track on the album. That's when he enlisted the help of his boss to lay down yet another legendary verse on Best Friend. The track is a perfect canvas for Em to go in on. It has a mellow, acoustic vibe to it that sets the mood right for the 0-100 style of intensity that Em brings on the mic. I need not wax poetic, he's a legend, go cop Yelawolf's album next week, it's in the lead for album of the year in 2015...#BestFriend

Videos of the Week April 10th

The top five this week skewed heavy toward Hip Hop this week with three out of the five coming from the genre. Leading off is the third on the trilogy of Maddie Ziegler featured videos from Sia. Big Girls Cry is more of a demonstrative solo filled with plenty of provocative facial expressions and gestures. It's another stunning example of how hard it is to take your eyes of Maddie when she's performing.

In other news, Louis C.K. may have thrown a wrench in Jimmy Fallon's plan to star on the Dana Carvey's show. Hilarity ensues. Then, 2 Chainz and Diplo met up with a water sommelier who treated them to water that cost $100,000. Yes, there's so much wrong with the previous sentence that I'm not even going to touch on outlandish it is. Finally, Chuck Inglish gave us all a huge doss of bass with Damage and Yelawolf continues churn out top notch tracks that will make us forget about his last album. I absolutely can't wait to hear his album as a whole because so far it's been nothing but fire...#LoveStory
Sia feat Maddie Ziegler - Big Girls Cry (Video)

Louis C.K. on Jimmy Fallon

2 Chainz & Diplo Taste 100K Water

Chuck Inglish - Damage (Video)

Yelawolf - American You (Video)

Photo Credit: YouTube

"I'm a Ready-Made Party, I'm Whiskey in a Bottle Now"

Yelawolf is a great example of an artist with an extremely high ceiling that has yet to reach his potential. You would have thought that his unique lyrical ability plus the Shady Records deal would have been a sure fire recipe for reaching that ceiling, but it hasn't happened yet. It's a sad thing that happens too often, but when a big label sinks its teeth into you, sometimes your creative edge gets lost in shuffle when you're trying to appease too many people. That's what seemed to happen with his Shady Records debut Radioactive, which is why I'm hoping his upcoming album, Love Story, will get back to what got him to the biggest rising star in Hip Hop.

For what it's worth, I consider his new single, Whiskey in a Bottle, a step in the right direction. For an Alabama raised lyricist, he's got a knack for pulling you in with a catchy hook. The laid back, head nod worthy hook to compliment a couple spitfire verses served as a blatant reminder that Catfish Billy still has it. You better believe he's got that same unforgiving, aggressive delivery that drew comparisons to Eminem. Time will tell whether his upcoming album will be the correction we've all been hoping for, but I'm a lot more confident after hearing his new single...#WhiskeyInABottle

Videos of the Week November 14th

Interesting mix of Hip Hop and EDM for this week's top 5. Shady Records made a big splash with their lengthy cypher that is being used to create momentum toward the new Shady XV Compilation. Along the same lines of stand out performances, anybody who had any doubt in Logic making it big time needs to watch his performance on Fallon. The kid can rock a mic, that much I know.

On the EDM front, Ellie & Calvin delivered an emotional video for their latest single Outside. On the other end of the wild spectrum we have Steve Aoki's new one. The video is so incredibly Will i am it's not even funny. The futuristic tech with plenty of crazy futuristic CGI mixed in. And to top it all off, how about a slice of silly thanks to Jimmy Fallon and Channing Tatum. I might as well carve out a permanent spot on the weekly top 5 for something related to the Tonight Show as it continues to set the bar higher and higher for late night television...#LateNightFallon
Calvin Harris feat Ellie Goulding - Outside (Video)

Shady CXVPHER

Steve Aoki feat Will i Am - Born to Get Wild (Video)

Jimmy Fallon & Channing Tatum Play Box of Lies

Logic Performs I'm Gone on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

Photo Credit: YouTube

"Anything is Better Than That 1 Train"

With @asvpxrocky's debut studio album on the horizon, there's a legitimate excitement building surrounding the release of his studio debut album LongLiveA$AP. F'in Problems made some waves on top 40 radio the past month and now Dat PMF let loose with a new cypher/freestyle featuring a whole gang of young artists. I'll put it this way, between @kendricklamar, @Yelawolf and @BIGKRIT, there's enough lyricism involved to power a small country.

Shout out to @Hit_Boy for the appropriately simple beat that allowed all artists involved to do their thing without taking the focus away. If you're curious, A$AP's debut is scheduled to hit shelves on January 15th. I'm anxiously awaiting that @BNNOfficial and @skrillex track on the album titled Wild For the Night. Chances are you'll see that at some point on this blog, stay tuned...#LongLiveASAP

A$AP Rocky feat Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$, Yelawolf, Danny Brown, Action Bronson & Big K.R.I.T. - 1 Train

"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

Videos of the Week May 18th

It's not everyday I post a passionate kiss as the hero image for a post, but this one was a little too interesting to pass up. I don't think anyone could have predicted @NICKIMINAJ casting @Nas as her romantic interest in her latest video Right By My Side. That being said, Nas seems to be all over the news lately dropping tracks left and right and showing up in videos, so the timing makes it seemed planned. Still, topping off the video with a passionate kiss at the end was interesting to say the least.

Also, it is me or have the animated video become the cost effective way to go now? That's two in a week counting Wolfgang's new one, @THEREALBANNER's video with @Chrisbrown's new video for Amazing. I'm still waiting for @calvinharris's new one with @neyocompound to start taking over top 40 radio. To top it off, check out the two videos at the bottom that show how white people and alcohol mix quite well. Speaking of which, holler atcha boy if you're at Bamboozle tonight...#Bamboozle

Nicki Minaj feat Chris Brown - Right By My Side (Video)

Calvin Harris feat Ne-Yo - Let's Go (Video)

David Banner feat Chris Brown - Amazing (Video)

Kid Rock, Paradime and Yelawolf Perform Fight For Your Right (Live)

Mayer Hawthorne - Henny & Gingeale (Video)

Videos of the Week February 17

Eclectic group of videos this week with @chrisbrown leading the way with his new Turn Up the Music video. To be honest, the track is growing on me with every listen. There's just no way around the upbeat, electronic influences that make the track what it is, it's a solid club track. Interesting to see the sappy, lovey dovey @realwizkhalifa and @darealamberrose romance on full display with the How Well Do You Know Your Mate game. It seems like late night TV is steppin' it up lately with the performances like the two below. Maybe it is worth staying up later for?...#ThatsWhatYouTubeIsFor

Chris Brown - Turn Up the Music (Video)

Yelawolf feat Kid Rock - Let's Roll (Live on Letterman)

Amber Rose & Wiz Khalifa: How Well Do You Know Your Mate

The Cool Kids - Rush Hour Traffic (Video)

Bon Iver Performs Perth with The Roots on Jimmy Fallon

Cassie - King of Hearts (Video)

Videos of the Week Jan 20

Definitely went wide on my scope for videos this week as I managed to encompass a few videos that may have fallen beneath the radar this past week. Pretty cool watching @Yelawolf's journey with his Tide to the National Championship, as well as the in studio video of some of the quickest lyricists on the mic with @RealDjKayslay. If you haven't gotten a formal introduction to @Drake's right hand producer, I found it interesting hearing @OVO40 talk about how the Buried Alive (Interlude) with @kendricklamar came about. Lastly, if you haven't caught wind of the firestorm that is @lanadelrey, feel free to give her SNL performance a quick watch and see if you disliked it as much as Brian Williams. I'm only beginning to listen to her and she isn't half bad...or at least half as bad as you made her seem. I know we all love sarcasm via email, but in the world we live in, it's never safe to admit that emails are private. To everybody else throwing darts at Lana...#StopHatin

Lana Del Rey Performs Video Games on SNL

Nicki Minaj - Stupid Hoe (Video)

Yelawolf LSU vs Alabama Webisode

DJ Kay Slay f. Busta Rhymes, Layzie Bone, Twista & Jaz-O -- 60 Second Assassins (Video)

Bei Maejor - Mesmerized (Video)

B.O.B. feat Future & Trae Da Truth - How Bout Dat (Video) 

Drake's Right Hand Man 40 Talks Kendrick Lamar's Buried Alive Interlude

Videos of the Week

Love the shirt above! "I wish a mother fu@%er would say I ain't Hip Hop." Now you may look at the videos below and not recognize too many familiar names or songs, but it's probably one of my favorite Friday video posts in quite a while. For starters, you've got the delightfully country mud/proud redneck fest that is @Yelawolf's Let's Roll video. Coming in right behind that you'll find the @kfuckingp Eastbound and Down Season 3 trailer (coming Feb 19th) and quite possibly the most entertaining Hip Hop artist (@playboytre) going OFF on some dude who decided to hate on his birthday party. If you don't like vulgar, in your face, creative insults delivered in countrayass tone then you should probably skip over that one. In other words, plenty of variety below folks, hope this signifies a fun start to the weekend...#LetsGetDrunk

Yelawolf feat Kid Rock - Let's Roll (Video)

Eastbound and Down Season 3 Trailer

Playboy Tre's Latest Look at This S**t! (Who doesn't like a party?!?!)

Trae feat MDMA Lupe Fiasco Big Boi Wale Wiz Khalifa - I'm On (Remix)(Video)

YG and Nipsey Hussle - The Motto (Remix) (Video)

Tyga - Rack City (Video)

"Internet Killed the Radio Star"

"If Eric Clapton could sing about cocaine, then there's no harm

Then I can write about guns,

I can rap about girls,

I can sing about money and cars"

After a few laps around Radioactive, I've siphoned out a few favorites that are ready to be shared. The first being a clear eventual single choice in Radio, produced by hit doctor @iamjimjonsin. Off top the acoustic guitar and steady beat with a hint of piano lure you in when combined with a little harmony. Even better, @yelawolf takes on a serious, nostalgic tone that is necessary for the commentary he adds about modern music. Throughout the track, he takes on a "those were the days tone as he subtly hints as music nowadays missing the vigor that it once had.

Within his deep critique of modern music on Radio, the allure of Catfish Billy is put on full display. He's got that storytelling knack that is so widely appreciated in the South that we still have yet to hear another one as good as Outkast. That is, until Yelawolf landed and as his audience increases with every new track, so will our appreciation for the depth of his messages. I know folks will someday soon want to compare Yeller to @MACHINEGUNKELLY because they're two crazy ass white dudes who like to rap, but for my money, I don't see them seeing eye to eye content wise. Word has it MGK absolutely lights it up on stage, but I'm skeptical he'll ever be able to match the intellectual messages that Yelawolf is able to portray through his pitter patter flows.

Also, if you're looking for another standout track on Radioactive, look no further than Get Away featuring the long lost lyrical magician @ItsMystikal. Not sure if I like Radioactive more than Trunk Musik 0-60, but the jury is still out. Cop it!

Yelawolf - Radio (prod by Jim Jonsin)

|iTunes

Videos of the Week

It's about time @avicii did a video for Levels. It might be the strangest video I've seen since @lmfao's banana hammock infested Sexy and I Know It video. Interesting seeing @drake's three part homecoming series and hearing him reflect on a lot of issue including his recent collabo with Rihanna. I'm still loving every bit of Shady 2.0 too. They're taking over for 2012...#BelieDat...

Avicii - Levels (Video)


Trey Songz feat Fabolous - What I Be On (Video)


Drake The Homecoming (Part 1)


Drake The Homecoming (Part 2)


Drake The Homecoming (Part 3)


The Shady 2.0 Boys (Yelawolf, Slaughterhouse & Eminem) Live


Kanye & Jay-Z Perform Niggas in Paris at Victoria Secret Show


Ludacris feat Wacka Flocka - Rich & Flexin (Video)

"I Had Money When the DVD Was a VCR"

Cyphers and remixes like what you will see experience are a big reason why Shady Records 2.0 is about to become a juggernaut. I must have fallen asleep the whole month of October when I missed posting Shady Records' ridiculous 9 minute cypher (brought to you in part by @Sprite, @bet and hosted by @realdjpremier). If I were you, I would open up another window with Control N (another tab wouldn't make sense here, trust me) and follow the lightning fast lyrics word for word (brought to you by Rap Genius).

That cypher is awesome on so many levels because every one of the artists bring a unique delivery, yet all are armed with the same next level lyrical creativity. It epitomizes the reason why I've always been a huge fan of every Slaughterhouse rapper, Yelawolf and Eminem. They use words as weapons within their music and find ways to weave in pop culture references that make you think. I'm not sure whether people don't care or just plain can't keep up with the intellect they deliver on tracks, but if you take the time to read what they're actually saying, it's usually entertaining on a nerdy-funny level. Case in point @joebudden's line:

"You Super Mario thugs is in the wrong room
Gotta figure here, you won't get bigger if you on shrooms"

I said in a post last week that I wasn't a big fan of @Yelawolf's lead single Hard White in the Club, off his upcoming album Radioactive. That all changes when you mix in @Tip and @DaRealSlaughter and subtract @LILJON background yelling. Hard to decide whether I like the cypher or remix better, it's more like which high class flavor you're feeling, Eminem or T.I...#CantGoWrong

Yelawolf feat T.I. & Slaughterhouse - Hard White in the Club (Remix)

|Radioactive

"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 good stuff below including Adele shutting down the VMAs with her superb vocal performance of Someone Like You...

Adele Performs Someone Like You at VMAs (Best Performance)

Yelawolf - No Hands (Video)

How in the hell did Tyler, the Creator win best new artist over Wiz Khalifa & Big Sean?

J.R. Rotem Producing Nicki Minaj's New Single Fly

Nicki Minaj feat Rihanna - Fly (Video)

Wale feat Jeremiah & Rick Ross - That Way (Video)

Neon Hitch - Gucci, Gucci (Kreayshawn cover) (Video)

"If God Was One of Us, He’d Probly Drink Vodka"

"In this forest, I’m a lonely tree, my limbs are covered in tattoos and my roots, they run deep"

Ah yes the lead single off Radioactive from ya boy from Gadsden, @Yelawolf. No need to glamorize this one, it'll punch you square in the nose, kick you while you're down and spit in your face. It's been more than a minute that @LilJon has produced a high profile single, but he's back with his own brand of crunk rock.

Don't get too distracted by the raucous beat either cause Catfish Billy takes no prisoners with his ferociously out there verses. I'll even throw out a crazy comparison and say I haven't heard anyone with a delivery as grimy, but creative as Yelawolf since the likes of ODB (#RIP). I'll let that maronate a lil bit...September 27th, circle that on your calendar...#Radioactive

Yealwolf - Hard White in the Club (prod by Lil Jon)

|iTunes

"I’m a Cataclysmic Culturally Offensive Don’t Give a Sh** Bum"

Ever since the signing of @Yelawolf to Shady Records, I've been eagerly awaiting news on any sort of official release. That came a couple weeks ago when he announced the titled (Radioactive) and (always tentative) release date (September 27th) of his first high profile, full length release. According to all the rumors, the track below was said to be the first single off the disk, but that was quickly shot down by Yela yesterday via Twitter...

Single or not, the track is dope with the rhythmic, kick-drum aided, lyrical assault he unleashes. Unique doesn't quite do his delivery justice, it's choppy sorta like @TechN9ne, but with a weird mix of intellectual, machine-gun-quick syllable ridden, slum-style ghetto slang. It's abrasive, in your face, unapologetic, but every bit bouncy and funky at the same time. Hip Hop needs different and interesting artists that are so unafraid of blazing their own path that they don't get caught up in sounding like next-man. Expect all of the above adjectives describing Yelawolf to be splatted all over Radioactive when it drops in September. Stay tuned for that first single...

Yelawolf (ft. CyHi Da Prynce)- Gangsta Of Love

Videos of the Week

@billmaher & @janemarielynch Read "The Weinerlogues"

@IAMSEANGARRETT feat @rickyrozay - In Da Box (video)

@Eminem & @therealroyce59 Perform Lighters at @bonnaroo

@NEWBOYZ feat @ChrisBrown - Better With the Lights Off (video)

@timwestwood interview with @Yelawolf before his performance with Wu Tang in the UK

@RYANLESLIE Performs Joan of Arc at the Apple store on 14th Street in New York City

Videos of the Week

@yelawolf's Daddy's Lambo Video

Bad Meets Evil - Fast Lane Video

@BIGKRIT feat @ludacris & @BUNBTRILLOG - Country Shit (Remix) Video

@THEREALCROOKEDI - Everyday Video