"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.)

Electronic Teardrops Forming a Waterfall of Rhythms

Ever since Levels, I've been making it a habit to post about any and everything @avicii touches. While I wouldn't exactly call his remix of @coldplay's Every Teardrop is a Waterfall 100% original, the beat he crafts at the end of the remix is noteworthy in an of itself. The beat at the end could be a song all by itself and the lack of vocals suggests that the Coldplay sample at the beginning isn't much more than a device to capture the listeners attention.

If your inclination is to be a let down by the idea that much of the track is an electro freestyle, don't make the mistake of being myopic. The beat that it morphs into captures the same jubilant feeling the original track portrays. Put it this way, you know you've made it as a DJ when mixes from your live sets make it to the blogs. Speaking of which, if you haven't gotten a chance to catch Avicii on the first leg of his US tour, I'd suggest giving the second part a look so you don't miss out on a good electronic show.

Coldplay - Every Teardrop is a Waterfall (Avicii Tour Mix)

"Lotus Flower Bomb, Firefly, When I’m Low, She Take Me High"

With a month left until @Wale's new album drops, it's becoming clear that Ambition is going to sound every bit as stylistically diverse as his first album Attention Deficit. I've been pretty vocal about how much I disliked Wale's first couple Maybach Music tracks. I was so critical of the tracks because much of my interest in Wale as an artist comes from his lyrical sincerity and unique go-go sound he can bring to tracks. Hearing tracks like this and this really pushed me to the edge in wondering whether or not I was going to continue being on the bandwagon.

With all that being said, one of my favorite tracks off Attention Deficit was Diary and the track below, Lotus Flower Bomb, reminds me a lot of that track. I'll take this a step further in complimenting Wale's mom because these types of "ode to women" type tracks that lyrically show the limitless amount of respect he has for women. It helps too, when you have @MiguelUnlimited on the hook and @JERRINHOWARD on the keys delivering the instrumental. I'd give this a 50/50 shot at eventually being a single, but even if it isn't it will add quality to the album, rather than being a filler track.

Wale feat Miguel - Lotus Flower Bomb (prod by Jerrin Howard)

"I Don't Wanna Be Loved, I Don't Wanna Be Loved"

Nobody in the history of Hip Hop will be able to match @TWISTAgmg's double time delivery over slow beats. With tracks like Get it Wet, Still Po' Pimpin', and Emotions, Twista has been the best for years. It's such a unique niche too, because nobody else has the ability to do what he does. As a result, every time he gets on a track, it's always a novelty and somewhat of a spectacle to witness.

By my count, Quickie is now the third noteworthy single off @MiguelUnlimited's debut album All I Want is You. It's not just me that's noticing either, I'd watch for him to start getting a lot more features on Hip Hop tracks in need of a hook. In the words of Twista, "A short time of fun is better than a lifetime of pain", so fellas, even if you find yourself in this category, it's all good because you can always operate under the guise of it being some quick lovin'. As far as I'm concerned, with the temps remaining cool and rainy throughout the northeast, you won't find me co-signing on a quickie these days. Don't even trip this is cuddle weather...#JohnStamosStyle

Miguel feat Twista - Quickie (Remix)

The King is Back Home

Another year, another @Tip straight outta jail comeback track to remind us he's back. Never one to be subtle when reminding everyone he's back, T.I. teamed up with one of the most talented up and coming Southern artists, @bigkrit. The sound of the track is in line with a lot of other K.R.I.T. productions, marked by a slow, head nod worthy tempo that seems destined for Swishahouse to be screwed and chopped.

No word on what album this is set to appear on, but I'm satisfied with the fact that two of my favorite artists collaborated on a track together. I wouldn't say I like it as much as his last comeback single, but anything that perpetuates the UGK sound that K.R.I.T. has all but mastered already, is a solid track in my book. I'd expect a lot more T.I. features in the near future, similar to the on-rush of @liltunchi cameos when he got out of Rikers. Who knows, maybe a feature on Take Care?? #DoubtIt + #IWish...

T.I. feat Big K.R.I.T. - I'm Flexin' (prod by Big K.R.I.T.)

|Link

Videos of the Week

What a random NBA 2K12 commercial with the likes of MJ, Drake, Brian Wilson and Mark Cuban. Three of the hottest concert tickets this fall include Adele (ridiculous how much her tickets are going on stub hub), J Cole and Big Sean. It's called marketing folks, make yourself visible so people will go watch. Give bloggers something to embed to their site!. I realize I'm only a part of the game and that's cool with me as long as you're reading and clicking around...

T-Pain feat Lily Allen & Wiz Khalifa - 5 O'clock (Video)

Big Sean - I Am Finally Famous Tour Trailer

Adele - Someone Like You (Video)

Drake and Micheal Jordan's NBA 2K12 Commercial

J Cole - Daddy's Little Girl (Video)

Enrique Iglesias feat Pitbull - I Like How it Feels (Video)

"Cause There'll Be No Sunlight, If I Lose You Baby"

Who better to antagonize and evoke teenage angst and unrepentant emotion than @brunomars. No big surprise that he was recruited along with his production crew The Smeezingtons to create the ideal ballad tol fit with the dark, melancholy backdrop of Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1. The movie will hit the big screens on November 18 and probably set some more records since the whole franchise has cornered the tween-30 year old demographic of women...and their boyfriends.

To be completely honest, I really enjoy the track and to be fair, Bruno's vocals were spot on. The audible ambiance that the instrumental provides is picturesque. From the piano lead in to the simple, rolling percussion and the whiny harmony at the end of the hook. It's just a great ballad all around and fits like a glove with the dark, somber Twilight theme. Good chance I'll be singing this one in my car alone very soon...#DontJudgeMe

Bruno Mars - It Will Rain (prod by The Smeezingtons)

|iTunes

"Just Call Me Genuine, ’cause I’m the Same Ol' G"

You might think I'm a fan @Tyga just because I endorse damn near everything Young Money. For me though, it's more of a chicken before the egg sort of admiration I have for Thank You God Always. Before I had an appreciation for what Young Money was going to be with the addition of @drakkardnoir, @jaysean and @nickiminaj, I was writing about songs like Press 7 and Coconut Juice.

Fast forward three years and now Tyga's sophmore album, Careless World: Rise of the Last King, is due out November 19th. I haven't seen an official tracklist yet, but I did already let y'all in on his first single called Far Away. For single #2, Tyga enlisted Drake and @Ovo40's help on a very "Drake sounding" track called Still Got It.

When I say "Drake sounding", I mean beat-wise with the organ lead in and signature kick on 40's instrumental. You may be saying to yourself, haven't I heard this somewhere? Why yes you have observant reader...

Call it a demo, call it a throwaway, whatever you name you pick, it's still an adequate foundation for a hit that Young Money wasn't about to see leave the compound. I'll give it a thumbs up, even though a verse from Drake would have been appreciated. Can't always get what you want, though, so a long hook with a lil bit of harmony will suffice.

If you remember anything from this post, remember not to sleep on young Tyga on November 19th. He's got the backing and talent to make enough noise that your iTunes playlist may need his assistance coming up here soon...

Tyga feat Drake - Still Got It (prod by Noah "40" Shebib & Supa Dups)

"I Hit Her With That Pipe, Call That Nancy Kerrigan"

About a month ago, there were whispers circulating around the blogs regarding a new single from @bobatl. Those rumors were legitimized when he started performing a new track called Strange Clouds at his latest concerts in Colorado and Syracuse. Now before go 0-60 with the expectations, you'd better check them at the door because there is little to no chance he's going to make as much noise as he did with his first two singles from his debut album (Nothin' on You, Airplanes- 141 million views on that...damn!). If you're more about sampling than reading, the video below should set the stage as far as what you can expect...

I'll be the first to admit, I was hoping for a home run too, especially after seeing the @liltunchi feature. To say I was let down after first listen is unfair, though, because as calmer minds prevailed, I reminded myself of the same fact that I led off the post with. Temper the expectations because it'll be hard to reach the levels he did with his first album. 

Funny thing is, after a couple days of listening to it, I'm not finding myself singing the hook and vibing to it a little more each day. So what if the ceiling isn't as high, it's still a solid track and has me excited as hell for his sophomore album. No details yet on the album itself, but the fact that a lead single, which was supposed to be out Oct 3rd and then got pushed up a week due to the leak, made it to iTunes already, is good news.

B.O.B. feat Lil Wayne - Strange Clouds

|iTunes

"It’s Always Darkest Before the Dawn"

Yes, I agree, I should probably not market my blog as a Hip Hop blog with all of the non-Hip Hop I've been posting lately. Truth be told, Hip Hop music is the basis of my passion for music and sharing what I like through daily words. But it's not even close to the whole story because there are a lot of other great artists that don't fall into Hip Hop that I really enjoy. I always talk about my love for deep, powerful, emotional music and I can't think of anyone (other than maybe @coldplay) that makes as powerful of music as @flo_tweet.

For a lot of us who had no idea who she was, the VMAs is where she first backhanded us and demanded attention with her high octane vocals on Dog Days are Over. I remember thinking to myself who is this chick and why is she performing on VMAs when nobody had heard of her? Man was that short sighted in hindsight, but I can say that now that I've taken a liking to her newest single Shake it Out off her upcoming album Ceremonials, due out October 28th.

There are so many ways you can go with the track below, but no matter what direction it takes you, it leaves you with an uplifting feeling. Florence's dominant vocals are somehow matched with the intensity of the choir behind her as she implores the listener to "shake it off, shake it off (the devil that's on your back)." This past week I've started out every single workout with this song because it will absolutely empower you to move your body and drive your mind toward positivity. Apologies for stream only below because let's be honest, the track is not Hip Hop and as a result, abides by a different set of rules...#UnwrittenBloggingRules + #GoAndCopIt

Florence and the Machine - Shake it Out

|iTunes

"Cole World Comin', Call Back Up Assistance"

"Worldwide stunna, oh man, I'mma

Reign on the game, make it storm and thunder"

The song below would make my top 10 songs of 2011 if you asked me for a list today. A couple Friday's ago, I posted @JColeNC's performance of God's Gift in Toronto and made a mental note to earmark the track when I got a full listen of Cole World: The Sideline Story. Check the video below if you missed it..

The track managed to sound elite, even on a low quality video, which is tough. Bonus points are in order for Cole not only rapping, but also producing such a bangin' beat. It goes hard, but in a way that allows Cole to story tell and maintain a smile as he tells his "I made it" story. We'd all like to get to a point in our lives where we can go back to all the girls who were too good for us back in the day and take batting practice. Right? Well...some people dream, but Cole World makes it happen. (Hey it ain't  trickin' if you really got it, right?) As an aside, hopefully ya'll caught that Bone Thugs First of tha Month sample on the hook too.

I haven't made a full judgment on how much I like J Cole's debut release, but it's tracks like this that will have people pointing back and saying, "Man he really was great from the start." No word on a third single from his debut album, but it'd be hard not to nominate this one for discussion. Cole World: The Sideline Story hit's iTunes and shelves near you this Tues, Sept 27th. If you're lookin' for a diamond in the rough, cop this individual track below and thank me later because it'll end up being the best track on his album when the dust settles.

J Cole - God's Gift (prod by J Cole)

|iTunes