"Don't You Worry Child, See Heaven's Got a Plan For You"

If it were your choice, would you rather go out on top like John Elway or bleed out your career like the Michael Jordans and Brett Favres of the world? I'm betting that's a pretty cut and dried answer, but stupid rhetorical question aside, it seems as if @swedishousemfia is trying to do the former when they release their upcoming album One Night Stand months after announcing they would be calling it quits as a group. My take on it is, yea it's a bummer that they're collectively hanging it up as a group, but like any sum of parts, the individuals are capable of doing great things too (Sebastian, Axwell and Steve).

Living in the now, their newest release below is aided in a big part by their vocalist extraordinaire @the_johnmartin. You might remember his booming vocals on Save the World? I wouldn't quite put the track below in the category of the former, but it's still a great single. Comparatively, Don't You Worry is more upbeat and just might have you cutting a rug on the dance floor rather than grabbing the person next to you and yelling out a hook together like it's the last song of the night (Journey style.

Solid single no matter how you slice it. Looking forward to hearing their (presumably) last album in it's entirety...#DYWC

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

|iTunes

All I Can Say is Abso-F'in Lutley!

If there's one thing that @DONNISMUSIC has down pat is the ability to churn out singles. With the help of @jayantmusic and @IAMSU he did it again this week with a new upbeat, booty shaking track Absolutely. Even better, he let loose the Soundcloud link for you to cop for free because he knows you're gonna tell all your friends how much you like it and probably play it at your big house party this weekend when all your friends come back to campus.

The track below will be a part of Donnis's new Break Hundreds & Hearts EP is scheduled to drop on August 28th. Also on the EP will be his previous single Hello Kitty that can be found on iTunes. I'm hoping that with each EP, he gets closer to the full length studio album that will be his big break. He's got the Top 40 singles down pat, all he needs is a litle marketing effort to get heard by the masses.

Maybe 2012 will be his year? "#ABH we break hundreds and hearts"...

Donnis feat IAMSU & Jay Ant - Absolutely

"Till Next Time, My Friend, Farewell, Goodbye"

When @slaughterhouse signed with Shady records, I was excited for a lot of reasons. Many of the reasons had to do with a major label finally throwing some money behind them (long overdue!). Monetary investment aside, I was cautiously optimistic that they would be able to grow their music and expand from being known solely as lyricists. I say cautiously because with a label's investment usually comes radio friendly singles, which have been hit or miss with their creative, but at times abrasive one liners.

Spoken from someone who really enjoys their non-radio tracks chalked fully of swagger laden one liners, I'm really glad they finally did a lyrically thoughtful track. With they help of @boi1da, they managed to produce a new single that will strike a chord with a lot of people. On Goodbye three fourths of Slaughter take to the mic to share deeply personal stories surrounding personal loss. From losing an uncle/mentor, grandma or unborn child, the topic of loss is something everyone experiences at some point of life and I was impressed that they took to mic to tell their stories.

Welcome To: Our House drops in ten days on Aug 18th. I'm expecting a front to back solid effort based on what I've heard so far...#ForecastingAClassic

Slaughterhouse - Goodbye (prod by Boi-1da)
|iTunes

Videos of the Week August 17th

What name do you think of when you hear Hip Hop videos? For me, I think of @HypeWilliams, who has almost single-handedly been steering the visuals for Hip Hop art for the past 20 years. I find it pretty nuts that the first video he directed was back in 1991 and two decades later, he's still churning out awe-inspiring new videos. His newest in the form of @djkhaled's new hot with @rickyrozay and @kanyewest. Sure, you may feel like you're in an earthquake when you watch it, but it's flashy as hell, which has always been his style. Did I catch a Kim K cameo around the 5:14 mark too?

Is anyone as entertained by @nardwuar as I am? Dude is beyond quirky and rappers as a whole don't know what the hell to think of him and his antics. Speaking of antics, I don't know what the hell to think of @charleshamilton's latest MTV interview. You want to talk about a cryptic, otherwordly interview. I'm starting to worry that Charles is one of those special white hot flames the burn so bright and flamboyant that they have a hard time staying lit. I'll let you take that last statement for what it's worth, but I really miss the potential we saw back on the day with tracks like this. I guess if Charlie Sheen can do it anybody can? #DudeIsStillNuts

DJ Khaled feat Kanye & Rick Ross - I Wish You Would (Video)

T.I. - Go Get It (Video)

Narduwar Interviews 2 Chainz

Twista - I Ain't Wired Right (Video)

Charles Hamilton Talks Relationship With J Cole

"It Feels Like I Just Kissed the Curse"

To be honest, this has been the most exciting week of new music for me in 2012. It seems like every night there is a new track that finds a way to out-do last night's track that was my new favorite. Feel free and apply that last sentence to the track below, which combines an artist I wish we'd hear more music from (@EricTurner)and a DJ who consistently churns out great music (@avicii).

To this date, Eric has been known for delivering great hooks and he didn't disappoint on the track below. Sure, Avicii found a way to jettison the track to a level it never would have reached without his crisp and bouncy synth beat. Someday Avicii's sytle will get old because his beat patterns are so alike, but that day is nowhere close because I for one am going to continue to eat it up like it's my last meal. #GodWouldBeProud

Eric Turner - Dancing In My Head (Avicii's Been Cursed Remix)
|Beatport

Indicud Coming Soon - Just What I Am

No joke, I about jumped out of my seat when I heard the first minute or so of @wizardcud's new joint Just What I Am. The electronics faded in over a slow beat clap set the table perfectly for @Chip216 to absolutely kill his verse. Maybe name changes are all Hip Hop artist need nowadays to all the sudden become awesome with Chip the Ripper becoming King Chip (think 2 Chainz/Tity Boi). I guess with King James gone for good from Cleveland, the city needs a new king? Not saying Chip was bad prior to this track, but dude took it to another level and was crossing his t's and dotting his i's all over this one.

Despite the fact that I'm in love with the beat, I really wish the hook would have been better. Sure, it fits in well with what Cudi usually raps about with the whole smoking theme, but it was a little abrasive when contrast against the soothing vibe of the track. I can't say it's not unique because it fits the bill with the whole otherworldly persona of Scotty, but the latter part of the hook is great and sounds a lot like the type of harmony that got him there.

The important think to note is that Indicud is coming soon and will be released by G.O.O.D. Music. Even better, it'll be a double disc and about 80% of the album will be produced by Cudi himself. If you're keeping score at home, he's ow 1 for 1 on single choices with the track below serving as the ideal start to a new album...#

Kid Cudi feat King Chip - Just What I Am
|iTunes

"I See Diamond Flooded Demons, Lamborghini Angels"

Saying @LupeFiasco is a lightning rod for political controversy is like saying Kenny Britt might be risk to draft in fantasy football this year. If you're not aware of his situation and don't play fantasy football then I'll follow it up with a Hip Hop analogy. Lupe Fiasco makes likes making socially and politically risque songs as much as 2 Chainz likes to say his name. You get my point?

The thing is, with every habitual linestepper, the stakes need to continue to be raised every time they get closer to the line. If this isn't the closest Lupe has come to that proverbial line, then I'm not sure where the line is. In an effort to save you some time, below might be the most inflammatory excerpt from his new single Lamborghini Angels, off his upcoming album Food & Liquor II.

With his crucifix inside his pocket said his mission is divine
Put his Bible on the bed and then he touched on his behind
Told him take off all his clothes and put your penis next to mine
Now the little boy think it's normal because they do this all the time
With no life inside his body now he finally think he’s safe
But they cut off all his fingers while they piss all in his face
He take pictures with his killers then they sneak back to the states
Now he sit next to the picture of his wife when she was raped
With the teleprompter rolling he looks right into the lens
Doesn’t mention his redemption but absolves him of his sins
He forgives them in advance says that he will do again

Yea, Lupe definitely didn't hold back the graphic details when formally attacking organized religion. One thing to note is the way he goes about his forceful lyrical protests. He isn't derogatory or profane, but he doesn't parse words when getting down to what he needs to say.

Lyrical message aside, I feel like the track deserves recognition for being well written and the beat put together @Mr_inkredible will make you take the track seriously as a single. I can't see any radio stations playing the real version, but I don't doubt the message will still get across somehow because he chose to release it as a single. With Food and Liquor II starting to take shape, I've got hope that it will live up to the hype of being The Great American Rap Album...#LamborghiniAngels

Lupe Fiasco - Lupe Fiasco - Lamborghini Angels (prod by Mr. Inkredible)
|iTunes

Dubstep With The Muse = Unsustainable

Not once since the inception of this blog have I ever featured two alt rock tracks on back to back nights. Tonight that ends, all in the name of a glorious sub-genre of electronic music that goes by the name of Dubstep.

Instead of a Dubstep remix of an alt rock track like last night, tonight we have a home grown, organic creation by the @muse off their upcoming new album The 2nd Law. As it turns out, they were inspired by none other than @skrillex to create what ended up being the track below Unsustainable.

If you read between the lines, the track has sort of a preachy U2 sort of protest vibe as if they're telling us the way we're going about music and life is unsustainable. While there are plenty of opportunities to draw real world parallels, I'm choosing ignore the lyrical implications by continuing to be in awe of the end product that came from the alt rock/Dubstep love child.

The only thing Unsustainable is the level of quality The Muse is able to achieve by combining the two genres...#PioneerStyleEpic

Muse - Unsustainable

Linkin Park x Killsonik - Lost in the Echo (Remix)

One thing I've learned over the past year is that Dubstep, as great as it is, doesn't always mix well with other forms of music. At it's very core, the genre as a whole is as energetic and electric as any form of pop music. Knowing that, it's easy to understand why the high powered vocals from @chesterbenn of @linkinpark sound stellar over a Dubstep beat.

Thanks to @KillSonik's wizardry, Linkin Park's newest single has been taken to another level you may not have thought it could reach. This isn't your run of the mill, overlay some electronics over a track to make it Dubstep remix either. It fully represents the original version of Lost in the Echo by capturing the ebb and flow of the track while maintaining the high energy throughout. Consider this a pick me up, Monday morning coffee to start your week...#DubstepForBreakfast

Linkin Park - Lost in the Echos (Killsonik Remix)

Slaughterhouse Sees Dead People

You wanna talk about a match made in heaven...mixing the MVP of the MPC, @araabMUZIK, with @slaugherhouse. There aren't too many producers who can appropriately capture the schizophrenic temperament like araabMUZIK was able to on the track below. Given, it's an unfinished mixtape track that is supposed to land on the upcoming On the House mixtape put together by @DJDRAMA. Word has it the mixtape was supposed to drop yesterday, so we'll see if it surfaces before their big album release on August 28th.

If you're on the fence about giving the track below a listen I'll say this. Slaughterhouse is much more in their element on a track like See Dead People. It's clearly not positioned to be a single, instead it's more of a freestyle, which caters to all of their skills sets. The wordplay, creativity and storytelling are all at heightened levels and there isn't anything off limits including the statue of the late Joe Paterno (fast forward to the 2:48 mark for the reference). Plenty of interesting lyrical tidbits, so much so that I could probably write the whole post on quoteables ("My psychotic is sick, recite the bible on the toilet because my God I'm the s**t").

We'll see if their Shady Records debut lives up to the hype when it drops at the end of the month. Here's to hoping there's more of that off top like below...#WelcomeToOurHouse

Slaughterhouse - See Dead People (prod by araabmuzik)

Videos of the Week August 10th

In an otherwise mundane week for videos, a few gems emerged from the sandy nothingness. For starters, I was entertained at how @kanyewest and @KimKardashian were able to joke about being the new hot celebrity couple with the host of the VMAs @KevinHart4real. Although they seem like the most artificial couple on the planet, it's refreshing to see them not take themselves too seriously.

Kudos to whoever decided on the pixelated style on @bobatl's new video for Play the Guitar video. It seems like a low budget way to be creative and when upscaled to HD, it's pretty fun to watch and follow along with. Last week I spoke on the controversy surrounding @Drake's new project with the upcoming Aaliyah album and it's good to hear he will be getting everyone else in on the project so he doesn't ruffle any feathers. I'm still not really sure why I included the chatroulette Call Me Maybe video, but let it be a cautionary tale for anyone who thinks they won't get someone like that dude...#Fuckery

B.O.B. feat Andre 3000 - Play the Guitar (Video)

Kanye & Kim K Hottest New Couple VMA Promo

Drake Speaks on Posthumous Aaliyah Album

Wiz Khalifa Interviewed on Chelsea Lately

Call Me Maybe Chatroulette Mix

"I Just Glow, I'm So Special"

A while back @macmiller tweeted that he was working on multiple records with @Pharrell for his new Pink Slime EP. Knowing the way artists talk about collaborations, it's always safe to take a wait and see approach so that you don't get excited for an album that is infinitely delayed (see Detox). Nonetheless, the announcement which had the Hip Hop blogosphere excited and hopeful that more tracks like On a Roll would surface.

After this week, it seems like things are coming together nicely for the new EP. Not only did Mac let loose with the second Pharrell featured track, Glow, he also confirmed the EP is almost ready to come out of the oven.

What's most refreshing about Glow is the glistening, bouncy, yet unmistakable Neptunes sound that escapes from the beat. Skateboard P gets the production credit, but somewhere @ChadHugo is smiling from ear to ear doing his ghost-producer thing. Doesn't really matter who in the end gets the production credit, what's most important is realizing that Mac And P have developed some serious chemistry together in the studio. Call it similar alternative Hip Hop visions or just an on some other shit type of attitude, they see eye to eye, which shows musically and has me looking forward to some #PinkSlime...

Mac Miller - Glow (prod by Pharrell)
|iTunes

"What You Think Man Time To Rob a Bank"

I've said it for a long time and I'll continue to repeat it until everyone gets it. @itspacdiv is one of the best Hip Hop groups in the game hands down, no doubt about it. I would say the best, but it's hard to slight their kinfolk @thecoolkids when Mikey and Chuck have been putting out similar dope material.

One thing that sets both groups apart from the pack (no pun intended) is their ability to include trunk rattling bass on their singles. With the help of @SCOOPDEVILLE, they earned the 808 Check label on Bank. First thought that comes to mind when hearing the beat is hyphy with the bouncy, Bay Area bass leading the way. All things considered, the track goes harder than Stephan Feck's splash off the 3m diving board at the Olympics. #EpicFail

Word has it this lil dime bag of audio awesomeness is going to land on Pac Div's new GMB album due out October 16th. If the upcoming release by the group doesn't make you excited in the least bit, then you my friend are reading the wrong blog...#ClickTheXTopRightCorner

Pac Div - Bank (prod by Scoop Deville)

"You Loved Me and I Froze in Time"

As if the first release of @davidguetta's latest album Nothing but the Beat wasn't enough, he's back with a re-release that will feature a few new singles. The first of which is the track below featuring @siamusic, which will be the 7th (yep you read that right) single off the album.

So far, only the extended mix and a few remixes have been released via the CDS on Beatport. Speaking of which, Beatport already has the track, but iTunes will not be privy to it until August 24th, which is interesting as it is continuing the trend of electronic artists favoring the Euro-centric Beatport over iTunes. If I were you, I'd fast forward about a minute to when the song actually starts and Sia kicks her high octane vocals into gear. From there, it's every bit of a club rocking dance single as any of DGuetta's past efforts. The track below only solidifies the notion that he can do no wrong and lend credence to the belief that he still has the American dance-pop in his back pocket. #AmericanEDMOnLock

David Guetta feat Sia - She Wold (Falling to Pieces)
|Beatport

"If It Ain't About a Dolla Why You Talkin' To Me?"

Nothin' like a cool summer breeze outta Windy Chi-town. First and foremost, god bless Sony/Boardwalk/ATV for signing the @blendedbabies. The duo has been quietly emerging as one of the most underrated beatsmiths in the game, so signing them will ultimately end up being a good decision.

In celebration of the signing, the duo let loose with an epic Chicago based collabo from the rock n' sould group @theomyslive featuring the likes of @chancetherapper, @chuckisdope, @chip216, and @TWISTAgmg. You better believe the track is about as soulful as a southern baptist congregation and the message of the track is as clear as a freshly Windexed glass table. Between the back and forth twang of the guitar and the swaggerich money talks message throughout the hook and verses, it's apropos given the newly inked Blended Babies record deal.

Feel free to cool the f word out to this and whatever you do, don't fast forward and miss that 9th inning closer verse from Twista...#LightsOut

The O’My’s feat Twista, Chuck Inglish, Chip Tha Ripper & Chance The Rapper – Bout A Dolla (prod by The Blended Babies)

"Every Million I Gain an Enemy or Cousin"

Whenever any well known music artist passes away, it's a requisite that you have to be careful when using their music. Sure, everyone and their brother has used a Pac, Biggie or MJ sample at some point, but nobody has posthumously released an album on their behalf that hasn't owned their music. When I say owned their music, I mean for example that Bad Boy put out a Biggie Duets album eight years after Biggie passed, but he was signed to Bad Boy when he passed away and had recorded a lot of material for an album to use prior to him passing away.

I mentioned all the above because @drake is preparing to release an album for Aaliyah. Not much is known whether all parties are cool with him executive producing such an album and that includes Aaliyah's brother Rashard Haughtington and Timbaland/Missy. Yes, Drake did already sample Aaliyah's At Your Best (You Are Love) on his track Unforgettable and even went as far as to get a tattoo of Aalyiah's face on his back, but it's all been rumors so far.

That is until today when he let loose with the first Aaliyah featuring Drake track titled Enough Said produced by @ovo40. Taking it one step further, Drake is going to debut the track below live at Ovofest at Molson Amphitheater in Toronto tonight. On first listen, it has the feel of a cut and pasted track with more ad libs and repeated verses than you'd normally get, but there's only so much you can do with recycled material. As artificial as it sounds, it was refreshing to hear an introspective, thought provoking verse and overall track from Drake.

Time will tell whether the whole album comes to fruition and whether certain feathers are ruffled as a result, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited. Still find myself chanting this after a few listens...#GrowingOnMe

Aaliyah feat Drake - Enough Said (prod by Noah "40" Shebib)

"Under Solid Light Skies, Wide Awake I, Don't Wanna Go Home"

In a copycat world where bloggers battle everyday to provide their opinions on new music as it becomes available, it's tough to differentiate yourself from the masses. Sure there is a deviation from the mean every now and then, but for the most part, it's like monitoring the waiver wire for new stuff and quickly share the track and let everyone know how you feel about it. I'm just as guilty of taking that approach daily, but there are times I get really tired of trying to keep up and instead strive to post something you wouldn't normally hear.

Cue up the entrance music for an electronic duo out of BK that you may not have heard of. The band (The Hundred in the Hands) was named after the phrase the Lakota Nation gave to the 1866 Fetterman Battle in Wyoming, in which Crazy Horse led his warriors to a victory that resulted in the death of 100 enemies. +1 to the historical reference and deeper meaning behind the band name for starters. Additionally, they remind me a LOT of LCD Soundsystem, which is a great thing. The dark haunting synths combined with Eleanore Everdell soothing vocals mix together for an interesting concoction. Put it this way, if you told me that James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem produced this track, I wouldn't have thought twice about questioning you.

The track below, Keep it Low, surfaced back in May and was featured on their new Red Night album released in June. Remember as a kid when your mom tried to get you to try something new that she said was good for you? Consider this a musical version of that episodic memory...#EatYourLimaBeans

The Hundred in the Hands - Keep it Low
|Download

Videos of the Week August 3rd

Whole lotta Hip Hop and a lil R&B is on the menu for this week's video catch up. You'd be a damn fool not to respect the type of music @bigkrit is putting out of late. @tip better step up his game because K.R.I.T. is taking over the South as the most highly sought after artist.

You're in for a double shot of @ludacris this week too with his Jingalin' video hitting the interwebs. Interesting how MMG peiced together the video for 3 Kings. Is there any chance Jersey Shore won't adopt @wakaflockabsm's new track with @bobatl as it's new theme song?...#NoBrainer

Big K.R.I.T. feat Ludacris - What U Mean (Video)

Ludacris - Jingalin' (Video)

Waka Flocka feat B.O.B. - Fist Pump (Video)

Justin Bieber feat Big Sean - As Long As You Love Me (Video)

Rick Ross feat Dr Dre & Jay-Z - 3 Kings (Video)

Afrojack Feels the Love

Might as well call this @djafrojack and @evasimons week with the love they've been getting on the blog of late. If you're like me, you're probably appreciating the timing of this track because the original was well past it's prime and it needed a second life. Afrojack provided that and then some with a little dubstep and a lot of club friendly tempo transitions.

As a quick aside, I am learning more an more to appreciate good cover art. You want to get me excited about featuring a song, then throw together a crisp png that will make the decision for me to post the song even easier. Case in point the cover above. It's pretty simple, but well thought out and screams high-res. I know I'm preaching to the A&R choir, but I design is a big part of the experience of visiting a web page, so if you want readers to associate a track with a positive visual experience, it matters...#CoverArtIsUnderrated

Will I Am feat Eva Simons - Feel the Love (Afrojack remix)

Skrillex Cuts Up Birdy Nam Nam

What's great about a lot of artists and DJs I follow is that they aren't afraid to remix tracks from artists that I haven't heard of. A lot of my now favorite artists were introduced to me by other artists j like. Some examples for me personally were when @wizardcud got me into both @lcdsoundsystem and @ratatatmusic and more recently when @skrillex put a @subfocus track on his website that lured me in.

Enter @bnnofficial who has a pretty steady following, but has yet to be relevant in my world. That is until now because Skrillex made a great decision to remix their new track Goin' In off their latest album Defiant Order. If you haven't heard the original track or seen the trippy animated video, check it below...

I'll admit, the sampled hook I'm goin' wild for the night, f*ck bein' polite! is catchy enough, but when mixed with the high powered electronics that Skrillex brings to the table, I can understand why it's a top 10 track on Beatport. To be fair, iTunes actually has the track available too, which is surprising given their shortcomings in EDM compared to Beatport. It's a dope remix anywhere you can get it, that much I do know.

Birdy Nam Nam - Goin' In (Skrillex Goin' Hard Mix)
|Beatport