"Ghost Love Story Like Patrick Swayze"

No lie, on first reaction to the track below I did like a quadruple x 2 take. I'm talmbout like a Bruce Willy-style stop the car type of disbelief. Wait a min, Three Six's own @therealjuicyj and @passionpit...on a track together? Anybody else think this is beyond left field? Hmm...@wizkhalifa will co-sign on it, that much I do know.

Do the "ninja" references throughout Juicy's verse stand out? Yea, a little bit, but I applaud the effort because there was a concerted effort to not alienate Passion Pit's audience, which I can appreciate. In fact, the only word they might have to edit out for radio is in the last bar where he says "and her p****y hit hard like Ron Artest." In my eyes, even though on first glance it would seem like mixing ketchup with peanut butter, Juicy did very best to merge together strip club Hip Hop and Indie pop. Never thought the ambassador of "ratchet p****y" would end up being an olive brand to Indie music, but thanks his new friendship with Passion's lead singer @mangelakos, it all came together remarkably well...#ConstantConversations

Passion Pit feat Juicy J - Constant Conversation (Remix)

"Ain't Nobody Trippin' Cause the Money Already Made"

Might as well start calling them New G.K. the way @BIGKRIT and @BunBTrillOG are cranking out tracks these days. Last week I posted their new Air Jordan XX3 promo track Check the Sign and this week it's another new one off K.R.I.T.'s upcoming King Remembered in Time mixtape.

The track takes on a similar opening to International Players Anthem with the old school sample. The more I listen, the more I gain an appreciation for just how much UGK's style influenced the way K.R.I.T. makes music. The smooth, funk filled Shine On is a perfect example of why he has just as much of a right as @tip to the throne as King of the South...#ShineOn

Big K.R.I.T. feat Bun-B - Shine On

"I Know My Limit & I Ain't Had Enough"

The last Hip Hop beat I heard that was this bangin' was Clique. Interestingly enough, that beat was also produced by @G_O_O_D_Music member @Hit_Boy, who is responsible for the soon to be hit below. For those folks who couldn't tell what T.U. means based on lyrical context or the cover art above, it stands for "Turnt Up" or as Urban Dictionary puts it below:

thee act of getting drunk and high to thee highest degree

Yea you get the picture, it's a new word for getting buckwild that the kids are using these days. As if we needed another acronym to use during chat. Anyways, the track features verses from @ItsaPROBLEM, @AudioPush, @therealjuicyj, and is scheduled to surface on Hit Boy's new Hits Since '87 compilation album All I Ever Dreamed Of. You can bet that album is going to have a lot of good features and be just as G.O.O.D. as it sounds...#AllIveEverDreamed

Hit Boy - T.U. (feat. Audio Push, Problem, & Juicy J)

Matt & Kim Synchronized Swimming ...in Bed

I tell you what, people like @mattandkim and Jennifer Lawrence make me feel like there's hope for humanity. They both deserve to be compared to one another because they're incredibly human and sincere in a world full fakeness and hidden agendas. They aren't afraid to be themselves and aren't above acting like kids. That fact couldn't be more evident than in Matt & Kim's new video for It's Alright...
Leave it to the free-spirited Brooklyn duo to turn an ordinary bed into a pool for synchronized swimming. It's impressive the way they choreographed it and performed it with their eyes closed. Anyone else would have found a way to make two attractive people in their underwear into a sex scene, but other than the quick suggestive montage in the middle of the video, it's like watching two kids playing in the sandbox. The best part about it, the video probably cost them like $100 to shoot. Take note music industry, creativity saves money, especially when it's done in such an innovative, playful manor...#Lightning

Matt & Kim - It's Alright

"Love Has a Way of Breaking Your Fall"

I've admitted on more than one occasion that until I get a firm grasp on the pulse of EDM, I'm going to continue to post tracks I come across and like that may seem out of date to some. This round goes to 17 year old Spanish prodigy @DJDannyAvila, who weaved together quite the progressive house track on Breaking Your Fall. The electronic riff throughout is catchy as hell and just based on the beat below, I can see how he's getting the name title the "Justin Bieber of electronic music"...#Prodigy

Danny Avila - Breaking Your Fall (Radio Edit)

"I Close My Eyes, But I Still Miss You"

Maybe it's because EDM is slowly spreading like a plague that is invading my iTunes library, but I'm starting to gain an appreciation for the subtleties of the genre. Take for example, the mellow progressive house ballad by heavyweights @dirtysouth and @Alesso. With the help of @rubenhaze on the vocals, the two DJs manage to craft and beautifully melodic electronic masterpiece that's every bit calming as it is exciting.

City of Dreams has just about everything you'd want in a radio friendly hit from the build ups leading to the exaggerated epic drops. Rarely are EDM artists ever able to pull off a somber tone on an electronic song, but Dirty South and Alesso did, proving why they're two of the best at what they do...#EDM

Dirty South & Alesso feat Ruben Haze- City of Dreams (Original Mix)

Videos of the Week February 22nd

Without a doubt, the most creative video of the week goes to Pitchfork TV's animated Frames series who put together an interesting story about @WakaFlockaBSM's upbringing. Evidently he had a certain grandparent that was more than a little strict. The screen shot above hints at one of the funnier point of the animated short...#SnoopyGettinAfterIt

Also on the menu is the beginning of EDM through the eyes of Potato, as well as a whole slew of new Hip Hop & R&B. Evidently more people are starting appreciate @MiguelUnlimited, which is long overdue. Now if we could only just get more people to buy into what @HoodieAllen is preaching...#FIFA

Pitchfork TV: Waka Flocka Reminisces On Strict Childhood

BANG! Episode #1 ft. Skrillex & Boys Noize from POTATO (Video)

Hoodie Allen feat Chiddy Bang - FIFA (Fame is for A$$holes) (Video)

Miguel - Candles in the Sun (Video)

50 Cent feat Kendrick Lamar & Kidd Kidd - We Up (Video)

"Just Cause They Try, Doesn't Mean They Can Be Us"

Lavish lifestyles have surrounded the core of Hip Hop since it's inception. Although the genre has evolved leaps and bounds from the beginning in the 1980s, money, cars, women and expensive champagne continues to dominate the alpha lyrical content of most Hip Hop artists. I bring this up because One of Those Nights touches on just about all the mainstream material, but does so in a way that would make @TQtheTrojan proud. For those of you who don't get the reference, TQ was one of the first artists that I remember back in the early 2000s who could actually pull off the vocalization of raw Hip Hop lyrics.

The logical comparison to TQ in the song below is @TheWeekndxo. His dramatic and emotional delivery bleed out deeper meaning behind what he's saying, which draws you into his music. While I'm on the compliment train, I'd be remiss if I didn't dish out some dap to @therealjuicyj for continuing to evolve and adapt the way he makes music, while still keeping it trill. Dude couldn't resist the temptation to throw in his trademark "Yeeeaa Ho!"s throughout the track, but I'd argue that with a little bit of editing and it has the potential to land on the radio. It's all about marketability because that leads to the mighty dollar and if I had this track in my lap, I'd feel pretty confident I could push some weight on iTunes with it. Matter of fact, while we're on the subject, Juicy's new album Stay Trippy is supposed to land on iTunes sometime in the next month, so keep an eye out for that...#StayTrippy

Juicy J feat The Weeknd - One of Those Nights

"You're Many Moons Away, But Still You're Right Here"

Just when I thought I was behind on @emelisande's hit single Next to Me when I wrote about it in September, here comes @kendricklamar with a couple high energy verses on the remix. I mean, the original version was great, but some raw bars from Kendrick elevated it to another level. Needless to say, Emeli is officially my favorite artist from Scotland...#SorryAnnieLennox

Emeli Sande feat Kendrick Lamar - Next To Me (Remix)

Skrillex x G-Star Demin The Art of Raw

Plenty has been going on in the world of @skrillex this week. Not only is he starting a YouTube based music service with @diplo and @atrak called Potato, he also teamed up with G-Star Raw Denim to create a pretty awesome promo video with a new track of his...

First off, A+ grade to the interaction designer who managed to glorify the process of making jeans in a really cool way that emphasized the core value of what they're presumably going for over at @GstarRaw. I really did appreciate the timing of the music and how it fit into the interactive adventure from the cotton all the way to the galloping dog skeleton. Below is the most full version of the track I could find, who knows if it will ever be released for commercial use. My guess would be a resounding hell yes because it's a great track in its own right...#denim

Skrillex - The Art of Raw

Credit: TSIS

What Time is it?

Seems like the world of R&B got my memo about the lack of exciting new music from the genre as a whole. It's been more than a while since I've posted some baby makin' music and even though I'm a few days late on the Valentines Day delivery of @kevincossom's new one, it's never too late for Sexy Time. Visuals below for you non-listeners...
Best part of the track is the second verse when KC steps outside of his usual vocalist shoes and drops a few bars to mix it up a bit. I'll be adding his new EP to the short list of albums I'm looking forward to in 2013. Shout out to @TheLotteryPick on the beat chalked full of lust...#SexyTime

Kevin Cossom - Sexy Time (prod by The Lottery)

Born Sinner on a Power Trip

Seems like Hip Hop artists are in the giving mood these days with free singles and free EPs. The latest of which @JColeNC let loose with a nice five track Yours Truly EP. The EP will serve as more of a hype generator for Cole's upcoming sophomore album Born Sinner, due out later this year.

I say it'll be a hype generator because the lead single off Born Sinner, Power Trip, just hit iTunes on Thursday. The sheer fact that Cole already letting loose extras from his upcoming album is downright exciting. Album cuts implies finality, which combined with a lead single release leads this blogger to believe Born Sinner is coming more sooner than later. If anybody watched the Grammys they are now very familiar with @MiguelUnlimited, which makes the hook on the track below that much more noteworthy. All I gotta ask is "Would you believe me if I said I was in love?"...#YoursTruly

J Cole feat Miguel - Power Trip

Air Jordan XX8 Days of Flight

In celebration of the newest installment of Air Jordans, @BIGKRIT and @BunBTrillOG decided to get together a new track called Check the Sign. If you aren't a sneakerhead, you may have missed the newest version, the Air Jordan XX3s, which just came out this week. Check the promo below for visuals...

As far as the track is concerned, there isn't a much more dynamic Hip Hop duo than Bun and K.R.I.T. You might as well call them the new version of UGK the way K.R.I.T. channels the late great Pimp C..."You can't, you can't walk a mile, you can't, you can't walk a mile in mine"...#XX8DaysOfFlight

Big K.R.I.T. feat Bub-B - Check the Sign (prod by Big K.R.I.T.)

Videos of the Week February 15th

It's been a while since there has been a week where I had to make cuts because there were so many entertaining choices. I did my best to mix in some booty drums, @skullcandy and eye candy (@KateUpton) with some new well put together music videos. Not saying one bit that booty drums isn't music, but if you ask the lady second from the night whether or not it was music, I'm betting she'd give you a frosty gaze.

I wish there were more in studio collaborations like what @MikePosner, @chuckisdope, @asherroth, @ilovetmills, and @Chip216 did on the @drake inspired Started From the Bottom (Remix). Maybe I'm a nerd, but it's cool seeing artists behind closed doors when they're actually making music. It provides an added element of reality that most music can't convey through sound. In other news, the early indications are that @jtimberlake and @s_c_ might take over the world this summer...#2020Experience

Kate Upton in Take a Supermodel to Work With Big Boi & Stevie Johnson)Mike Posner feat Asher Roth, T.Mills, Chuck Inglish & King Chip – Started From The Bottom (Remix)(Video)

Justin Timberlake feat Jay-Z - Suit & Tie (Video)

Spanish Band Patax's Music Is Everywhere Campaign

Drake - Started From the Bottom (Video)

Purity Ring - Grammy (Soulja Boy Cover)

The post below is via Mikey-Mike who sent this in from an undisclosed underground location near the epicenter of Indie music.

It's not often that indie bands cover rap songs, but when they do, I definitely take note. When you hear the @EsterDean chorus from the original, you notice that the hook wasn't much of a stretch for the Canadian electronic duo; but what surprised me was that Megan James absolutely nailed the @souljaboy verses, as well. Check out the original version below for comparison...



I would have never thought that the original would lend itself to an electronic cover, but @PURITY_RING took the song and made it all their own.

Purity Ring - Grammy (Soulja Boy Cover)

James Blake is a Retrograde Weapon

Ever since my good buddy Mikey Mike put me on to @jamesblake, I've been keeping an eye out for his music. I still haven't been able to put my finger on why I have an appreciation for his music because the at times painstakingly slow tempo of his music...how should I say this...is a complete 180 from the stuff I usually post. Still, there's no doubting how talented his is as a vocalist. Between the humming and the every so melodic way he goes about laying down his stories, it's hard not to admire. Check the video for his new single Retrograde...

The track is the first of many to come off his new album Overgrown, due out on April 8th. If mellow is the glass of wine you feel like sippin' tonight, the play button on this guy will be your friend below...#Retrograde

James Blake - Retrograde

"It's One For All, I'll Be Your Army"

With EDM having officially taken over American pop music, there seem to be more and more R&B mainstays jumping on the bandwagon of late. First it was @CMilianOfficial on Hello and now @1Omarion recently jumped on the runaway locomotive with Canadian duo @sultanshepard and @nervomusic. The fusion of R&B vocals and synth-laden Euro-pop rhythms make for an easy-listening radio friendly vibe on the track.

If you haven't listened to much of Sultan & Shepard, they're trendsetters in the Montreal house music scene. They did a pretty sick remix of Bruno's Locked Out of Heaven recently if you're looking for related music. Feel free and support their movement by joining the #Army.

Sultan & Ned Shepard & NERVO feat Omarion - Army

"It's Like You're My Mirror"

Ever since @jtimberlake released Suit and Tie a couple weeks back, he's been all over the place. Whether it's a pre-Super Bowl performance of new track or during and after the Grammys, he's been puttin' in work of late. In case you missed it, below is his performance during the Grammys with @s_c_...

As far as the track below, it's vintage JT & Timbo. Mirrors is on a Cry Me a River tip, in fact the beat has so many similar features, you might as well call it part 2. The duo are perfect at making each other look good with JT delivering the emotional vocals while Timbo does he absolute best to match that sentiment through instrumentation. Tracks like this are why both should be regarded as two of the most influential artists of this generation. Matter fact, last night my pops was all like, "JT is the new Prince." I simply can't argue with that assertion and in the end they might be revered in the same way...#2020experience

Justin Timberlake - Mirrors (prod by Timbaland)

Mike Posner Joins The A-Team

If you were to ask for one artist that could appropriately cover @edsheeran's #1 single The A-Team, I'm not sure I could have suggested anyone better than @MikePosner. Not only does he have the vocal ability to match Ed's feathery vocals, but the subtle Hip Hop he was able to inject into the track that's nominated for a Grammy as Song of the Year.

Granted, my opinion is skewed because I like Mikey P and it's easy to say there isn't anyone who could have covered it better now that I've heard his version. Still, be one of the 53 million plus who have watched Ed Sheeran's version on YouTube...

Will A-Team win a Grammy tonight? It's a tough to predict that he'll beat Call Me Maybe and We Are Young, but either way, it'll be pretty cool to see him perform with Elton John on stage tonight, which is a pretty awesome accomplishment in and of itself...#Grammys
Mike Posner - The A-Team (Remix)

Harlem Shake Gets a Makeover

Well folks, we've got ourselves a new viral video. Like anything viral, there was a unique chain of events triggering the uncontrollable reaction. The story starts when @baauer uneventfully posted his own video for Harlem Shake on YouTube on August 23rd, 2012. Sure, the track got some love from other @maddecent folks like @flosstradamus and @diplo, but nothing to write home about. Fast forward to January 29th, when @FilthyFrank posted his own silly Harlem Shake video with people dressed up in latex costumes. Then came the impersonators on February 2nd PHL_On_NAN (2 million views) and TheSunnyCoastSkate (826,000 views) that put the song on full blast.

So what's my take on this new viral sensation? My honest to god knee jerk reaction was "what in the world have white people done to a great Hip Hop dance??" In case you missed it, the Hip Hop Harlem Shake first started in 1981, but became popularized after G Dep's Let's Get It video. According to the Urban Dictionary, there are two very different definitions for the Old Harlem Shake and the New Harlem Shake (deservedly so). In fact, it should speak volumes that the Hip Hop inspired dictionary defined the new dance as:

"A new stupid dance crass on YouTube, and people just making idiots of themselves. Usely only about 30-45 seconds long, where it starts out as one person dancing and everyone not noticing. Til about half way and then everyone in the room dances and shakes usely masked to hide their shame."

Minus the ignorant spelling of usually, I tend to agree with their definition because the dance looks more like Weekend at Bernies on Molly when white folks do it. But on the bright side, pop culture needs a formal introduction to Trap music, so who better to dish that out than @Baauer? Do the man a solid and support him at either iTunes or Beatport. Oh and for a sample of the madness below, check out the Top 10 recent Harlem Shake videos or feel free and sample below...#HarlemShake

Baauer - Harlem Shake