Kill Paris Delivers a Silky Louis Futon Remix

When I see the words "Kill Paris Remix", there's an assumed amount of smoothness I look forward to when I press play. Calming bass and a steady dose of funk what I've learned to appreciate about his style. Add to that the added intrigue that comes from not recognizing the artist (Louis Futon) that one of my favorite artists decides to remix and you've got yourself a potentially awesome track.

While Silk didn't have the usual ingredient of funk, I liked the fruity woodwinds mixed throughout. It's a super chill track that fits the easy-listening dubstep style I've grown to enjoy. The best part about it, it's available for free download if you like it as much as I did...#Silk

Louis Futon - Silk (Kill Paris Remix)

"We Could Be Heroes, Me and You"

Although I favor more active, exciting versions of EDM (trap, dubstep, etc), I've always been a sucker for ballads. They don't get much more Top 40 hit driven than Alesso's new one with Tove Lo. After a few listens, it was the vocals by Tove Lo that kept me coming back. The beat is fine, providing an adequate bridge between the vocals, but it's not something that will come off as overly exciting. It's much more of a calming EDM ballad that is suitable for a ride home after a long day. I'm betting radio has already started chewing on this one, so it might be a good idea to get your fix before you start hearing it on your favorite XM station every hour...#WeCouldBeHeroes

Alesso feat Tove Lo - Heroes

Videos of the Week August 29th

An overall great week for music videos with Jessie J, Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande leading the way with their eye candy filled Bang Bang. If you're in the mood for dancing, you're going to need to check out both The Chainsmokers video for Kanye and Usher's newly minted visuals for She Came to Give it To You. Without a doubt, the most memorable video of the week was Beyonce's VMA Vanguard Medley that had a tearful ending with Jay Z and Blue Ivy. And as if you hadn't seen enough ice bucket challenges, how about a special one from Jimmy Fallon. Who would have known the National Ice Council would be so outraged...#IceBucketChallenge
Jessie J feat Nicki Minaj & Ariana Grande - Bang Bang (Video)

The Chainsmokers - Kanye (Video)

Beyonce's MTV VMA Video Vanguard Medley (Video)

Usher feat Nicki Minaj - She Came to Give it To You (Video)

Jimmy Fallon National Ice Council Outraged by Ice Bucket Challenge

Photo Credit: YouTube

Tiesto Crafts a Traquil Say Something House Remix

Yes, it's been awesome hearing Tiesto stretch his talents into other permutations of EDM, but his bread and butter has always been some form of house. In the most recent case, he teamed up with Emily Rowed to create a slightly funky, but incredibly smooth Say Somthing remix. Everyone remembers the heartfelt Christina Aguilera and A Great Big World collaboration on the original, but the way Tiesto simplified the song through his own cover of the track is simply awesome. I don't need to wax poetic about the track anymore than I already have because those who know Tiesto can hear this track and understand that no matter how electro-pop he may sway, he'll never abandon what helped elevate him to one of the best DJs in the world...#SaySomething

Ever Wonder What Polkadots Sound Like?

If you've been fortunate enough to see a Chainsmokers set in 2014, you're going to recognize Polkadots. The track is a perfect for igniting crowds, but it's a departure away from their tradition Indie-vocal style. If you're in the market for loud, reverberating chords that are capable of filling a room, you'll enjoy the track.

Honestly, I'm pumped they're 1) still releasing free music and 2) putting out more and more original stuff. It's a tough thing for me to say because they've single-handedly opened up my eyes to a complete blind spot of music that I enjoy, but I get that they need to someday spread their wings and fly solo with their own recipes. If you haven't given Kanye a listen, check it out and while you're at it, jump on the bandwagon of people excited for their upcoming debut album...#Polkadots

The Chainsmokers - Polkadots (Original Mix)

Nobody Lays the Wood Like LUMBERJVCK

Other the Skrillex and occasionally Knife Party, there haven't been a lot of EDM artists that have been able to successfully inject sharp guitar riffs into electronic music. Enter up and coming LUMBERJVCK, who you may know from his cult favorite Click Clvck. On his new single, Bumpwood, he enlists the help of Khemehk on a drum lead burst of electronic energy. The track is one of the four tracks on JVCKWOOD EP that just hit Beatport this week. If you're a fan of loud, haunting EDM, I'd suggest giving it a good listen...#JVCKWOODEP

LUMBERJVCK & Khemehk - Bumpwood

Knife Party Are Getting Ready to Abandon Ship

Oh how I have missed Knife Party. Hearing that they have a new album coming out at the end of October called Abandon Ship is just about as good as it gets for a Monday. Better yet, they gave us a piece of that upcoming delicious pie for free today in the form of Resistance.

I'd characterize their new one as high speed chase music. The high-pitched synths go balls to the wall, reminding us all once again why their brand of music is uniquely awesome. Between the build ups and drops, it's got a great mix energy and anticipation throughout. If this is any indication of what's to come in about two months, color me excited as hell...#AbandonShip

Knife Party - Resistance

Mo Lasers, Mo Problems is Coming to a City Near You

If it's one thing Savoy does really well, it's make great party music. Their new one, Gin n Chronic stays true to form with speaker rattling bass and attention grabbing synths that maintain a steady flow of energy throughout the track. I really dig the bits of Dubstep sprinkled throughout the track because without it, it may have been a bit repetitive for my liking.

If you're looking for a hype live show to see the next few months, I'd suggest hitching onto the Mo Lasers, Mo Problems tour that is coming to a city near you. Don't be afraid to head on over to their Soundcloud page to cop the track for $free.50 if you're a fan either...#MoLasersMoProblems

Savoy - Gin N Chronic

OnCue Has Got So Much Love to Give

There are few things in life that warrant a quadruple take. I'm thinking things like a gorilla riding a shark or a flying otter, those types of extreme novelties that seem too good to be true. So what warrants a quadruple take in music? A track co-produced by Just Blaze and Hudson Mohwake.

I know what you're thinking, it's too good to be true. That type of skepticism is where I started too because it has to be too good to be true. But this was a rare time where the collabo not only lived up to the hype, it actually surpassed what I thought possible. That's mostly because OnCue is a really really talented lyricist and he killed it!

About a year and a half ago I posted his track New Religion and made a mental note. Then he came out with the Just Blaze directed Kinda Late. Now Just Blaze has fully thrown his support into Cuey's corner and I see no reason why he can't be this year's Macklemore. I know the comparison is a little cliche and it's not entirely because they're both white, they sound sorta similar on the mic too. Whatever the case, this is one of the dopest beats in 2014 HANDS DOWN and I have hopes that it will continue to get circulated to a point where Cuey starts to become a well-known name in Hip Hop. Heads up on that upcoming EP and don't be bashful about copping the song for free below...#AngryYoungMan

OnCue - So Much More (prod by Just Blaze & Hudson Mohawke)

Videos of the Week August 20th

When it came to videos this week, there wasn't much buzz beyond Nicki Minaj's soft core porn video for Anaconda. My goodness...it has more buns than bakery on a Sunday morning. Shoot somewhere Sir-Mix-Alot is blushing because of the asstronomical amount of booty viewable in that video. Even tossed in a Drake cameo while they were at it case you wondered how he behaves at strip clubs.

Beyond that, Haim's new Hip Hop flavored My Song 5 was a fun watch, as well as Seven Lions' sci-fi, planetary visuals for Worlds Apart. Oh I see what they did with the whole worlds and planet thing. As if Denzel's presence wasn't enough to carry a trailer, the creators of The Equalizer decided it would be an even better decision to throw in a clip of an unreleased, upcoming Eminem song with Sia. That was a good call and we're all now excited. And finally, Floss gave a short 10 min behind the scenes look at his tour, which was pretty cool to watch. Living on the road has to be tough, but when the audience gets THAT hype to your music, it has to get to a point where he's pinching himself on a daily basis...#HDYNATION
Nicki Minaj - Anaconda (Video)

Haim feat A$AP Ferg - My Song 5 (Video)

The Equalizer Trailer (feat new Eminem song)

Flosstradamus Tour Video

Seven Lions feat Kerli - Worlds Apart (Video)

Photo Credit: YouTube

"Ridin Thru My City Wearin More Red Than Santa Claus"

Just when I had written off Hip Hop as as headed toward extinction, here comes a heat rock delivered by two of my favorites. While Rich Boy and The Game's verses will be the reason you listen to the track, you're going to remember the track because of Hit-Boy's absolutely bangin' beat. To say it goes hard doesn't do it justice, it THUMPS! (Hence the 808 check post label below). It's not enlightening Hip Hop by any stretch of the imagination, just a lot of tough talk and witty bars, but that works for me when it's done this well. If you're like me, you had thought Rich Boy was fading into ether as one of the best 'bama rappers of all time. It sounds like that legacy has yet to be fully imagined, which gives hope for the near future of Southern Hip Hop...#RidinThruMyCity

Rich Boy feat The Game - Ridin' Thru My City (prod by Hit-Boy)

"Home of the Brave and Free, Free Just to Muder Me"

We may never know whether T.I. was planning on releasing his New National Anthem this week or whether the Michael Brown incident expedited the release. Whatever the case, it's a lyrically armed track that is pointed straight at guns and their impact on American society. It's an interesting track in that the Skylar Grey hook is meant for radio, but T.I.'s verses and ad-libs are no-holds barred. The bouncy beat makes for a fun listen, but the beat makes it tough to hear the underlying message he's trying to deliver, which is frustrating at times.

The track is set to surface on T.I.'s upcoming album Paperwork, which he's compared to Outkast's Aquemini and Jay Z's The Blueprint. That's a tall order, but New National Anthem is a definitely a step in the right direction. Again, let's all hope this renewed attention of gun violence in American leads to something productive for us all so that we don't keep seeing the same situation repeat itself...#NewNationalAnthem

T.I. feat Skylar Grey - New National Anthem

Getting Bad With The Rooftop Boys

I love it when I hear an electronic song that I'm not really crazy about that gets transformed into a much better version. Case in point David Guetta & Showtek's Bad that I was lukewarm at best on when I first heard it. But good things come to those who wait and here come the smooth, Tropical House upgrade courtesy of The Rooftop Boys. While the original was more of an in your face club track, the remix is much more suitable for a trip to the beach. While I can't really say that all EDM permutations are worthy of perpetuating, I'm still all about the momentum that Tropical House is gaining...#TropicalHouse

David Guetta & Showtek - Bad (The Rooftop Boys Remix)

J Cole Sees a Future Where We Can All Be Free

As each day passes, I do a brief check of Twitter hoping that the mess surrounding the shooting of Michael Brown will stop getting worse. Sadly, the response keeps elevating and the public outcry keeps escalating. I keep questioning what the bigger message we're all going to learn from this will be. Will it be related to race? Will it be related to the irrational escalation of force? Will it be the misuse of firearms? Will it be better training for officers? It all doesn't make sense yet, but I have faith that Michael Brown's death will not be in vain. It was needless and it was probably the tip of the iceberg of what's going on in a small town in Missouri, but so many people are tuning in now that there's a perfect opportunity for us to fix a problem that has been festering for years.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not half as close to what happened as J Cole has been at times in his life. But I applaud him for acting on his impulse to vent and use his voice to continue the conversation in a positive direction. Below is J Cole's message, which sets up his new track Be Free, which is a painfully emotional tribute to the memory of Michael Brown...#BeFree

"There was a time in my life when I gave a f*ck. Every chance I got I was screaming about it. I was younger. It's so easy to try to save the world when you're in college. You got nothing but time and no responsibility. But soon life hits you. No more dorms, no more meal plan, no more refund check. N*gga need a job. N*gga got rent. Got car note. Cable bill. Girlfriend moves in and becomes wife. Baby on the way. Career advances. Instagram is poppin. Lebron leaves Miami. LIFE HITS. We become distracted. We become numb. I became numb. But not anymore. That coulda been me, easily. It could have been my best friend. I'm tired of being desensitized to the murder of black men. I don't give a f*ck if it's by police or peers. This sh*t is not normal. I made a song. This is how we feel. Rest in Peace to Michael Brown and to every young black man murdered in America, whether by the hands of white or black. I pray that one day the world will be filled with peace and rid of injustice. Only then will we all Be Free."

J Cole - Be Free

"Honey, I'm Not Your Honey Pie"

First it was Kid Cudi making great music with the sisters Haim, now it's A$AP Ferg's turn to get in the mix. My skeptical side wondered how on the hell they were going to infuse Hip Hop into their funky single My Song 5? After a few listens, A$AP Ferg deserves a tip of the cap for his verse. His lyrics tell both sides of the story, providing a bit of balance to the one sided web of lies in the original version.

Haim's Days Are Gone album continues to be under appreciated in a lot of ways. Hopefully this new flavor of a previous single open a few more eyeballs from a different demographic. I'm still mad I missed the sisters at Outside Lands, but you better believe I'm going to find a way to see them in the next calendar year...#MySong5

Haim feat A$Ap Ferg - My Song 5 (Remix)

"Smile, the Worst is Yet to Come"

Good ballads don't grow on trees. That premise is exactly why I always make a point to give a listen to new releases from Mikky Ekko. I'm not sure why, but his vocals remind me of a modern day Paul McCartney. The Beatles vibe is completely apparent on his new track Smile. The cautionary tale Mikky weaves has such a positive vibe, yet it forecasts the inevitable downfall. The tension between the two results in an interesting ballad that I still haven't fully wrapped my head around. No word yet on whether or not this will surface on an album, but if it does, color me excited...#Smile

Mikky Ekko - Smile

Videos of the Week August 15th

With the NFL season on the horizon, this week has a bit of a football theme with The Manning Brothers' Fantasy Football Hip Hop commercial leading the way. Was it me or did Broadway Joe play to his stereotype a bit too comfortably when he was feeling up on that woman mid-way through the video? On an even less serious note, how bout that super, extravagant Madden commercial? It shares the same silliness as The Manning video, but with a little bit more crazy. I don't even play Madden anymore, but that video got me pumped.

In other news, Fences new video with Macklemore is an entertaining and artsy watch. David Guetta put together a perfectly Western video for Lovers of the Sun. And last, but certainly not least, Ariana Grande is in fact decent looking and it's not everyday you see her shoot rockets out of her ta-tas...#Madden15
Peyton & Eli Manning Fantasy Football Hip Hop Video

FENCES feat Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Arrows (Video)

Ariana Grande feat Zedd - Break Free (Video)

David Guetta - Lovers of the Sun (Video)

Madden NFL 15 Madden Season (feat Kevin Hart and Dave Franco)

Photo Credit: YouTube

"I Need You To Use Use Use Your Imagination"

Fact 1: Deep house and funk go together like PB&J.
Fact 2: Gorgon City makes some of the best PB&J on the block.
Fact 3: Gorgon City is releasing a pack of tasty PB&J sandwiches in the form of their debut album Sirens on October 7th.

Now that we've got the formalities out of the way, make way for my new favorite track by Gorgon City. Led by the groovy vocals of Katy Menditta and the low, bouncy rhythms, Imagination is a fun track. There are similarities to 90s synth pop, but the new incarnation seems that much more refined and smooth. This is end of the week music, vibe out to this one on your way home from work on Friday...#Sirens

Gorgon City feat Katy Menditta - Imagination

Sean Don and Maroon 5 Make a Formidable Team

While I wouldn't necessary call Big Sean collaborating with Maroon 5 mind blowing, it deserved an eyebrow raise. My initial fear was that it would be a peanut butter ketchup scenario...great when individually mixed with other things, but pretty difficult to palate when mixed together. Surprisingly, the two blended pretty well together. Thanks to a bit of Hip Hop flavor added to the original version of Maps, Big Sean was able to drop a solid verse before getting out of the way as Adam Levine's original vocals fit in nicely with the ebb and flow of the new beat. It may not knock your socks off, but my bet is you'll find a way to vibe to the new take on a current radio favorite...#Maps

Maroon 5 feat Big Sean - Maps (Remix)

Lil Silva and BANKS Get UK Funky

Keeping it 100 for a minute, I feel ashamed for being so late to the party on Lil Silva. With a name like Lil Silva, I thought he was just another up and coming Hip Hop act. Come to find out he's a talented British producer and ambassador of funk. Case in point his latest single featuring the sultry BANKS. I don't need to continue gushing about how much I love BANKS, y'all have heard that already. Now I need to start focusing some of that attention on TJ Carter and this whole UK Funky movement.

Enchantingly sexy is the best description I can give to Don't You Love. The mix of tribal funk and soulful vocals are downright refreshing. I feel like tonight I discovered a new permutation of music that I will end up really enjoying. Lucky for us, Lil Silva just released his latest Mabel EP last week. Follow me on over to iTunes y'all, we've got some catching up to do...#Mabel

Lil Silva feat BANKS - Don't You Love