Videos of the Week July 31

This week's top 5 trends toward music videos, but it features a solid dose of comedy for variety. Led by the talented wedding singers from Phoenix, AZ, Key & Peele opened up our imagination with the help of 2 Chainz. By open up our imagination I mean provided new lyrics and incredibly sub-par vocals, which was more train wreck entertainment than anything. On a similarly silly note, Fallon and Tom Cruise continued a trend of really entertaining Lip Sync Battles. It's tough to top Jimmy's showmanship, but Tom Cruise has been around the block a few times and knows very well how to play to a crowd.

Tough to pick a top video of the week, but seeing that Thomas Jack's new single is my current infatuation, I'll go with Rivers. Bonus points for the tropical scenery as I'm currently blogging from the Baja peninsula and soaking up similar cliff diving experiences in crystal clear water. Following close behind is The Weeknd's addictive new single that I can't seem to turn off anytime it comes on. Despite being decades behind on hits and number one singles, you can't deny he has a similar MJ-esque skill set. And in case you were curious how powerful love can be, check out the super powers that Ellie Goulding and Tarrus Riley put on display in Major Lazer's new video...#Powerful
Major Lazer feat Ellie Goulding - Powerful (Video)

Key & Peele feat 2 Chainz - Absorption

Thomas Jack - Rivers (Video)

Tom Cruise & Jimmy Fallon Lip Sync Battle

The Weeknd - Can't Feel My Face (Video)

Photo Credit: YouTube

"You Used to Call Me on My Cell Phone"

Man...so much for keeping a low profile! It's been a busy week for Drake who let loose two new tracks to compliment a diss track dedicated to Meek Mill. All that really needs to be said is what did you expect when Meek and Nicki Minaj started seriously dating? Drake and Nicki were closer than the hands of time (#RIP2Pac) way back when. When that changed and egos started prevailing, it was only a matter of time.

Recent silly beef aside, Drake's bouncy new island tune is an interesting development. Featuring the production of Nineteen85, the track is another good sign that he's stylistically getting back to the sing-songy Hip Hop that many people fell in love with a few albums back. It's yet another "who needs someone to sing a hook when I can knock it out myself" type of track. Maybe it's because I'm headed down to the equator, but Hotline Bling was a nice track to zone out to on vacation...#HotlineBling

Drake - Hotline Bling (prod by Nineteen85)

Sam Smith and Disclosure Prove to Be a Good Omen

Last weekend I got married. The first dance I had with my wife was to Sam Smith's acoustic version of Latch. I don't know if it's a good "Omen" or simply a well timed wedding gift, but Sam and Disclosure decided to release a new one last week. Rather than going the traditional Soundcloud route, they skipped a step and went straight to the visuals for their new single...

Yea, it's just as swanky and deep hous-y as you'd expect with stellar vocals from Sam. It's a funk-filled ballad that wobble its way right into your headphones. Whether it's clapping along or a steady head nod, this one is hot and will be getting worn out on my honeymoon this week. Shout out to two of UK's finest acts for proving an on-point, surprise wedding gift...#Omen

Avicii "Can't Go No Sleep" All Over Again

There's an undeniable allure that goes along with current artists mixing classic tracks. Hip Hop seems to be the genre of choice when it comes to dusting off the cobwebs on tracks, but EDM is finally at a point where the new generation of up and comers feel the need to pay homage to timeless singles that fans of EDM today may not know much about. Like for example Faithless's Insomnia, which was released waaaay back in 1995 when most people were still referring to EDM as "Techno" music. The chord progression on the original will take you back and any fan of electronic music will immediately recognize it. The word trance comes to mind when listening to it because of how melodic and formulaic is sounds compared to a lot of new EDM.

Last week it was announced that Avicii was going to take a swing at the classic by releasing an Insomnia 2.0. I'll admit, it doesn't sound like a huge departure from the original, but there's a bounciness that Avicii is able to bring to the original that is really cool. Better yet, the drop is even more exaggerated to meet today's standards. The ominous vocals on the track sound even more eerie on the new version too. I'll put it this way, if you like the original and like Avicii as an artist, your expectations won't be too far off with this updated version of a track released two decades ago...#Insomnia20

The Only Tude You Need is Hermitude

It's a valid question, why haven't there been more Hip Hop and Future Bass collaborations? You'd think that with the amount of bass injected into Hip Hop there would be more examples of artists reaching out to up and comers like Hermitude. For those of you who haven't heard of Hermitude, they are an Aussie duo who have been cranking out a lot of great music lately.

For exhibit 1, I offer you their most recent album Dark Night Sweet Light, which has rocketed up Australian music charts. On that album, you'll find the track below featuring one of my homegrown Hip Hop favorites, Big K.R.I.T., as well as a new one with my favorite Cool Kid, Chuck Inglish (Hijinx). Their music offers an accessible, chill dose of Hip Hop with every listen. It's a heavy, but soft and palatable way to indulge in Hip Hop and I appreciate that. Those of you who will be heading to Lollapalooza and Hard in the upcoming weeks, make it a point to check out Hermitude's set while you're there...#DarkNightSweetLight

Hermitude feat. Big K.R.I.T., Mataya & Young Tapz - The Buzz

"Why Don't You Wanna See, I'm a Sinner Like You"

Here's a great example of how one feature can set you up for a successful debut album. By now you're keenly aware for my affinity and also Apple's affinity for Kygo. His most recent single, Stole the Show, featured a vocalist by the name of Parson James. I really like that track, so when a new debut single called Sinner Like You from Parson flew by my neighborhood on the internet, I'm not biting. Before I get into why, give it a listen...

If you're into comparisons, I'm going to throw out Bruno Mars. Parson has a great voice and similar throwback delivery. The bluesy sound of the track meshes well with the soulfulness of his vocals on Sinner Like You. Simply put, the track has serious potential to do some damage on top 40 radio and you can count me in on those who are lining up to jump on Parson's bandwagon...#SinnerLikeYou

A Clutch Def Squad Mini-Reunion 17 Years Later

Talk about a blast from the past! Nostalgia to the max with this mini-Def Squad reunion from out of nowhere. Let's rewind back to the summer of 1998, when I was just getting into my teens and Hip Hop was coursing through my daily being. Def Squad's El Niño was one of those unforgettably classic albums that I'll never forget no matter how old I get. Follow me for a minute back to when Redman, Keith Murray and Sermon were at the apex of their game..

There was a time when I could recite every bar from Full Cooperation in my sleep, love that track. So now here we are today, seventeen years later and two-thirds of the unstoppable trio are back at it (sub in Method Man for Keith Murray). Clutch won't blow your mind by any stretch of the imagination, but it's more of a vehicle to take you back in time to the glory days of Hip Hop. Meth hasn't lost a step over the years, so for those of you wondering if age is the reason, think again. If your appetite for more E Double hasn't been quenched he's got a new album coming out on August 28th titled Perception E.S.P...#PerceptionESP

Erick Sermon feat Method Man & Redman - Clutch

Videos of the Week July 24th

Downright strange is what the top five videos brought to the table this week. Other than Pharrell's inspiring video for Freedom and Timeflies' adorable video for Worst Things Than Love, there wasn't much normal about this week's offering. Starting off with Dillon Francis's short movie that satirically documents his life as a doughnut. And no I can't make this stuff up, it's literally a fun filled fifteen minutes about Dillon being a doughnut.

If you've seen the movie Trainwreck, you got a recent refresher on Judd Apatow's crude, dead-pan delivery humor. Evidently he's getting back into stand-up, which is good news for all of us because he showed off his recent act on Fallon this week. Don't expect the world, but the Bill Cosby impression at the end is pretty damn funny. And last, but definitely not least, how about a new Flosstradamus video where a motivational speaker leads a turnt up rally. There's nothing quite like seeing people dressed up in nice clothes wildin' out, smackin' asses like they won the lottery...#PrisonRiot
Dillon Francis Exit Through the Donut Hole (Short Movie)

Timeflies - Worse Things Than Love (Video)

Judd Apatow Does Stand Up on Fallon

Pharrell - Freedom (Video)

Flosstradamus feat GTA & Lil Jon - Prison Riot (Video)

Photo Credit: YouTube

Ever Wondered What Reggae Frank Ocean Sounds Like?

Have you ever listened to someone cover another artist and thought to yourself, "I never would have ever imagined liking this track as much as I did the original." Especially when you're talking about one of the best R&B vocalists in the game like Frank Ocean, as the covering artist you've got a snowball's chance in hell to match the original. BUT MØ, with the help of Major Lazer, did exactly that. Together they flipped Lost into a dreamy, reggae ballad, offering a complete 180 degree shift in sound from the original while maintaining the same quality. To put things in context, the song has been posted on Soundcloud for a few days and already has well over 700,000 plays. Again, no small feat and further confirmation that they did everything they could to give Frank's version a shiny new take...#LostCover

Major Lazer - Lost feat. MØ (Frank Ocean cover)

"I'd Rather Be On My Own"

As a growing fan of TroyBoi, I'm finding myself more and more excited about him with each new song. I still don't feel like I have a real grasp on what to expect from him, but then again I don't mind being pleasantly surprised. Cue the new track featuring NEFERA, which sounds like a 90s R&B song with a whole lot of extra bass. The mysterious harp chords at the beginning of the track are mesmerizing and by the end of the track I'm wanting to hear more from NEFERA. Call it love trap or chill trap, whatever it is, it's choppy, heavy and crazy awesome. I see you TroyBoi, keep the heat comin'...#OnMyOwn

TroyBoi Feat NEFERA - On My Own

"I'm Afraid of Not Being Able to Laugh Anymore"

It's a sad and sobering fact that Robin Williams passed away about a year ago. Last August 11th the world lost a source of laughter that it will never be able to fully replace and that's a tough thing to wrap your mind away. In an attempt to "laugh the pain away" here comes Cee Lo with a tribute to Robin Williams and a few other notable actors/comedians (Philip Seymour Hoffman, John Belushi, Phil Hartman) who have passed away. If you've got an appetite for the heartfelt, press play below...

Better yet, please go to this link and watch the rapid Google search aided interactive video via Cee Lo's website:

Interactive Video
Pro tip: if you get bored watching, then switch between the Web, Images, Shopping and Videos in the top right as the video is playing. I'm struggling a bit to understand the benefit of the rapid Google searches other than to show off a unique way to create an interactive video. Maybe there's a bigger message that's being delivered, but it's lost on me. Whatever the case, it's nice to hear a new Cee Lo single and it never hurts to reminisce over impactful people who have touched the lives of millions of people before it was their time...#RobinWilliams

Slaughterhouse Adds Another Jab to Southpaw

You wanna talk about a star studded Hip Hop lineup? All I needed was to see produced by Just Blaze & araabmuzik to get me to bite, but having Slaughterhouse execute the verses takes it to another level. RNS is yet another dope addition to the Southpaw Soundtrack that already has two Eminem singles leading the way. With Joell setting leading the way with the first verse and hook, the rest of the track fell into place nicely with Joe Budden and Crooked I stepping up to the mic swinging. Not sure where Royce was in all of this, but the end result was sufficient enough that I can give the absence a pass...#RNS

Calvin Harris Goes Real Deep With Disciples

Whoa, where did this funky Deep House side come from Calvin Harris? I don't know whether it's reaction to the growing demand for Deep House or if DJs are into the game of one-upmanship and having this tool in your bag is becoming a necessity. Either way, I am appreciating the variety of festival bangers, club anthems and funky house that have been showing up of late.

If you're wondering where the low bassline is coming from, look no further than Disciples who are featured on the track. The London's trio mix well with generally excitable production that Calvin brings to the table. Special shout out to Ina Wroldsen who co-wrote the track and chipped in the vocals for good measure. You want a good example of a lot of different styles and sounds coming together to form a beautiful marriage? Look no further than How Deep is Your Love...#HowDeepIsYourLove

"Make Ya Ass Shake Like a Waterbed"

If I've learned one thing, it's to expect the unexpected from The Chainsmokers. Just when you start thinking they're going slow and melodic, they leave a hand print on your ass from smacking it so hard. That's what Waterbed is in a nutshell. It has a similar melody build up to their previous single, but post-drop is a bubbly, hard-not-to-repeat hook from Waterbed. And that's now a type on the feature, the male/female duo from LA (Cat and Chad) are named Waterbed and who better to feature on a track called Waterbed.

I enjoy the fact that most people will probably nitpick Waterbed and play the "this isn't even electronic music" card on this one. More power to Alex and Drew for dabbling in Indie twerk music and continuing to carve our their own unique path. I'd much rather be surprised by something original and new that I didn't expect than hearing constant formulaic releases. Don't be shy with this one y'all, get to answering the question of what the "official" waterbed dance will be...#Waterbed

The Chainsmokers feat Waterbed - Waterbed

Videos of the Week July 17th

This week was a bit of a grab bag of epic, funny and interesting. Leading the way is the epic trailer for Batman vs Superman. With such a star studded cast and a plot line to lure any type of superhero fan into the theaters, it will be hard to limit the expectations of the highly anticipated flick. Speaking of limiting expectations, anyone who has been to a Jack U show knows exactly how crazy their set can get. For those of you who haven't caught them live, feel free to check out their 90 minute Toronto set from last week.

If EDM and funny are on your list of things you enjoy, then you'll get a kick out of the long line of people dropping DJ names to try and get backstage. DJ Jumpsuit? Really? In other music news, Timeflies just put together another mush up of awesomeness in this week's Timeflies Tuesday. Cal always brings his A game and he did his thing with some Eminem, Jay Z bars to compliment the "bye bye miss American Pie" hook. Rounding out the week in a classic form is Eminem's new video for Phenomenal. I don't know much about Southpaw, but early indications are split on the Rotten Tomatoes score. The real question remains, will Apple Music be releasing a new exclusive video every week?...#AppleMusic
Batman vs Superman (Trailer)

Jack U Full Flex Express 90 Minute Set in Toronto July 11th

Comedy Central Social Scene Makes Fun of DJ Names

Timeflies Mashes Jay Z, Eminem & American Pie

Eminem - Phenomenal (Video)

Photo Credit: YouTube

Eric Prydz Unleashes a Symphony of Electronics

In electronic music 99% of music could be labeled a new hit or even an anthem if it's really good. But then there's this completely separate neighborhood of songs that I'd classify as musical compositions. Those tracks that every so slowly build up and continue to add and subtract parts so flawlessly that you can't help but admire the craft that went into it. That's exactly where I would put Eric Prydz's new awe-inspiring single Opus.

Why is it called Opus? Well if you're wondering that, you didn't listen to it. The comparisons to Deadmau5's Strobe are completely on point because of how the arrangement of synthesizers go from very simple and slow to incredibly complex and fast paced. While some may not have the patience to wait through an entire 9 minutes of music, I think it's extremely awesome and now have a ton more respect for Eric Prydz as an artist. There's beauty in the boldness of going where other artists dare not go and for that I salute you Eric Prydz...#Opus

Eric Prydz - Opus

Tiesto Won't Let The Chainsmokers Go

Who would have thought! A few months after The Chainsmokers finally had their big break Tiesto would be remixing one of their singles. For me, it's a coin flip between Let You Go and Roses as the best original Chainsmokers single to date, but Tiesto put in some work on the the former. Where the original was smooth and melodic, the remix takes a turn toward a bigger, bouncier, rhythmic sound. Post-drop the track goes from calm pop to crowd starter at the drop of a dime. I wouldn't say it's anywhere near my favorite Tiesto remix, but the sheer fact that he took on a track by Alex and Drew makes this one worth sharing and raving about...#LetYouGo

The Chainsmokers ft. Great Good Fine Ok - Let You Go (Tiësto Remix)

Big, Clangy, Mad Decent Trap From NGHTMRE

I'm not always in the mood for it, but loud, raucous Trap music. You know, that special brand of electronic music that you actually turn down a bit because you feel kinda bad for the speakers. Tracks like NGHTMRE's new one STREET are what I'm referring to because they're so all over the place that all you can do is steady bounce and try to keep your eyelids from flying off. It's yet another heat rock from Mad Decent who seem to be monopolizing the Trap game. There are a lot of festival goers that have been steady refreshing the internet waiting for this one. I know how it feels to hear something live and not feel complete until it finally comes out weeks later. Don't hesitate homie, get on over to iTunes and cop this heat rock...#NGHTMRE

NGHTMRE - STREET

"Don't Let it Go, When You Feel This"

If you were wondering whether Young Money's EDM darlings were going to keep dipping their toes in Hip Hop, the answer is not going to shock you. Following up on singles that featured Lil Wayne and T.I., the Stafford Brothers are back with a new one with Jay Sean and Rick Ross. My reaction on first listen was excitement when Jay Sean came in over the building synths. As much as I wanted to continue liking the track, the beat came in a bit too strong, overpowering his stellar vocals. Make no bones about it, the beat goes hard with a heavy clap, but Rick Ross wasn't meant for electronic music. It's one of those "I love peanut butter" and "I love ketchup", let's try them together sort of things. Lesson learned, some things are tastier when not mixed together and not all Hip Hop/EDM collaborations are going to succeed...#WhenYouFeelThis

Stafford Brothers feat Jay Sean & Rick Ross - When You Feel This

"Why You Wanna Be My Love? Is it Just for Show?"

As much as I throw shade at some of the OVO acts like ILoveMakonnen and PARTNEXTDOOR for their lack of creativity and/or talent, Majid Jordan is proving that there is still plenty of hope for OVOSound. Following the release of Apple Music, Drake debuted the first episode of the "OVO Sound" Beats1 radio show with the help of his OVO co-founder Oliver El-Khatib and Eric Dingus. He finished off his portion of the set with Majid's new single that he is featured on (below).

My Love is more of duet than anything and gets back to Drake being in "full on R&B mode." Featuring the piano led production of 40, the two OVO label mates put together a dramatic, emotion dripped ballad. If the new single is any indication that there's more new Majid to come, I'm not going to stop you from allowing your excitement to spill over...#OVOSound

Majid Jordan feat Drake - My Love (prod by Noah "40" Shebib)