Friday, February 27, 2009

Howard the Duck



It's Friday afternoon...
I don't feel like working AT ALL, and I'm not. So let's watch Howard the Duck instead.

Pacific Division - Pac Div


I like jams when artists say their own name in the song. It's like movies where someone says the title in the dialogue. Great stuff.

Besides that, I do like this jam on it's own though. More "hardcore" (not really) than usual from Pac Div.

Have some.

Mickey Factz - Sensibility



Have some.

Drake - Best I Ever Had



More romance jams need hooks like this!

Despite the subtle auto-tunage and Lil' Wayne affiliation, Toronto rapper/singer, Drake makes some really entertaining music. We're not talking Earth-changing stuff, but his mixtape, So Far Gone, is dope from start to finish. In fact, the Weezy connection works to Drake's benefit, because Mr. Carter is on his absolute A-game for the 3-4 times he pops up.

Drake's specialty seems to be jams directed at the wiminz, but they're brash, arrogant and so cheese-free that you can rock 'em in your neighborhood . . .with the tinted windows down. Don't get it confused though. When he feels like it, Drake can spit.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

8thW1



Came across this Jersey emcee on the latest episode of Gordon Gartrelle Radio (thank you, Brainchild for putting a track listing up!!).

You should definitely head over to his page, he's got some great music that's alot more "buzzworthy" than alot of the other stuff that's being pushed on the interwebs these days. His album, lovemoneyandmusic is a gem that I imagine not too many people are aware of just yet.

Spider-Man: The Musical


Just read, friends.

And I Know . . .


Jay-Z featuring Pharrell Williams - I Know from Hiphop Maniac on Vimeo.

Brook Lopez: Comedy Gold



We need more of this man on television.
His Unintentional Comedy Rating is off the charts.

I can't begin to properly describe the brilliance in the combination of being 7ft tall, exceedingly goofy, nerdy and topping it of with the heaviest surfer dude accent this side of Keanu Reeves. It's pure comedy gold. And the Abbot & Costello partnership with Ryan Anderson cranks the whole think to another level. Whoever decided to start The Brook & Ryan Show on the Nets YouTube channel deserves an immediate promotion.

On Halloween? Classic
First Impressions with the media.

Seriously...just get yourself a beverage, and search "Brook Lopez" on YouTube, and you're going to be laughing for a solid hour.

Reflection Eternal ft. Bootsy Collins - Internet Connection



Talib Kweli has more group affiliations than a Marvel superhero.
This goes without saying, but I am extraordinarily happy to hear that Reflection Eternal are back in the studio together.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Kid CuDi x Transformers



CuDi jam, "Sky May Fall" (Mr. West on the beat) featured in the newest Transformers ad.

[I'm not tryin' to start no shit . . .but . . .I'm just sayin'. Think what you wanna think about this one.]

"It's Tucked Into My Socks!!!"



Because nothing worth sharing has come out so far today . . .
and this is still in my Top 5 favorite TV moments ever.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

[UPDATED] Battle of the Beats: Röyksopp v. Nice & Smooth

Contestant #1:
Röyksopp's new jammie, "Happy Up Here" that the globe will be falling in love with in about 12 minutes. Update: I found the Space Invader-esque video:



Contestant #2:
Nice & Smooth's 1990 classic, "Funky For You". A jam that features some of the strangest lyrics my boombox has ever encountered.



It's stuff like this that makes modern music and blogging fun. What are the odds of an electronic outfit from Norway using a sample nearly 19 years after a semi-obscure Hip-Hop duo from NY did? Apparenly higher than one might think. Even better, what are the odds of one person being very familiar with both?

Devin Harris > Philadelphia



As the only die-hard New Jersey Nets fan in this, or any other known galaxy...
I am pleased.

Cold War Kids - I've Seen Enough



Dig it.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

MySpace Showcase: The Day Laborers



TRADITIONAL Hip-Hop at its best. Long Island emcees, The Day Laborers:

Joining the lineage of other prolific Long Island hip hop pioneers such as Rakim, EPMD, De La Soul and Public Enemy. Lyricists I.N.F. and Aspect are collectively known as The Day Laborers. A duo who have spent years building a buzz the old fashioned way. Defining themselves on stage performing at venues all over New York City. Most notably a series of highly successful shows at the lengendary CBGB's at a time when the venue had not opened it's doors to hip hop for years until The Day Laborers arrived on the scene. Following momentum from those shows they released The Red Sky ep, then entered the studio intent on crafting an album that encompasses the best of what underground boom bap and raw rap has to offer with a refreshing style accessible to mainstream appeal. Their agile flow displays a smooth delivery interweaving intricate and articulate rhyme schemes about introspective topics that all hard working common people can relate to. Whether your a blue collar worker or put on a suit and tie this music is for you, the youth culture and young adults coming of age. These musicians profess "we've taken everything that was classic to us and updated that sound into songs that currently sound relavant but can still be considered just as relavant years from now. With the release of their debut album, The Learning Process, The Day Laborers are set to make their mark with music in a major way.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll



Alright...
I am now officially terrified of this album.

A Kanye Double . . .

"Flight School" ft. T-Pain



Ehhhhhhhhhh . . .
I don't know the details on this (and I'm too lazy to look up any info at the moment).

The Dream ft. Kanye - Walking On The Moon

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Supra: Burgundy Pack

Supra, everyone's pick for Kickmaker of the Year for 2008, randomly and surprisingly released a 3-shoes "Burgundy" series on Thursday that wasn't included in their look book for the coming Spring (I want to make sweet love to the shiny purple ones).

Shits are extra dope. Check 'em at Sole Collector.

Shonie ft. Fabolous - Can't Let Go



I'm drunk.

Don't even know if the artist is a dude or what.
I'd tell you where I was when I heard this, but it seems that my late night maneuvers are the subject of speculation these days.

At random...I'm gonna throw this on the post for no reason:


And what the hell are these fancy ass border selection shits on YouTube? Am I really seeing this, or did I drink too much of whatever beer that was on special tonight? Is it purple?

Thursday, February 19, 2009

D.Julien: The Experiment

Brooklyn youngin', D.Julien has unleased a box of jams upon the masses.
Get on that bandwagon now, folks. It's pulling off in about 2 weeks!

Have some.

Kid CuDi - Day N' Nite



How long have we been rockin' this now??
Shouldn't complain though, right? Right.

Enjoy the goods.

(And what crazy planet is this where remixes get videos MONTHS before singles?? GRAAAAAAH!!! The end is near!!)

Pac(ific) Div(ision) - The Mayor

This jam is West Coast as f**k . . .but it's dope.
Have some.

The Maccabees - No Kind Words



They're back!!!

This song sounds to me as if they're desperately fighting pressure to cave in and go semi-electronic like every other band in the UK has in the last year and a half (you know who you are).

FIGHT IT!!! There is so much friggin' electro shit out there these days, it's taking all the fun out of it. Music in 2009 is starting to sound like a cartoon from the 60's/70's when they looked into "the future" and music was nothing but a series of robotic bleeps and bloops.

Now...don't get me confused and think I don't absolutely love a good bloop every now and then. Hell, you read the blog, you already know . . .but DAMN, can we restore a little balance?!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Dr. Dre, T.I & Nas - Topless



UGH!! I f**kin' hate radio rips!
Don't know who's song this is . . .I'm guessing it's Dre's.

Hall & Oates - I Can't Go For That



Because I DARE YOU to tell me that this ain't one of the jammenest jams that ever jammed.

Go ahead! LIE!

The Roots Take Up "Residency"

The Roots are about to do something very interesting, and not usually seen in hip-hop. Beginning on March 5, and through June 23, Black Thought an'nem will be performing a total of 12 times at Highline Ballroom:

03-05 New York, NY - Highline Ballroom
03-19 New York, NY - Highline Ballroom
03-31 New York, NY - Highline Ballroom
04-14 New York, NY - Highline Ballroom
04-21 New York, NY - Highline Ballroom
05-13 New York, NY - Highline Ballroom
05-18 New York, NY - Highline Ballroom
05-26 New York, NY - Highline Ballroom
06-02 New York, NY - Highline Ballroom
06-10 New York, NY - Highline Ballroom
06-16 New York, NY - Highline Ballroom
06-23 New York, NY - Highline Ballroom

Pitchfork calls this sort of thing a "residency" . . .they know more than me...so we'll roll with that.

The Broken West - Perfect Games



I enjoyed that.
Jam sounds like Spring, and the video was slightly ridiculous. Good times.

I know nothing of this Broken West so allow me to do some investigating . . .

OK...I have returned from the ancient ruins of MySpace! Checked out BW's page...good stuff. Their album, Now or Heaven, sounds like the sort of thing I'd listen to on the way to work in the morning in the summer. Or on the way home after I drop everyone off after one of those nights in the City that end sometime around sunrise.

B.o.B. - Generation Lost



You know, to this point, B.o.B.never really dropped anything that has caught my interest. He's one of those "better in theory than in execution" artists. I like this, though.

Peter, Bjorn & John - Just The Past

Kanye West ft. Kid CuDi - Welcome To Heartbreak


KANYE WEST "Welcome To Heartbreak" Directed by Nabil from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.

To answer your first question:
No . . .this isn't a rotten copy of the video. That's some fancy, deliberate digital smudgery you're looking at.

To answer your second question:
No . . .this is not the next "single" (no such thing anymore, anyway) from 808's so don't expect your radio to be flooded with it anytime soon. It's a video for video's sake.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

D-Pad Hero



Take that Guitar Hero and shove it right up your ass, Jimmy!
Have some of this.

Mike!



Because . . .
Man, you saw it.

Transformers


Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen from Bay Films/Michael Bay Dot Com on Vimeo.

Maybe it's just me,but until today, all the trailers I've seen for this bad boy have been . . .shit.
Random dudes with handycams in theatres and whatnot.

See it in magical HD.

Personal note:
The sub-title for this sequel is Revenge of the Fallen. I hope and pray that it means the Decepticons get a chance to knock some stuff around this time. Star Scream deserves some spotlight! Maybe this will be like the Star Wars story line, where in the second . . .

. . .I'll stop now.
There MIGHT be a women reading this. Gotta maintain my flyness.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero



I'm a huge YYYs fan, so I was insanely nervous to click play once I saw this song posted. I had no idea what to expect. First singles are always a risky proposition.

So . . .

Can't say I'm really feeling this...but not liking a lead single isn't a rare occurrence for me, so I'm not going to panic . . .yet.

Blaq Poet - Ain't Nuttin' Changed



Thank you, Nah Right!!!

I heard this at about 3AM on Future Flavas a little while ago, but I never heard the artist or song's name. DAMN, I love that good East Coast shit!

Joell Ortiz - Bout My Money



Oh snap, look at that . . .
A completely unintentional Slaughterhouse post trifecta.

This jam features on the upcoming Free Agent release.

Nice.

Joe Budden - In My Sleep



Next single from Budden's upcoming album, Padded Room.
Video should be up in the next few days.

A message to everyone...
If you're not ready to be completely bombarded by this album, then I suggest you stay out of my car from the 24th until some time in late March.

You know what? I need a Joe Budden / Lupe Fiasco collaboration ASAP.

Royce Da 5'9" - Part Of Me


Royce Da 5'9" - "Part Of Me" from Three/21 Films on Vimeo.

Mr. Cordero is getting a little creative.
Royce's Street Hop in stores on 4/21.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Fever Ray - When I Grow Up


When I Grow Up from Fever Ray on Vimeo.

I like to think of myself as a man who can fling around a bag of adjectives with the best of 'em . . .
I got nothin' for this video.

This is great. Just plain great.

Ms. Martinez: Most Beautiful Boogieman


'most beautiful boogieman' from ms.martinez on Vimeo.

Ms. Martinez (a.k.a. my #1 internet crush) is back with her latest video.
This time with some assistance from Mos Def.

The Presets - If I Know You



HEY! Something that isn't hip-hop has caught my ear in 2009. FINALLY!

The Presets are one of those entities that never manage to crack my inner circle for whatever reason, but anytime I hear/see them someplace, I dig it.

...and I'm a sucker for a "dance my pain away" video montage.

Talib Kweli - My Favorite Song

Blu: Her Favorite Colour

New mixtape from the most (justifiably) prolific kid out there.
Have some.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Theophilus London - Always Love You



Go get the damn mixtape.
I'm sick of tellin' you, B!

The whole jammie.

Cam'Ron ft. Nore - Glory



Why?
Because it looks like Mr. Giles is on his way back, and I'm still holding out hope that he can return to the good ol' (pre-Dipset foolishness) days.

Besides that...
In about '98 or so, this was the official "put the boombox on the steps while we played basketball in the street" jam. We KILLED this shit. I miss those days.

Murs - Who's The Boss



So Rick Ross used a Murs beat (how the hell did that happen) for one of his whack 50 diss records (zzzzzz). Now Murs has flipped it, and FINALLY but Officer Ricky's big beat to good use.

Gotta say, though . . .I was NOT under the impression that Murs was the sort of dude to have porn stars sitting on face. Learn somethin' new every day.

Termanology - Circulate (100 Bars)


Termanology - Circulate (100 Bars) [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO] from Restless Films on Vimeo.

When you tell your people about nthis, please be sure to pronounce it "a hunnit". Just doesn't sound right otherwise.

This jam appears on Terms's Dilla tribute mixtape, If Heaven Was A Mile Away.

Black Milk ft Royce Da 5'9" - Losing Out



2nd video from the album Tronic.

(Isn't the difference in audio quality amazing when you click on the HQ version of stuff?)

Thursday, February 12, 2009

HEY, Non-Hip-Hop Universe

You're boring the shit out of me right now.
This is the first winter I can remember in a really long time where guitar music wasn't taking up my mind's center stage. The cycle is always the same: hip-hop and dancy electro stuff in the warm, windows down, blow my speakers out days of spring/summer. Rock and down-tempo stuff in the introspective, "dear God, I haven't seen the sun in days" times of winter.

This winter...not so much.

My equilibrium is all efphed up. I'm not still supposed to be jamming this hard in February. What's gonna happen in May on that first day it's about 70 and I finally dust off Decadence for it's 2009 seasonal re-issue into my world. Will it's maniacal thrashing be diluted because I'm been jammin' full steam for a whole year??

Rock n' Roll, if you screw my summer up, I'm gonna be pissed.

Jadakiss & Green Lantern: Kiss My Ass



Part 2 to the classic The Champ Is Here mixtape is out and ready for your consumption.
Seriously, what are the odds of this being whack? 3%? 5% tops, right?

Have some.

Joaquin Phoenix on Letterman



Mr. Phoenix,
I don't know what it is you're up to . . .but I'm friggin' loving it.
You're either completely out of your skull or a genius. I'm 100% down with either.

Carry on, sir.

Obviously, no one told Letterman that ol' Joaquin has flipped his shit.

Evidence ft. Phonte, Blu & will.i.am - For Whom The Bell Tolls



We've had jam.
We now have video.

Gotta say, though . . .will.i.am's grill all up in the picture before I press play is a little disturbing.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

The Kid CuDi Quandry



Props to The Original Winger (2-0, WHOOOOOOO!!!!!!) for posting this earlier and thus inspiring my grand query:

Do we like Kid CuDi jams because of Kid CuDi...or because he has incredible taste in the samples he decides to do his thing over. I honestly hope it's the former . . .but I'm not so sure. I guess we won't know until the album drops.

Feel free to sip a beverage and discuss this amongst your compatriots . . .but not here, because...you know...I (hypocritically) hate reader comments, lol.

Shyne ft. Barrington Levy - Bad Boys



Because this shit sounded sooooooooo right in the car last night.

Cage - Nothing Left To Say



Produced by El-P.
Oh man . . .the dreaded "E" word is gonna be used liberally on this one.

La Guerra Fria: USA v. Mexico

USA v. Mexico: TONIGHT!!!
7PM (Eastern) - ESPN2

Today is nothing short of a holiday for me.
I have more loathing in my soul for the Mexican national team than almost any other entity in sports (here's looking at you, Boston). The diving, the fouls, the whining, the horrible fans. Everything that's wrong with the beautiful game can be summed up with one word: Mexico (or "Arsenal", whichever).

Americans, if you only watch one match all year, this is the one. There is no bigger rivalry in this part of the world. The players hate each other and the Columbus locals are some of the most aggro people in the country. Someone's going to bleed.

Black Moon - How Many Emcees



Because it's Black Moon, that's why.

Ryan Leslie



Album dropped yesterday.
How can you NOT support a dude in modern music who gets credited for 96% of his own album?!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

The Foreign Exchange ft. Darien Brockington - Take Off The Blues



Great exposure for TFE and D-Brock. This is this week's free single on iTunes.
Go get it!


Because I'm officially amped for the start of the F1 season.
Because the rule changes are insanity.

And since I lost my favorite F1 team (Super Aguri then Honda) twice in the same friggin' year, I may as well be down with Red Bull this season. I'm a sucker for cross branding, and now that I'm driving a Nissan again, the Renault motor is an added bonus (with slightly twisted logic, but whatever)

Atmosphere - You (Alternate Version)



(NahRight)

Same jam, new visuals.
This jam is so aggressively dope, they can feel free to film as many versions of this as they like.

Sway & Kanye



People keep asking you the same stupid question?
This is how you answer it.

Take notes.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Blink 182 is BACK!!!

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!

The Reuters story:
NEW YORK (Billboard) - The members of punk rock trio Blink-182 announced during Sunday night's Grammy Awards that they are reuniting for a tour and new album. The group has been on hiatus for more than four years.

"We used to play music together, and we decided we're going to play music together again," drummer Travis Barker said at the Los Angeles event, still with his arm in a sling after surviving a deadly plane crash last year.

In a statement sent to the media, the band said, "To put it simply, We're back. We mean, really back. Picking up where we left off and then some. In the studio writing and recording a new album. Preparing to tour the world yet again. Friendships reformed. 17 years deep in our legacy." Rumors are swirling that the band will open for Green Day this summer, but details have not been announced.

Since Blink-182's split, Barker and bassist Mark Hoppus formed +44, while guitarist Tom DeLonge fronted Angels & Airwaves. The band's last show was December 16, 2004.

Blink-182's four studio albums and one live set have sold a combined 12.8 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The group posted 10 top 10 hits on Billboard's Modern Rock chart, including the No. 1s "All the Small Things" and "I Miss You."

Reuters/Billboard

The Lonely Island ft. T-Pain- I'm On A Boat



...and now we have the video.

The Real: Mood Muzac


Mood Muzak from jeff on Vimeo.

What if romance jams mixtapes had annoying DJ interruptions like hip-hop does . . .

Nucci Reyo - All On Me



No matter how many times I see Rahway in these videos, it always bugs me out.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Mos Def - Boogie Man


Don't be confused by the title, this is a "new", unreleased jam.
I was waiting for a DJ-free copy of the file to surface before I posted this . . .
so here you go.

The story is that this song was left on the cutting room floor after Tru3 Magic was wrapped up (that sound you hear is people STILL arguing about that "album").

Also, it seems that Mos' next album, The Ecstatic, will NOT be dropping this month as expected, and has been push alllll the way back to June 9th.

Peter Bjorn & John - Nothing To Worry About

Peter Bjorn and John "Nothing To Worry About"


Believe it or not, this Rockabilly thing is actually happening in Japan.

Lunchin' With Joe Budden & Tahiry



Shout out to Culture VI!

If these two don't get their own TV show, then there's no justice in this world.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Sean Garrett ft. Pharrell - Patron



Shiiiiit . . .that mixtape might be a'ight!
2-step on a Thursday night. Get it!

"She's smilin' in my face...her breath smell like Patron..."
Yes. We've all enjoyed that moment.

Common - Punch Drunk Love (Remix)



Definitely my favorite chorus of '09.
Get yo' hip-hop smooth on.

(BTW, this is on that Pharrell mixtape I mentioned earlier)

La Di Da Di



I'd tell you why, but then I'd have to kill you.

T-Mac Goes to Darfur



Because NBA players don't get enough good press.

Pharrell: Out Of This World

Don't ask.

I have no idea where it came from, who put it together, or if Pharrell is even personally involved.
Apparently, this dropped about 2-3 weeks ago with no fanfare.

Download it here.
[Disclaimer: I haven't heard it yet, so don't blame me if its whack. I'm not the only one who's confused.]

MySpace Showcase: The Drug Models Love


Maybe its the fantastic name, maybe it's because I'm in an Animal Collective and Earl Grey induced euphoria at the moment . . .

...but I'm liking what I hear from The Drug Models Love.

Calm and chilled out without being annoying and dull (as you know, I usually like my music to kick me in the balls every now and then . . .unless I'm romancin' . . .which seems to be never . . .but I digress)

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Swizz Beats ft. Fatman Scoop - Get Loose



Ahhh, some good brainless club jammeration.

If you can listen to this and not immediately find a bottle of something and take it to the head . . .then you're a better man than me.

I need to start bringing a flask to work.

Have some (CDQ).

Cesar Comanche - Hands High



Justus League's Cesar Comanche appears ready to remind us of who he is again.
"9th Wonder on the beat!"

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Cradle Orchestra ft. Black Thought - Live Forever



Okayplayer with the goods.

I'm really feelin' this . . .
"CRADLE is a groundbreaking Japanese unit specializing and leading a beautiful revolution in mellow and jazzy Hip Hop track making."

Super thumbs up for their sound. Their latest album, Velvet Ballads, also features Talib Kweli, CL Smooth and some other fine folk.

Theophilus London - Cold Pillow



If this ain't the jam, then I don't know shit.
It's been on almost constant repeat for about 5 days in "da whip".

New Jams from DFA Records

DFA records just posted a bunch of new jams from a few of their artists...
I suggest you head in their direction and get yourself involved.

Be sure to set out some time and attact that friends' list of theirs while you're at it.
Especially The Juan MacLean. Shit is dope.

The Lonely Island ft. T-Pain - I'm On A Boat

Next single from Incredibad.
Have some.

"I f**ked a mermaid"

Losing My Ever-Blogging Mind

Man, there is absolutely NOTHING happening in music this week!
Crap jams, dumb battles, $4 videos . . .nothing worth posting.

I've had 2 music related posts since last week

TWO!!!!

I'm nearing levels of boredom that must be unsafe for my health. If fact, I'm so bored that I actually opened a Facebook account. Yeah. Short of robots /artificial intelligence and the gub'mint, nothing is more frightening . . .yet there I am.

If somebody doesn't drop a new jam in the next 24hrs, I'll do it myself.
A homemade beat from my $50 Casio and 3:30 of nothing but ad-libs.
It shouldn't have to come to this!

On the bright side, in this jam-less haze I did have a
magnificent idea for this blog that will materialize once the MLS season gets going. The league needs to up its "awareness among the cool kids" factor, so why not here. Stay tuned for that gem. Better yet, remind me that I said this. God knows I will have forgotten all this by Thursday.

Raekwon ft. Method Man & Ghostface - Wu Ooh



Heard this last night.
Shit is RIGHT!

Welcome to 1996, children.
Have some.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Super Bored

There is absolutely nothing going on worth running off at the mouth ("typing off at the fingers"?) about today, so I'd like to take this time out to say . . .

Santonio Holmes...
If I catch you on the street, I'm giving you a $500 ass-whoopin'. I hate you.

Thank you.