Covering the Classics

I've been impatiently waiting for this mixtape to drop this after reading about the concept then hearing the leaked tracks.

Brooklyn MC Joell Ortiz drops his Covering the Classics mixtape hosted by DJ Green Lantern, as he reinterprets some of hip-hops greatest records. You'll find original rhymes over classics like Naughty By Nature's "Uptown Anthem," Pete Rock & CL Smooth's "T. and Gang Starr's "Just To Get A Rep" among others.

I haven't heard the whole thing yet, just a few songs here and there, but Ortiz's sharp flow shouldn't disappoint.

Shouts to Ivan for the heads up, Enjoy!

Download:

Joell Ortiz - Covering the Classics hosted by DJ Green Lantern

1. Joell Ortiz - Intro (0:19)

2. Joell Ortiz - Rappers Delight (feat. DJ Enuff) (0:51)

3. Joell Ortiz - Know The BK Ledge (0:49)

4. Joell Ortiz - Somethin for Hot 97 (feat. DJ Camilo) (1:04)

5. Joell Ortiz - Strictly the Bizness (0:59)

6. Joell Ortiz - Treat Me Right (0:34)

7. Joell Ortiz - Industry Enemy #1 (0:57)

8. Joell Ortiz - Brooklyn Children's Story (1:07)

9. Joell Ortiz - I Can't Go Broke (0:54)

10. Joell Ortiz - Live At Cooper Day BBQ (0:36)

11. Joell Ortiz - Uptown Anthem (1:00)

12. Joell Ortiz - U.N.I.T.Y. (1:01)

13. Joell Ortiz - T.R.O.Y. (1:37)

14. Joell Ortiz - Primo Tribute (1:57)

15. Joell Ortiz - Just To Get A Check (0:43)

16. Joell Ortiz - Mass Appeal (0:41)

17. Joell Ortiz - Act Like They Don't Know (0:43)

18. Joell Ortiz - The Whut (Animal Shit) (1:07)

19. Joell Ortiz - BK Get Money (0:49)

20. Joell Ortiz - Got My Mind Made Up (0:41)

21. Joell Ortiz - Drop A Gem On 'Em (0:45)

22. Joell Ortiz - Intercourse (0:41)

23. Joell Ortiz - Cell Therapies (0:52)

24. Joell Ortiz - High Roller (1:08)

25. Joell Ortiz - Brooklyn Ghetto Child (1:42)

26. Joell Ortiz - What They Do (Roots Tribute) (1:43)

27. Joell Ortiz - Renee's Revenge (3:07)

28. Joell Ortiz - Goin To Miami (feat. DJ Khaled) (2:03)

29. Joell Ortiz - What Happened To Hip Hop (1:17)

30. Joell Ortiz - 4,3,2,1 (0:43)

31. Joell Ortiz - Recognize (0:44)

32. Joell Ortiz - 24HRS (0:40)

33. Joell Ortiz - Rican Ebonics 09 (2:54)

The Champ Is Back Again

There's been chatter here and there about Jadakiss' Kiss My Ass (The Champ Is Here Part 2) presented by DJ Green Lantern, and it's finally here. How can you not be amped about new 'Kiss?

Listen as the slick-tongued Yonkers lyricist rips thru bangers like "Ten Toes Down" and "The People" with fellow D-Block rep Styles P plus Green puts his magic touch on "Letter to BIG" and "Who Run This."

Personally, I do think Jada is one of the nicest to grip the mic, but despite what he claims, he's not Top 5 (I bet She would disagree). Top 10, maybe, but there's still a lotta contenders out there. But not Top 5.. Yet, at least. Unless this album is Blueprint or Be status, then we can talk.

Either way, it's always exciting to hear new ish from Jada and the Evil Genius. Be on the looks for Jada's new album The Last Kiss coming March 10th.

Shouts to Meka for the info and link, Enjoy!

Download:

Jadakiss & DJ Green Lantern - Kiss My Ass (The Champ Is Here Part 2)

(Alternate Download Link)

Never Sleep..

.. Cause sleep is the cousin of death.
-Nasir

Since apparently I'm an insomniac tonight, I've got nothin better to do than bless my loyal readers with some late-night music. Works out well for you, huh?

A couple announcement's first, ahem:

Drake drops So Far So Gone this Thursday, he leaked track with (who else?) Weezy F called "Ignorant Shit" over the instrumental from Jigga's American Gangster. If you ain't excited for Drizzy's third mixtape, shame on you. Peep October's Very Own for details and track list.

It looks like Raekwon means business this time about OB4CL II 'cause he's back on the map, first ripping thru 2 new joints - "Realer" with Maino and a remix to Serani's reggae riddim "No Games." Not that I predict these two will be on the album, but at least Rae's rhyming consistently again. Will 2009 be the year of the Linx? Only time will tell.

Finally, the good homie Hurricane Ivan hooked up this unreleased Tupac collabo with the Boot Camp Clik called "Initiated." Here, Tek n Steele and Buckshot flip verses alongside an older a capella from the Left Coast legend. Since Suge had him in the studio so damn much, I got a feeling Pac's got a lot more material for us to hear even after his death (R.I.P.), so I'm always open to new ish. Shit, new to my ears at least.

Other than that, we got new ones from 6th Sense & Outasight, Wale featuring Tre and Young Chris, Slim Thugga, Blu, Playboy Tre and B.o.B., and a fresh Green Lantern remix to Jadakiss' "Letter to Big." Oh, and that video up top is for Asher Roth's "I Love College" courtesy of OnSmash because I loved college, too.

Big ups to the usual suspects - Shake, Ivan, Eskay, KSY and Splash - plus October's Very Own for the Drizzy tape info, Enjoy!

Drake ft. Lil' Wayne - Ignorant Shit

Raekwon ft. Maino - Realer

Senari ft. Raekwon - No Games Remix

Tupac ft. Boot Camp Clik - Initiated

Outasight ft. 6th Sense - Rehearsal Tape

Wale ft. Tre & Young Chris - Nightlife

Slim Thug - Show Me Love

Blu - Amnesia

Playboy Tre ft. B.o.B. - We Are The Robots

Jadakiss - Letter to B.I.G. (Green Mix)

Lost And Damned

I'm not one to usually post video game-related news, but GTA IV is one of my favorites so I gotta rep right quick.

The good folks at Rockstar Games decided to drop a bomb on gamers with Lost and Damned, a new, download-only GTA IV episode for XBox 360 gamers on February 17th. I'm not huge into video games and all that, but I played this one non-stop.

For real. Niko was just merkin' off while DJ Premier and DJ Green Lantern laced radio stations with dope hip-hop for my drives 'round Liberty City.

..Speaking of DJs, part of reason I'm writing this is 'cause the music is handled by Statik Selektah. Y'all should know him from his red-hot '08 LP Stick 2 The Script. Definitely official.

Check out the trailer below courtesy of Mick Boogie and family, and look out for GTA 4 Lost and Damned available February 17, Enjoy!

[Edit: Two trailers have hit, the first one the character is a bike thief named Malc and the second is Billy Grey, the leader of a motorcycle gang. Good looks Kotaku.]

Back 2 The Basics, Again

.. Since I'm at work grinding before our holiday luncheon today, I won't be able to post more than this until I get home (early, I hope!). I downloaded On Smash Presents.. Legend, DJ Nice & DJ Green Lantern's Back 2 The Basics 2 last night for, I mean, obvious reasons - DJ Green Lantern is a beast and the track listing looked incredibly dope.

I only listened to a couple tracks before calling it a night, the "Set It Off" Remix and Fashawn's "Freedom" produced by Exile bang heavy but I can't vouch for the entire thing just yet.

Good looks to Rizoh for the heads up and for upping Vol. 1 which you can download here, Enjoy!

On Smash Presents Legend, DJ Nice & DJ Green Lantern - Back 2 The Basics 2

Track List:

1. Ced Hughes & Emilio Rojas- Kick In The Door (Produced by The Kickdrums)

2. Raekwon & Special Ed - Hood Story (Produced by Huu Banga)

3. Curren$y - Got It (Produced by Monsta Beatz)

4. KiD CuDi - Can I Be

5. Nipsey Hu$$le - HoodStar

6. GoDChilD - Toast 2 Life (Produced by Black Friday)

7. Sha Stimuli - Next Up (Produced by J.Cardim)

8. The Kid Daytona - Lately (Produced by Ill Bomb)

9. Theo - Roberta Flack Revisit (feat. Dolly) (Produced by Flying Lotus)

10. Killer Mike - Grinding

11. Nino Bless - Murdera

12. Kardinal Offishall - Set It Off (Remix) (feat. Dr. Dre & The Clipse) (Produced by Boi-1da)

13. Novel - Noise (Produced by Breeze The Beatmachine)

14. Chip The Ripper - Moses Freestyle

15. D-Black - Hold Up (Gangsta Shit) (Produced by Illmind)

16. Fashawn - Freedom (Produced by Exile)

17. Joell Ortiz - Say No

18. Mickey Factz - OnSMASH (feat. CurT@!N$)

19. The Insomniaks - Crashin Whips

20. Mikkey Halsted - Karma (Produced by No I.D.)

21. Skyzoo - Catch Up (Produced by Ski)

22. Billy Danze - Undescribable (feat. Busta Rhymes)

23. Wafleek - The Hollows

24. Harlem’s Cash - Modern Day Malcolm (feat. Santogold) (The Government Remix)

25. A.Pinks - In My Own World (Bonus)

Election Night

.. The final count is steadily approaching. Check out the NYTimes for What to Watch for on Election Night and peep the Nas & DJ Green Lantern collab recorded last night, Enjoy!

Nas & DJ Green Lantern - Election Night

Where's My Money?

The first time I heard this on GTA IV, I searched for it online and couldn't find it anywhere. Finally, my homie Matt at MAC Media hooked up the MP3. "Where's My Money" is Busta at his best, off DJ Green Lantern's Liberty City Invasion.. Enjoy!

Busta Rhymes - Where's My Money