Rutgersfestivities

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Even though I graduated back in October, I still haven't walked for graduation so I can still technically consider myself a student.

Okay, maybe not but let me use that logic to party like one.

Today is the biggest celebration of the year for Rutgers alum's and students, and pretty much anyone in the state who wants to party. I went 3 of my 4 years in school, it's pretty damn cool - they set up shop in a huge field by our football stadium and I'd say around 25-30,000 people show up at any given moment IF not more.

This year we've got performances by Ryan Leslie, Motion City Soundtrack, and N.E.R.D. but that's just an excuse for an all-day, city-wide party.

Before I head out, I had to share in the celebration by posting some tunes from R Les and N.E.R.D.

For anyone in Jersey today, you'll know where to find me - roaming the streets throughout Rutgers and looking for some PYT's and good times. No Asher Roth, Enjoy!

Check out the CBox --->

N.E.R.D. ft. Lee Harvey & Vita - Lapdance

Ryan Leslie - Gibberish

N.E.R.D. - Time For Some Action

Ryan Leslie ft. Jadakiss - How It Was Supposed To Be

N.E.R.D. - Rock Star

Rockin' The Bells

Not as good as last years Rock The Bells NYC line-up with A Tribe Called Quest headlining, Nas, Meth & Red, De La, and the rest but I'm still amped for it.

Excited to see K'naan, Slaughterhouse, Evidence and Alchemist, and the House of Pain reunion.

Stay tuned for more information as it leaks.

Via ML

2009 Movie Previews

So after Slumdog did work at the Oscars, the Academy decided to ditch their usual award show recap and run clips of some of the most-anticipated films coming out this year.

From this list, I'm most looking forward to Angels & Demons, Public Enemies, Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, The Soloist, Whatever Works, and The Boat That Rocked.

Scooped from Cinematical, Enjoy!

And The Grammy Goes To..

With the Grammy's starting within minutes, I'll give my choices for the ones I'm looking forward to. Then, I'll predict which ones are most likely to win.

Keep in mind, Weezy won 3 already. One for Best Rap Solo for "A Millie," one for best Rap Song "Lollipop" and Best Rap Duo/Group for "Swagga Like Us" as did T.I., Kanye and Jay-Z.

Plus, Ne-Yo scooped one for Best R&B song "Miss Independent."

And my boy 'Yeezy got his second with Estelle for Best Rap/Sung Performance for "American Boy."

The question is.. Who will win Best Rap Album?

What do y'all think?

Readyyy?

Go.

Best Rap Album
My Choice: Nas - Untitled
Most Likely to Win: Lil' Wayne - Tha Carter III
Winner: Lil' Wayne - Tha Carter III

Record of the Year
My Choice: Coldplay - Viva La Vida
Most Likely to Win: M.I.A. - Paper Planes
Winner: Robert Plan & Alison Krauss - Please Read The Letter

Album of the Year
My Choice: Lil' Wayne - Tha Carter III
Most Likely to Win: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
Winner: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand

Song of the Year
My Choice: Estelle & Kanye West - American Boy
Most Likely to Win: I think this one's a toss-up, but Estelle & Kanye might have it or Adele with "Chasing Pavements"
Winner: Coldplay - Viva La Vida

Best New Artist
My Choice: Adele
Most Likely to Win: Jonas Brothers (unfortunately)
Winner: Adele

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
My Choice: Ne-Yo - Closer
Most Likely to Win: Kid Rock - All Summer Long (lame-ass Grammy's love a comeback)
Winner: John Mayer - Say

Best Pop Collab
My Choice: Jordin Sparks & Chris Breezy - No Air
Most Likely to Win: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Rich Woman (yuck)
Winner: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Rich Woman

Best R&B Album
My Choice: Al Green - Lay It Down
Most Likely to Win: Jennifer Hudson - Jennifer Hudson
Winner: Jennifer Hudson

Best Jazz Instrumental Album
My Choice: Pat Metheny - Day Trip
Most Likely to Win: Brad Mehldau Trio - Live
Winner: Chick Corea & Gary Burton - The New Crystal Science

Super Bowl Sunday + Grammy's Remixed

Happy Super Bowl Sunday all!

It's definitely a bittersweet time for a football fan like myself. It's sweet because it's the biggest game of the year - and this year we've got a good match-up, I'm excited - but bitter 'cause it's the end of the year. Which means another 7 and some odd months of waiting for next season.

I'm predicting the Steelers over the Cards 27-24, but I'm pullin for the Cards out of the NFC. Just remember, the Giants beat both these squads in the regular season. I know, I know - it doesn't matter 'cause they're watchin it from the couch just like me after choking to Philly. But I'm just sayin....

Also excited to see The Boss perform at halftime. I grew up on his music, dude is one helluva entertainer. Jersey, stand up!



Before I go indulge in a true American holiday by ripping thru Bud Lights and munching on premium Bowl delicacies like wings and nachos, I had to post another quality remixtape by DJ duo Mick Boogie & Terry Urban. This time they put their special touch on Grammy-nominated tracks or records. Some tracks are new remixes including Lupe Fiasco and Adele and some are recycled from 2008 mixes like Viva La Hova and Cornerstone #112.

I'll let Mick speak for the 2009 Grammy Remix Album:

Ever wonder how Kanye would sound rapping on Kenna's song? What if The Jonas Brothers sang over some hiphop breakbeats? What if Thom Yorke sang on Lupe's "Superstar?" What if Sara Bareilles bought a sampler and not a piano? The list goes on... but the answers can be found here.

Big ups to Mick Boogie and fam for the tape, and I hope everyone y'all get home safely from your Super Bowl celebrations. Don't get too drunk. Be safe, Enjoy!

Download:

Mick Boogie & Terry Urban present...

2009: The Grammy Remix Project

1) Adele f/ 6th Sense: Chasing Grammys (6th Sense Remix)
2) Coldplay f/ Jay-Z: Take The Hill (Terry Urban/nVMe Remix)
3) MIA f/ Nas: Paper Planes (Terry Urban Remix)
4) Lil Wayne f/ Kanye West: Lollipop (Kickdrums Remix)
5) Adele: Cold Shoulder (Mick Boogie/Garbs Remix)
6) Radiohead f/ Lupe: Reckon A Superstar (Remot/Mick Boogie Remix)
7) Kenna f/ Kanye West & Lupe: Say Goodbye To Sky (Terry Urban Mix)
8) Jonas Brothers: Love Bug (Mick Boogie/Garbs Remix)
9) Kanye West f/ MIA: Swagger Like Paper (Mick Boogie Remix)
10) Coldplay f/ Lil Wayne: Viva La Milli (Terry Urban Remix)
11) Katy Perry: I Kissed A Girl (Excel Remix)
12) John Mayer f/ Jay-Z: Say (Terry Urban/Judah Remix)
13) Brazilian Girls: Last Call (Discopusher Remix)
14) Lupe Fiasco f/ Sara Bareilles: I Got A Love Song (Remot Remix)
15) Kanye West f/ Big Sean: Good Morning (Kickdrums Remix)
16) Adele: Make You Feel My Love (Mick Boogie/Remot Remix)
17) Coldplay f/ Jay-Z: Lost Part 2 (Mick Boogie Remix)

Today's The Day

"..All across America something is stirring. What the nay-sayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me. It's been about you."

-Barack Obama, Democratic Nomination Acceptance Speech

Inauguration '09 has finally come. I'm grateful that our country can look past differences like race, color, ethnicity, where someone came from and how they were brought up in order to address more serious issues like financial security, equality, human rights, privacy, education, and a hope for a better America for future generations.

A journey begins with just one step, and Obama's inauguration today as the 44th President of this great land is a step in the right direction. Remember, as Gandhi said and Obama often quotes, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." The president can't do it himself, we must change ourselves in order to progress.

For those like me that have to work today and can't follow the inauguration on TV, check out coverage at either the New York Times or Washington Post or your favorite news website.

Today, I am truly proud to be an American.

15 Hip-Hop Artists to Shine in '09

I shine, you shine..

Everybody on this list was grinding all throughout last year. You wanna talk hungry? These talented artists are starving like Mary Kate Olsen to make their mark, so 2009 will be their time to shine. Here are 15 up-and-comers that need to be on your rap radar ASAP (Haha, YN I see you, Fam!).

In Alphabetical Order:

6th Sense

Big Apple producer and rapper 6th Sense was all over hip-hop this year, from creating the Obama anthem "Ignite The People" to providing beats for Mick Boogie & Terry Urban's remixtapes Viva La Hova and 1988. As he started the new year off with "2-0-0-9," a reinterpretation of Common and Sadat X's "1999" featuring The Kid Daytona, Outasight, and Harlem's Cash, fans should expect big things this year from the multi-talented 6th.

88-Keys

Producer/MC extraordinaire 88-Keys dropped his debut LP Death To Adam to widespread critical acclaim. Mostly self-produced and executively produced by Kanye West, its a creative conceptual album about the ups (literally, lol) and downs of a relationship. Hip-hop heads will be talking about Keys' work well through 2009, let's see what else he can bring to the table both lyrically and sonically.

Asher Roth

Here's one dude that had a monumental year. The Pennsylvania wordsmith skyrocketed from virtual unknown to spitting in front of Jay-Z, churning out the Greenhouse Effect Mixtape with DJ Drama and Don Cannon, ripping one of the illest "A Milli" remixes, and performing the university-friendly anthem "I Love College" on Carson Daly. And he still found time to help save the world from terrorists (I know it was his guitarist, but he was there.) Signed to Steve Rifkind's SRC Records in combo with School Boy and Universal, Asher Paul Roth's got a bright future in rap and he doesn't need a degree.

Blu

Cali lyricist Blu has been at it for a while, receiving mad indie love for his '07 LP Below The Heavens with producer Exile. Last year he put out two solid collab efforts, The Piece Talks with Ta-Raach (as C.R.A.C. Knuckes) and Johnson & Jonson with Mainfraime, plus the So(ul) Amazing mixtape with DJ Heat. Already in '09 he's got the second installment of So(ul) Amazing out and I'm positive there's much more dopeness where that came from.

B.o.B.

Eclectic musician/rapper B.o.B. is one entertaining guy. I don't know which I enjoy more - the ATLien's talent on the mic on insightful bangers like "Change Gon' Come" with Asher Roth and Charles Hamilton and "Generation Lost" or his instrumental ability to construct crazy melodies like "Monster" and "Middle of the Day." The hilarious parody "Autotune" and transcendental "I'll Be In The Sky" were two highlights of my year, not to mention his appearance on Luda's "On Top Of The World" and the DJ Scream tape Who The Fuck Is B.o.B. Recent footage of him in the studio with T.I. got me ultra excited to check out his upcoming work.

Charles Hamilton

You couldn't go more than a couple days this year without the young'n Charles Hamilton's name on your favorite blogs, for better or worse. Looking beyond his quip with Soulja Boy and constant chatter, the Sonic-influenced Harlem native put out some dope material. His unique production style and smack-talk punchlines bombarded the blogosphere on numerous DJ Skee-hosted mixtapes like Sonic The Hamilton, And Then They Played Dilla and (my personal favorite) Crash Landed. It'll be interesting to see if his grind can translate into widespread recognition.

Colin Munroe

Toronto representative Colin Munroe is primarily a piano-playing singer but it'd be foolish to confine his sound. He's collab'd with Black Milk on his LP Tronic and Joell Ortiz on the extremely fresh "Piano Lessons," plus he's worked with Wale and Dallas Austin on the fly harmony "Will I Stay (Remix)." Munroe will try to ride off the strength of his debut mixtape Colin Munroe Is The Unsung Hero to enter '09 with a bang.

Donny Goines

I respect any MC whos motto is “If you don’t know my name, I’m not working hard enough.” Donny Goines is undoubtedly one of the hardest working dudes on the rise, dropping multiple lyrical onslaughts like “Wordplay” and “The Look” and various mixtape appearances. Goines’ year culminated in December with the release of his solid LP Minute After Midnight, pushed heavy on digital retailers across the ‘net, insisting that ’09 better know who he is.

Drake

Yeah, yeah I know what you’re thinking. “That dude from that wack ass TV show?” Don’t let that shit fool you, Drizzy is arguably the most beastly newcomer as far as lyrical content and delivery is concerned. And did I mention dude can sing, like, real well? Want proof? He spit outstanding, memorable verses on “Stuntin” and “Ransom” with Lil’ Wayne, put out killer mixtape Comeback Season and flexed his R&B muscle on “Still Fly” and “Replacement Girl” with Trey Songz. But when he stepped up on Kanye’s “Say You Will” instrumental for “Say What’s Real,” he knocked it out of the park – if it’s not one of your favorite reinterpretations of the year, you’re missing out. Mark my words: Drizzy will be the next phenom in '09, already announcing a new mixtape coming soon So Far So Gone and a tentative album Thank Me Later. Stay tuned!

Fashawn

Left coast lyricist Fashawn hopped on the scene, buzzin’ with his inventive lyrics and conceptual topics. Highlights of his ’08 catalog include the street-wear bible “Buyers Guide,” the metaphorical “Missing You,” and weekend anthem “Sunday Morning (Remix)” with K-OS. But he really caught my attention with his Higher Learning mixtape. In-your-face bangers like “Fortified Live (Remix)" and “Freedom” show Fashawn’s hunger – not to mention he’s one of the only cats out with a legit “Day N Nite” remix. I suggest you be on the looks for the Fresno, Cali MC’s debut LP One Shot To Kill.

Jay Electronica

Not your average Magnolia-raised rapper, Jay Electronica’s strength is his individuality. Many have made comparisons to Nas and Jay Elect’s boo Erykah Badu due to their shared characteristic of outright uniqueness, but it’s impossible to classify dude’s music. Though it came out in ’07, the genius “Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge)” nabbed the ‘Nawlins lyricist a strong cult following that spilled into ’08 with his Style Wars EP with the nonchalant jam “I Feel Good” and the real rap of “Renaissance Man.” To wrap up the year, Jay produced “Queens Get The Money” for Nas and leaked the verbal slaying “Swagger Jackson’s Revenge” among others from his demo tape. Though Jay isn’t likely to gain commercial success since the masses choose bars-and-hooks over intellectual rhymes, I guarantee he’ll be respected in hip-hop.

Joell Ortiz

In the fight to revive New York rap, Joell Ortiz is a serious contender. Brooklyn-bred MC Ortiz offered his pinpoint rhymes and neck-snapping punchlines on various heaters this year – Colin Munroe’s “Piano Lessons,” Talib Kweli’s “Hostile Gospel Remix” with Nina Sky and Blu, and most notably Joe Budden’s “Slaughterhouse” alongside Nino Bless and Crooked I. With an absurdly dope collab with Budden on “Move On” and many more tracks leaked off his upcoming Free Agent mixtape, Ortiz is determined to get the attention of the majors.

KiD CuDi

Valentine’s Day. My first listen to “Day N Nite,” and I was isntantly hooked. Still, it took til around October or November – on the strength of NBA Live and Entourage, nonetheless – for the Cleveland MC’s song to blow up. Meanwhile, while the haters were sleepin’, Plain Pat & Emile presented the world with his debut mixtape “A KiD named CuDi.” The free-flowing lyrics on “Man on the Moon (The Anthem)” and spaced-out demeanor of “Embrace the Martian” display the forward-thinking that inspired Kanye West to sign CuDi to G.O.O.D. and let him hop on 808’s and Heartbreak’s best track “Welcome 2 Heartbreak.” Now he’s in the studio putting the finishing touches on his much-anticipated LP Man on the Moon: The Guardians, dropping this Spring.

Mickey Factz

Forget Paul Wall’s irrelevant ass, Mickey Factz had the internet goin’ nuts last year with his quality weekly leaks. The Boogie Down Bronx native dropped the amped-up “Rockin N Rollin (Remix)” with the Cool Kids and stayed consistent day-in and day-out with jams like the insightful “The Understanding” and sneaker-holic joint “I Like Your Supras.” Don’t expect Factz to lose steam in ’09, he’s set to drop his 3rd “Leak” installment very soon at a blog near you.

Wale

I can’t really say much more that I already have about Washington, DC rhyme animal Wale. He dropped arguably the best mixtape of the year with “The Mixtape About Nothing,” sporting his flyboy wordplay, go-go influences and industry commentary on “The Plan,” “The Star,” and especially “The Conclusion.” He also shot a dope video for his ’07 hit “Nike Boots” and blessed tracks alongside The Roots, Young Chris, Brother Ali among others. Though some of his clever lyrics will go over the heads of commercial rap heads, Wale will continue his rise to hip-hop stardom equipped with a sweet record deal with Allido/Interscope and cosigns from Mark Ronson and Kanye West. I’ll be checkin for an upcoming tape Back to the Feature produced by 9th Wonder not to mention his debut LP.

Maximus Air

I'm definitely in love with the new look of the Nike Air Max for 2009. Dubbed the "Flywire," this flip of the classic sneaker features a translucent grid pattern behind the swoosh. No release date is set yet, but rumor has it that these will dropp in the second half of the year.

Check below for more close-ups, good looks to HypeBeast for the info.

It's Time For A Resolution..

.. or maybe a few.

My bad 'bout the lack of posting since the New Year hit, I had to work Friday and was very lazy this weekend soaking up all that NFL's Wild Card Weekend had to offer. Speaking of, let the Eagles celebrate now but they've got a GIANT problem come next Sunday in north Jersey.

Anyways, I'm back in the office for a week but I'm not feelin' 100% right now. I've got this all-over achy thing going and my throat is hurtin'. Still, I'm up to sharing my personal resolutions with you, covering all things from my blog to music to my professional life and just myself in general.

Did you make any resolutions? I know some people think it's pointless or whatnot, but I don't look at them as rules but rather goals that I strive to accomplish to make myself a better person in the New Year:

1. Pay off my credit card debt by Christmas. I'm on track, it's just a matter of time.

2. Pass my Chartered Financial Analyst Level 1 exam in June. This will probably be the toughest one as it'll interfere with my social life big time, but you gotta grow up some time, right? I'll elaborate on a future post about this for anyone interested.

3. Go to the gym 5 times a week. Lift 3 times, cardio 2-3. I started consistently back in September but slacked during the holidays. Now I'm back.

4. Redesign my blog. It needs a new look and possibly a new name/URL. I need a change, but not TOO much. Would you all hate me for doing this? Let me know, I know it's a hassle but I'd love your feedback.

5. Listen to as much music as is humanly possible, from classic jazz to new hip-hop and everything in between.

6. Let others know every chance I get that I appreciate them and I am grateful to have them in my life. This includes my family, friends, co-workers and ALL OF YOU!

7. Spend less money on stuff I want, and focus on what I need. Start saving to move out after I pay off my debt.

8. Be more healthy. Stuff like less drinking, better eating habits, no soda, and limiting myself to one cup of coffee a day. I don't consider myself that unhealthy of a person but I have my vices, and there's always room for improvement. Also, it's tough to turn down food living in an Italian household but I'll be fine if I limit myself. Everything in moderation.

9. Take a couple trips to the City, including one to the top of Rockafellar Center to see that view. I'd also love to get a tour of the set of NBC's 30 Rock. One of my co-workers suggested it and I really want to go.

10. Enjoy everyday life. It's as simple as that.


I'd love to hear about your resolutions and plans for '09. I want to thank everyone again for reading and chattin with me about any of the randomness I post here. Time for a conference call, back to the grind.

Peace!