Listen To Me: "We Made You" Edition

I know most of my internet-savvy readership has heard Eminem's newly leaked single "We Made You" featuring Dr. Dre on the boards. You might have even seen the video where Em continues in his usual antics, parodying Dustin Hoffman in Rainman, Bret Michaels, Amy Winehouse, Sarah Palin and more.

I've got to be honest, the song doesn't do it for me. I'm happy that Marshall is finally putting out music after his multi-year hiatus, but I'm not excited by this particular track. The video is decent, kinda funny but it's predictable. I started listening to Em to hear what type of crazy ish he'd say and now his style is formulaic.

In fact, there's so much other audio leakage on the internets that I'd rather listen to. These tracks have what I like to call "replay value" - it's pretty self-explanatory so I'll spare y'all the talk.

If Em or any of his peoples are reading this - which I'm sure they are (LOL) - I'd like to see more effort, emotion and passion next time around, please.

Let's get things started.. The Top 10 new releases I'd rather be listening to than "We Made You"

1. Asher Roth ft. Cee-Lo - Be By Myself

Sure it's got a crazy organ loop and the incessent "Ohhh" in the background, but Asher is hungry on "Be By Myself." He puts in the type of effort that I can respect, even if I don't like everything he says. That's something we haven't seen from Em since his Slim Shady persona. Combine Asher's linguistics with Cee-Lo's one-of-a-kind vocal touch and you've got yourselves a winner.

I'm too young to be locked down
Not now, need a new car
Drive around with the top down
New broad with her bra and her top down
Chillin' in the backseat, screamin' out loud

2. KiD CuDi ft. Kanye West & Common - Poker Face (Lady Gaga Sample)

Traditionists will beef with this song, but they have to realize that hip-hop is changing so the best MCs are able to transition to the newer era. I read someone Twitter-hating Common's verse, most likely the "Blame It" reference, but I actually dug his verse the most. Plus, Yeezy is on it and this is probably the only Lady Gaga song you'll hear me play.. & actually enjoy.

3. Any song featuring Blu

I've said it before, I'll say it again - Blu is the illest freshman from the West right now. especially on new songs like "LoveLine(s),DedicatedToLastFe’vrier" over Exile's "Love Line" or with Flying Lotus on the remix to "GNG BNG." As Gotty from TSS describes him, he's a "lyricists lyricist" - I couldn't have said it better myself.

4. Incubus - Black Heart Intertia

Your eyes haven't failed you.. I said Incubus, cot dammit! Ever since I heard "Aqueous Transmission" and "Drive," I knew this was the type of rock music I could listen to. Their new song off upcoming album Monuments & Melodies will be a hit, and I'm down with it.

5. Joell Ortiz ft. Novel - Stand Up

Okay this ones not that new, it's off Joell's Free Agent tape, but who cares. "Stand Up" reminds me of Maino's recent banger "All The Above," except with a Fakon hook courtesy of Novel. Just like Maino, Joell Ortiz has street cred with the proper delivery right now but needs some radio-crossover appeal. "Stand Up" is a step in the right direction.

Rounding out the Top 10:

5. Jackson 5 - ABC Remix prod. K-Salaam & Beatnick

6. Beyoncé ft. Kanye West - ''Ego''

7. Scratch (formally of The Roots) ft. Musiq Soulchild - Tonite

8. Slaughterhouse - Wack MCs [Okay, not exactly that new but the mixtape just came out]

9. Melanie Fiona ft. Talib Kweli - Give It To Me Right (Remix)

10. Elzhi - The Genesis (Snippet) [off his Nas-inspired LP Elmatic]


All links in the CBox, per usual --->

Can't Stop, Won't Stop

[thought the pic was funny, not really relevant LOL]

..Okay, I've ranted about Blogger taking down my posts before, so excuse me if I repeat myself.

Actually, I'm not even gonna complain about my "A Blog Supreme" post, featuring U-N-I's and Jadakiss' new albums, getting chucked out the window today. In the back of my mind I knew it was a mistake and I'll man up to the consequences.

What I'm gonna do is keep doing what I do, with one stipulation. I'm not gonna post full retail album leaks anymore without the artist/label consent, for obvious reasons.

But I reiterate, if any label heads or artists want their music taken down from my site, PLEASE just let me know. I'll edit the post instantly and remove the material.

On to what you really came here to see and hear, some music.



I saw other blogs posting leaks from Virginia MC Nickelus F over the past couple weeks, but wanted to wait until the full version of his album Heathen dropped to listen. I'm definitely feelin the nice flow and real-talk concepts, so I got the word on Twitter to post it.

"Corner Store Music" and "Lifted" are my jams, but the whole album is consistent. Download it here, and check out NickelusF.com for some bonus tracks that even I haven't heard yet!




Another artist I wanted to put you up on is CientifiQ, Big Apple-raised and currently reppin' central Texas. Not only is he cool peoples but he makes some real good music. Controlling the MPC and on the mic, Q does the whole nine.

His voice is reminiscent of Chali 2na from J-5 but the subject matter is what grabbed me initially on tracks like "Common Ground" and "Where She At? (Hip Hop)." He's definitely a purveyor of real hip-hop - Head on over to his Reverb Nation page for a listen.


Let's round things out with tracks from (my current crush) Melanie Fiona featuring Talib Kweli, KiD CuDi with Wale, Rich Boy, and Chrisette Michele featuring Rick Ross & Juelz Santana.

And of course, some sneaks that I'd buy if I got me a government bailout, Enjoy!

Links in the C-Box --->


Melanie Fiona ft. Talib Kweli - Give It To Me (Remix)

KiD CuDi ft. Wale - Look Up In Da Stars

Rich Boy - It's Over

Chrisette Michele ft. Rick Ross & Juelz Santana - Epiphany Remix


Can I Kick It?

Tying Up Loose Ends

I got some time this morning to lay down some quality music and videos, so heeere we go..

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

Up first is a vid for "Welcome to Heartbreak" a.k.a. the best song off 808's and HeartBreak. I know that's not saying much. But director Nabil, the mind behind the fly animated "Champion" vid, did his thing with the colors and transitions on this one for Kanye and CuDi.

B.o.B - "Generation Lost"

The second is another vid, this time for B.o.B's "Generation Lost," one of the dopest tracks from the ATLien signed to T.I.'s Grand Hustle. I presume this is off his debut LP The Adventures of B.o.B. but we'll know for sure when we get the track list. Check it out, it's a pretty simple video. It doesn't matter, the music is powerful enough.

Also finished up Padded Room, and wow. I don't wanna give a rating or anything yet but I'm thoroughly impressed.

Of course, I spotted some newness during my frequent Google Reader browsing. Here's new ish from Jadakiss, Joe Budden, B.o.B., Joell Ortiz, Lil' Wayne & Juelz, Nottz featuring Kardinal Offishall & Cory Gunz, Saigon, Mos Def, Talib Kweli CDQ, Termanology and Skyzoo from that GTA Lost & Damned, Outasight, and Last Emperor (where's he been??).

Good looks to TSS, RapDirt, Ivan, and the usual suspects for the muzak, Enjoy!

Links in the CBox --->

Jadakiss - Magic City (Rumors of a remix with Cam, Weezy, Diddy and more in the works)

Joe Budden - In My Sleep

Joe Budden - Get It In Freestyle

Talib Kweli - My Favorite Song (CDQ)

B.o.B. - Don't Break My Heart

Joel Ortiz - Bout My Money

Lil' Wayne ft. Juelz Santana & Starr - Rockstar

Nottz - Can't Hide The Truth ft. Kardinal Offishall & Cory Gunz

DJ Deckstream ft. Mos Def - Life Is Good

Saigon - Spit (Radio Rip)

Termanology - Here in Liberty City

Skyzoo - The Chase Is On

Outasight - Exclusive prod. Oddisee

Last Emperor - Gangster Groove

A Rough Start

Raspy voice killa, The ilelst of the illa
Fly gangsta nigga, Stay blowin' a vanilla
Life's a bitch and if I ever meet her, I'ma tell her
Give it to anybody, on beat or a capella
-Jada, "We Run This"

Happy Valentine's Day to all the lovers out there, but right now I'm heart-broken. Somebody juxed my BlackBerry & iTouch from my whip last night while I was seeing Taken, which is a pretty damn good movie and I suggest seeing it.

Since insurance is taking care of a new Storm, I'm just real heated about the iTouch. But I'll brush it off, scoop up a 30 GB one soon. I've been wanting more memory so maybe it's a blessing in disguise. I'm goin to check some iPods out today and grab me a new external HD at Best Buy, might spring for the 1 TB Western Digital.

I wish I was in the spirit enough to post a mix or videos of some love songs, my bad folks. It hasn't been that fun of a start to my Valentine's Day/Presidents day weekend. If I'm ambitious later I'll do a lil' somethin but for now I'm just not in the mood.

And lastly, in sneaker and NBA-related news, did y'all hear about Kid CuDi gettin tased? Apparently, the fly Clevelend MC wanted to rock Jordans on stage at a Reebok-sponsored NBA All-Star party in Phoenix. Things got ugly, shit hit the fan and somehow CuDi got tasered in the midst of all this. Check the full story at AllHipHop, but details are scarce right now.

Got a couple assorted songs that leaked recently and a few of my favorites from the decent Jada tape and sub-par Drizzy tape. Newness compliments of the usual fam. Enjoy.

Jadakiss - Kiss My Ass

Drake - November 18th

Jadakiss - We Run This (Green Mix) [The Evil Genius flips Jada over the "Resevoir Dogs," "So Ghetto," and "What We Do Is Wrong" beats, classic.]

Drake - The Calm

Jadakiss - Big Dogg Status

Raekwon - Heat Rocks

Young Chris ft. Joe Budden - Freestyle

Donny Goines - Where Amazing Happens prod. 6th Sense [NBA Weekend Tribute]

U-N-I - Calender Girls [Snippet]

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.

15 Favorite Mixtapes of '08

[courtesy of ivan]

Welcome to 2009 everyone, I hope it's your best year yet and I wish all of you good health, prosperity.. all that good stuff.

Before we get things jumping, I gotta look back to see what mixtapes I kept on heavy rotation last year. And there were some good ones. If you haven't heard these, I advise you to before the '09 hip-hop faucet starts leakin':

Mick Boogie & Terry Urban – Viva La Hova (Coldplay vs. Jay-Z)

Fav Tracks: "Lost Part 1," "Hola Blanco"

10. Deep presents Wale – Mixtape About Nothing mixed by Nick Catchdubs

Fav Tracks: "The Perfect Plan," "The Star"

10.Deep - The New Deal mixed by DJ Benzi
Fav Tracks: "2nd Time Around" ft. Wale & Brother Ali, "Piano Lessons" ft. Colin Munroe & Joell Ortiz prod. Black Milk

Nas & DJ Green Lantern – The Nigger Tape

Fav Tracks: "Esco Let's Go," "Nas Timeline" mixed by Statik Selektah

Joe Budden – Halfway House

Fav Tracks: "Just To Be Different," "Sidetracked"

Lil’ Wayne & The Empire - The Drought Is Over Part 6 (The Reincarnation)

Fav Tracks: "Best Thing Yet," "Put Me In The Game"

Legend & DJ Blazita - Real Hip-Hop No Gimmicks

Fav Tracks: Big Boi ft. Andre 300 & Raekwon - "Royal Flush," Talib Kweli ft. Blu & Joell Ortiz - "Hostile Gospel Remix"

10.Deep presents KiD CuDi - A KiD Named CuDi produced by Plain Pat & Emile

Fav Tracks: "Man on the Moon (The Anthem)," "Day N Nite"

Asher Roth – Don Cannon & DJ Drama present The Greenhouse Effect Vol. 1

Fav Tracks: "The Lounge," "ROTH Boys"

Mick Boogie, Shuko & The Gunna - Brooklyn Soul (Jay-Z vs. Marvin Gaye)

Fav Tracks: "Hello Brooklyn 2.0," "Party Life"

DJ Doc Rok – The Biggie Hendrix Experience

Fav Tracks: "Hypnotize/ Wild Thing," "Juicy/ Are You Experienced"

Mick Boogie & DJ Treat – Complex Magazine presents Leaders of the New Cool

Fav Tracks: B.o.B. - "I'll Be In The Sky," The Knux - "Fire"

Torae - Daily Conversation

Fav Tracks: "Click" ft. Skyzoo prod. DJ Premier, "Switch" prod. Black Milk

The Cool Kids - Instant Classic Mixtape

Fav Tracks: "Eighty Eight," "Pump Up The Volume"

Charles Hamilton – DJ Skee presents Crash Landed

Fav Tracks: "November 10th," "Ambitions of Musicians"

Now Move Yo' Behind

What a depressing-ass day in the Tri-State. With all this rain, I need some sunshine in my life. It's days like today I wish I hadn't taken off work, but since I can't go back in time I'm gonna keep y'all up on all the hotness hitting the blogosphere this morning.

Up top we've got a vid of Common performing "Universal Mind Control" on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Comm is a straight up entertainer, he controls the crowd a rocks with a veteran swag. I've seen him twice and can't wait 'til he comes back around the way.

For your bootlegging pleasure, I first want to point you in the direction of one of the best Biggie-related posts I've seen in a minute. TC over at TSS gives a dope synopsis of Christopher Wallace's rise to rap royalty and kindly provides download links to a substantial portion of Frank White's catalog. Good looks, homes!

Finally, I'll hook it up proper with some MP3's. Check these new joints - a Travis Barker Remix to "Jockin' Jay-Z," Kid CuDi's "Super Boo," and T.I.'s "Message to the Government." Hopefully these will get you through this rain-soaked nonsense, stay dry!

Thanks to Perajok for the video and Obese, KSY-Music and illRoots for the songs, Enjoy!

Links over thurr ------>

Jay-Z - Jockin' Jay-Z (Travis Barker Remix)

Kid CuDi - Super Boo

T.I. - Message To The Government

The New Deal

.. Did y'all really expect me to be gone long? Well today was definitely crazy and I'm sure the next couple weeks will be to close out '08, but it's all good 'cuz I'm feelin' fresh n new like '09.

To pay homage to my new-found self, I'm hooking everyone up with some brand new hip-hop. Specifically, I'm talkin bout 10.Deep & DJ Benzi's latest tape The New Deal Mixtape, a showcase of some of today's rising stars like Wale, Kid CuDi, Naledge of Kidz in the Hall, Skyzoo, & Blu among others mixed in with heaters from vets like Common and Jay-Z.

It would be foolish to sleep on these dudes with such talent. Shouts to TSS for the heads up, Enjoy!

Download Here

Track List:

01. Benzi - 2nd Time Around (feat. Wale & Brother Ali)
02. Colin Munroe - Piano Lessons (feat. Joell Ortiz) (Produced by Black Milk)
03. Izza Kizza - Back To Miami (Produced by Koolade)
04. We Major Freestyle (Produced by The Kickdrums)
05. Blu - Spacejive
06. Wale - Pot of Gold (feat. Daniel Merriweather) (Produced by Mark Ronson)
07. Kidz In The Hall - Cool, Relax (feat. Jay Electronica)
08. Kid Sister - Get Fresh
09. South Rakkas Crew - Mad Again (Dipo Remix) (feat. Amanda Blank)
10. Kanye West - Paranoid (Remix) (feat. Big Sean)
11. Common - What A World (feat. Chester French)
12. Donnis - Party Works
13. Blaqstarr - Get Off (Produced by Diplo)
14. Jackie Chain - Rollin (Remix) (feat. KiD CuDi)
15. Benzi - Jockin (feat. Donnis, Naledge & Chip The Ripper) (Produced by Mano)
16. Hollywood Holt - Hollywood (Chaise Marcel)
17. Tittsworth - DAF (Say Wut Remix) (feat. The Federation)
18. Naledge - 10 Deep Freestyle (Produced by Double O)
19. Skyzoo - So Close (Produced by 9th Wonder)
20. Daytona - Lately
21. Jay-Z - Brooklyn Go Hard (Mick Boogie Remix) (feat. Santogold & Notorious B.I.G.)
22. Brooklyn Girls

And I Got What It Takes..

.. To rock the mic, right!

I gotta give heavy props to the home girl Shenda a.k.a. Super Woman(!!) for hookin' this video up. I worked late and didn't even see this 'til after I studied tonight - hand me a late pass but this is some real ish people that went down in Britain at the G.O.O.D. Music after-party. Fly MC's rappin' off the dome - including Mos, De La, and Nasir - proves hip-hop is alive and breathin'.

Great moments at 2:10 ("Stay fresh in a black bubble jack/ I'm sure Biggie would be proud of that"), 5:30 (When the DJ drops the Black Star instrumental, Def both shut it down AND opened up shop), and 6:55 (Now dude drops "Made U Look," I got chills from the instrumental, not to mention Kanye's hoodie). I wish they showed Yeezy or CuDi rhyme but hey, I'm content with what Semtex gave us.

Man I hope they bring this to the tri-state and see how we set it off, Enjoy!

You're Welcome

Guy cracked a joke, all the kids laughed
But I couldn't hear him all the way in first class
Chased the good life my whole life long
Looked back on my life, now my life gone
Where did I go wrong?

I thought briefly about waiting but I just had to post this Kanye track for two reasons.

For one, 808's and Heartbreak is leaking like a faucet so I want to keep you all updated on its status. This one sounds REAL dope - the beat is dramatic and lyrics are awe-inspiring- that I can easily overlook that it sounds like it was recorded on a tape deck from laptop speakers.

And secondly, though this is probably the worst quality web rip ever, the DJ's drops are beyond hilarious. The homie from "Shark Radio" plasters his presence all over the place and it cracks me up - at least its entertaining unlike loud-mouth Kay Slay or Khaled a.ka. "the worst." Gotta give him props for hitting the 'net with that exclusive, too.

You're gonna need to pump the volume on this one until a better rip or the CDQ leaks. Even if you don't like the direction in which Ye's taking his music, the DJ drops are enough reason to check this one out.

Shouts to Fake Shore Drive for the MP3, Enjoy!

Kanye West ft. Kid Cudi - Welcome To Heartbreak

Any Way

.. Kanyeezy's back at it again with the leaks, less than 3 weeks 'til 808's and Heartbreaks. Shouts to illRoots and eskay for the mp3, Enjoy!

Kanye West ft. Kid Cudi - Any Way

Till The Day I Die..

..I'ma Stay Fly.

After learning last night that downtown Denver throws down heavy (shouts to Rio, Front Porch, & especially Five Degrees!), I'm back on the last night of my business trip to recap the best new tracks of the week. Here's the run-down.. Enjoy!

ASHer Roth - Chillionaire A Millie

Big Boi ft. Mary J. Blige - Sumtin' Gotta Give (NO DJ!)

KiD CuDi - Maui Wowie (grab his new mixtape A Kid Called CuDi HERE courtesy of 10.Deep)

Mickey Factz ft. Robin Thicke - Keyz of Life

Mickey Factz ft. Tanya Morgan - We Ain't

Nas - Like Me [UK Bonus Track]

Rhymefest ft. Wale - Ain't Heard It From Me prod. Scram Jones

Skillz - For Real (He Don't Own Me)

Styles P ft. Junior Reid - Invasion! prod. Green Lantern

T.I. - Whatever You Like

Wale ft. Young Chris - Whole Time

Make Way For The Kiiiiid!...

I was born to do the damn thang

... CuDi, that is. Shouts to eskay and her for this new track from Cleveland's KiD CuDi and DC native Wale, two stylish new hip-hoppers that everyone should peep. Enjoy!

KiD Cudi ft. Wale - Is There Any Love

Pete Rock, Wale, Kid Cudi & Torae..

This Thursday... @ Highline Ballroom in NYC.. Workin on getting some press tickets for this one.. can't wait!