Monday, August 02, 2004
Slam Bush and Monday music musings
Hip Hop slams Bush. Pay attention to this national MC battle and poetry series/PAC which was created to allow the Hip-Hop generation to take a stand against President Bush and help oust him from office. You know I had to get down with anyone combining two of my favorite subjects: hip hop and railing against the failed administration of George W. Bush. I'm about to become one of the judges for the battle and will probably be joining their advisory board as well so expect a lot more on this site about what's really good with Slam Bush. (allhiphop.com)
Jay-Z to become an executive at Def Jam proper? (Hits)
This is getting out of control now: "Spellbound", the musical? (USA Today)
Knicks Clicks: the New York Knicks blog (but produced by NJ.com "Everything New Jersey", now that ain't right).
Premiering tonight: "Growing up Gotti" should be the Italian-American equivalent of trainwreck viewing like "Making the Band" plus the blinged-out logo is a plus.
How hot is that Champion/Target TV ad currently running using Eric B & Rakim's "Don't Sweat the Technique"?
DJ/Producer Mark Ronson's weekly Kiss 100 FM London radio show: NYC style rock-hip hop mash-up action from the safety of your bedroom by the man who pioneered the new wave in this genre (with all due respect to the original mash-up masters Bam, Herc et al.) (note: broadcast starts with the end of the Princess Superstar radio show which you can skip by if need be. | Related: snippets of Mark's remix of Air's "Alpha Beta Gaga" featuring his new MC protege Rhymefest courtesy of Juno Records MP3 | Win. By the way, have heads heard a rumor that Rhymefest allegedly wrote Kanye's lyrics for "Jesus Walks"?)
Speaking of kanye though, I traded in some really wack major label promo wax this weekend for some good CD's that I had always wanted but never picked up including the Kanye album (which I only ever had the promo vinyl of which omits all those controversial skits), Dead Prez's Get Free or Die Tryin' which is highly recommended for those who dug RBG and T.I.'s Trap Muzik. Like Lyor said in XXL, this kid is The Truth and has the potential and talent to drop some classics in the future (if he can stay out of jail).
I also picked up the Terror Squad album which was a disappointment after the lead-off heat of "Lean Back" and "Yeah Yeah Yeah". The Neptunes/Clipse-esque "Let Them Things Go" is pretty much the only other track really bangin' me in the head although some to the other joints are starting to grow on me a little with repeat plays. And on a semi-related note: has anyone heard the new Marxmen (aka MOP) Marxmen Cinema double album? I was definitely diggin' the track "Here Today, Gone Tomrrow" track from the album. This is slightly ig'nant of me but I've always dug tracks that makes beats from gun shot and gun cock sounds effects. (Also related: "XXXXL" Platinum Fat Joe Terror Squad pendants for sale via Amazon.com, WTF?)
Wanna get down with some Carson Daly style hip hop? Check out The UN's UN or U Out which (I believe) is the debut album from Daly's 456 Entertainment record label. This is some real vintage Stretch & Bob early 90's underground East Coast hip hop a la H2O, LONS etc. Shout out to my man Schott Free holding it down on the Exec Production duties too.
And speaking of early 90's hip hop, is there a Souls of Mischief revival going on that I'm not aware of? In between the million requests for Usher and Kevin Lyttle I routinely get at Fuelray, I've also gotten requests every weekend I've DJ'd so far for Souls and noticed while putting this post together this morning that their 12" single is the #2 best-seller at Fat Beats right now. Is it time to pull that one off the shelves, dust if off and give it a few spins again (along with that Rakim erm... "Target" joint, maybe)?
Times magazine feature on Michael Mann, the film and TV show director who, despite his denials, taught American men about style with his legendary TV show "Miami Vice."
This is really more Jess Blueprint, Aeki Tuesday territory but I gotta ask: Backstreet Boy Nick Carter, "wifey" beater? (E! Online)
Finally, "The Hot Ish" list for August will be posted some time this week. Stay tuned...
