Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Hardcore Hip Hop Lyricism is Back!
Did I recycle this photo? Sorry if I did but it's the muh'f-ckin' Clipse dropping a new album in a month - GET FAMILIAR!
At this point it seems like pretty much the entire Game album has leaked. I'm not gonna give away the whole joint on GP but I may put up another track or two. If there's one you've read about that you want to check out and I have it, let me know and I'll post it. In the meantime, here's a 20 minute freestyle by Game and his Black Wall Street affiliates, Blackboy (ATL) and Juice (Phoenix) on the Shortee Blitz & Big Ted hip hop show on KISS-FM in London. Unless it was all pre-rigged, that kid Blackboy is pretty nice off the top. Yet again, stereotypes about gangsta rappers not being nice lyrically get skewered. (alternate link: Zshare download/stream)
Download the Clipse Hell Hath No Fury album sampler (hosted by Green Lantern). (alternate link: Zshare download/stream)
Bonus joints: Clipse - "At Your Door" | "New World" (via Rome)
A Hell Rell video game. WTF??
Lupe responds to the Swift Chancellor.
Ciara e-card.
John Lennon talking action figure.
Rakim shilling for EMC2's AIM Program of Energetic Balancing. Er.. what?? Brings new meaning to the line "I drop science like a scientist" from his classic "My Melody." Or something....
** CONTEST **
First one to tell me by email the name of the new "single" DFA producer James Murphy did for Nike under his LCD Soundsystem band guise will win a pair of the brand new "My Love" remix 12"s featuring the much-buzzed about DFA remixes and more. Email address at top left, subject line: "JT DFA remix contest."
"Sometimes you have to make a stand for your principles if you want to believe in who and what you are...."
What Civil Rights Movement? From this to N-ggaSpace in less than four decades....
N-ggaSpace: a place fo' n-ggas - "You definitely don't have to be black to join! We just want to embrace the black culture that continues to innovate and strive!" WTF?? Apparently this is actually for real. I can't even really get into how f-cking ridiculous this is but like I said to Antoine who put me up on this, "I'm not sure if I'd be more or less upset if a black person created this." Jalylah, Cheryl, Oliver, Jay or Bol: go in, please!
Is the GOP the "Black Man's Party?"
Maybe not... vote for Bob Corker, he's whiter. (related: Is Corker Still Hawking Family Values? | "Man, the black Republicans are in full force today defending the RNC's racial smear ad against Harold Ford." - from the other O-Dub)
A new film's Black Jesus stirs controversy. But why?? (more: the Colors of the Cross official website.)
While finally: thirty-six years later, Syracuse University honors nine black players' anti-racism stand.
Truly Scary: Halloween in Queensbridge?
Happy Halloween! Here's a few ghoulish treats from the QB to celebrate the witching hour:
Mobb Deep "Go Head" - a previously unreleased cut from the brand new Life of the Infamous... Best of Mobb Deep collection from Sony Legacy recordings. How funny is it that QB's grimiest are getting the legacy treatment alongside artists like Nina Simone. The album includes liner notes written by their original A&R (at 4th & Bway) and Official Street Cat™ Bonz Malone so don't just d/l this joint - go cop! Click here for more details. (alternate link: Zshare download/share)
Nas "Hip Hop is Dead" - a pretty flagrant re-use (after "Thief's Theme" on his last album) of the Incredible Bongo Band’s cover of Iron Butterfly’s “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” but Nas has said “I’m going to continue using them again and again.” (spotted via Rizoh alternate link: Zshare download/share)
Special throwback joint: Noreaga feat. Nas & Nature "Blood Money (Part 2)" from the Ride soundtrack. "Blood Money (Part 1 )" is also on that new Best Of Mobb Deep mentioned above as well as that rare-as-a-muh'f-cker "Shook Ones Pt. I." (alternate link: Zshare download/share)
Bonus viewing:
Sacha's All Hallows Eve rap video round up.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Monday mp3 round-up.....
The UK's Amy Winehouse: a return to form?
I've been going extra hard body with the MP3's recently so I'm gonna fall back a bit and let these other sites hold it down for a minute:
callmeMICKEY has Jim Jones feat Juelz Santana - "Emotionless"
Still Listen has yet another dis record: The Game - "Show Me What You Got (G-Unit Diss)". Game, you don't need this to keep doing this, B. You just droppped one of the hottest records in the last two years and cats are felling the other joints that have leaked from your album.
The Discobelle crew has the DFA remix of "My Love" by Justin Timberlake (no T.I.??) This one is kind of giving me disco-era Rolling Stones vibes for some reason.
- Classic Diplomats tracks
- Lil Scrappy feat Sean P (of YoungBloodZ) "Got Work"
(both via the Tin Man)
The return of Amy Winehouse. I repped this chick's "In My Bed" single so hard a couple years back, it's good to see she's back.
And finally, this n-gga Nigo is really on some sh-t: A Bathing Ape Bugatti!!!
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Airing things out.....
People, get used to scrolling down through old posts from now on 'cos I will always be updating them and adding stuff as I get it if it fits in better there than in new posts.
For example, peep the post I did on Bay Area hip hop for a couple new blog links to even more of that hyphy crack music and then slide to "New York State of Mind," the post I did on NY hip hop a couple days back for newly-added download links to Papoose's "Air It Out" freestyle that he did over the "Chicken Noodle Soup" beat as well as a grip of Pap mixtapes and another special bonus you can "get 4 cheap." While you're there, cop the links to a vintage late 80's mix by the legendary DJ Red Alert on Kiss-FM and a collection of mp3's of original samples used by Pete Rock for some of his most classic productions both courtesy of the excellent Palms Out Sounds blog.
More stuff:
MOVIES
Cocaine Cowboys opened this weekend. "Better than Scarface" claims Pitbull. (spotted at ProHipHop by way of Rizoh)
NY Times previews the new movie American Gangster, the story of mega-successful Harlem druglord Frank Lucas starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. Looks promising....
MUSIC
The Times again on the story behind "Apache" - "the National Anthem of Hip-Hop" (via The In Crowd | related: O-Dub has more.)
BOOKS
I haven't finished the whole thing yet but Notorious C.O.P. is an easy but compelling read about the story of former officer Derrick Parker, the NYPD's first "Hip Hop cop." Dude goes into a lot details about setting the country's first "Hip Hop Surveillance Unit" and some of the major crimes that have haunted the hip hop community over the past decade. But instead of me spilling any of details, check it out for yourself even if it means posting up for an afternoon at a Barnes & Noble to skim through it or ordering a copy on the cheap from Half.com. (semi-related: New York’s [other] ‘hip hop cop’ goes on trial via Eskay )
And once again, Eskay on Snoop's new book Love Don't Live Here No More: Doggy Tales Vol. 1 here.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
"The challenge is to get Americans to focus on pocketbook issues, not on the Iraq and terror issue...."
The Iraq war: a debacle all around. Even Bush knows and can't deny it any more.
Sen. Bill Frist's strategy for the GOP: stick our heads in the sand and pretend Iraq's not there. Or did he get those talking points straight from the top?
Too bad the economy might not cooperate with the GOP's new "ignore the war" election playbook.
So what about the war?
"Iraq and Afghanistan are perilously close to becoming failed states..." - that's a quote from the ultra-conservative Washington Times, not one of my usual lefty-liberal news sources saying that!! (related: here's a link from one of those lefty sources on the same story though - "Iraq moves closer to failed state territory.")
Government corruption there is MAD FLAGRANT while the violence is so bad now that the Iraqi government wants to limit the release of mortality data.
And the US military death toll so far in October is the worse monthly toll in a year, US generals even have to now admit that sh-t is F-CKED UP while active duty troops are now openly pressing Congress to end the U.S. presence in Iraq.
George "Flip-Flop" Bush: ‘We’ve Never Been Stay The Course’.
And at the risk of setting Clyde off again, I ask the question: won't setting
The Iraqi PM's is trying to walk away from Bush. Who can blame him??
And we “cut & Run” from Afghanistan and let the terrorists take back over there for this mess?? (related: The NY Times' Elizabeth Rubin on why the Taliban have returned to Afghanistan.)
Well Iraq's a mess... except for some folks.
So yeah George, I would say you do "owe the American people an explanation." Understatement.of.the.year. WTF?
Bonus viewing/reading:
Shut Up and Sing: long time readers know I've been riding for the Dixie Chicks for a while. SUPPORT THIS MOVIE on G.P.
FEAR POLITICS: DON'T LET IT INFLUENCE YOUR VOTE...
Respect the game and the game....
It looks like The Game's album is leaking but out of repsect for him and his hustle, I'm not gonna post everything I've found but I'm sure with some surfing around y'all cheapskates who refuse to buy any music will be able to find all the tracks that are out there. For real though, support these artists if you like their music.
The Game feat. Nas & Marsha (of Floetry) "Why You Hate The Game" (prod. Just Blaze) - "And the sun shines with you...." This sounds like it could be the closing-out track from Doctor's Advocate (?). One word: RIDONKOLOUS. Say what you want about Jayceon Taylor, his beat selection ear is f-cking IMPECCABLE. Real talk: Ras Kass, Canibus and Nas should let him A&R their albums, seriously. This ish is epic and soulful but not in an overly bombastic way even at over nine minutes in length. (alternate link: Zshare stream/download)
Bootleg remix alert: this is more Discobelle, Catchdubs or Lemon Red's lane but check out the Jim Jones "We Fly High (DJ Booman Baltimore club remix)" - it's actually really good. (courtesy the Doo Dew Kidz)
Interview with the Kickdrums, the production due behind that pseudo "new" track "Hov is Back" that I posted a few days back.
Sneaker Search Engine (via NiceKicks.com)
Friday, October 27, 2006
New York State of Mind
Fabolous "Walk in New York" - holy smokes, it's like 1993 all over again with this new mixtape banger from the F-A-B-O. This is some real New York ish without the tired Diamond D retread beats. He's still got it when he's not robbing (allegedly), getting shot and arrested. (alternate link: Zshare stream/download)
The internet is goin' NUTS!!! Just sent to me: Jim Jones & Dame Dash “Kingdom Done (Jay-Z Dis)” - little did I know how prophetic (or ironic?) the title of my last post was gonna be. (alternate link: Zshare stream/download)
Related: Jim Jones "We Fly High (New York Giants Remix)" - Jimmy's making a real claim for being the next King of NY, sorry Jay, 50 and Nas. (first spotted via Still Listen....) (alternate link: Zshare stream/download)
Papoose "Air it Out (Chicken Noodle Soup Freestyle)" - from the 2nd Place Is The First Loser mixtape by Kay Slay. This has been bangin' on Enuff's Hot 97 afternoon drivetime mixshow for a couple weeks now but only started circulating now. (alternate links: zshare stream/download | real audio stream via HipHopHavoc)
Papoose-related: dude is so hot (no Foley) that even muh'f-ckin Eskay's commenters got that piff; Get links for free downloads of Papoose mixtapes and the unreleased, "lost" Elektra debut album by the Clipse, Exclusive Audio Footage right here.
And via the excellent Palms Out Sounds blog:
- Vintage DJ Red Alert mixing hip hop and reggae live on 98.7 Kiss FM Pt.1 c. 1989.
- MP3's of samples used in classic Pete Rock-produced tracks.
It's All Good - a coffee table photobook of images of street life in NYC taken by Serbian-born Boogie.
While finally: born and bred New Yorker Justin Bua's "hip hop" art or his "Distorted Urban Realism" style of art as his bio describes it.
"I'm an asshole, n-gga like Damon Dash...."
Berkeley's The Pack (Uno, Lil B, Stunna & Young L): the Bay Area's youngest in charge....
Bay Area special edition - don't hate if this isn't representative or cutting edge enough for you experts on the scene out there. I'm merely highlighting joints from my peoples and stuff that's come across my radar recently from the Yay. Let me know what y'all f-cks with and what's not crackin' though....
The Pack "Go" - brand new track not slated to be on their own album next year or the special 7-track Skateboards to Scrapers EP that'll be dropping Dec 19th featuring "Vans" and the "Vans (remix)" with Too $hort and Mistah FAB. (alternate link: Zshare stream/download)
DJ Shadow feat. The Federation & Animaniaks "Turf Dancing" - one of a few extremely bangin' hyphy anthems on Shadow's recently-released album, The Outsider which has been largely dismissed by the Entroducing fanboys because of his embrace of the new Bay hip hop sound and live instrumentation in his production. F-ck whatcha heard though - admittedly the album is pretty schizo-sounding but there's some good ass music on it and enough of the vintage "Shadow production sound" to satisfy the more open-minded Josh Davis Stans out there. (alternate link: Zshare stream/download)
"Too Short" with Kardinal Offishall, Snoop Dogg, Will.i.am & Fergie "Keep Bouncin' (remix)" - kind of cheating on this one as far as Bay area content goes 'cos my muh'f-ckin man Kardi does a remix of $hort's very slept-on second single from the Blow the Whistle album adding himself but TAKING $HORT OFF THE RECORD!! What part of the game is that?? (alternate link: Zshare stream/download)
Mac & A.K. "Hard Times" - OG grinders in the Bay hip hop scene, my man Mac is one of the most underrated producers in the game. Look for a collab album he's planning with Planet Asia for release next year. (alternate link: Zshare stream/download)
Milano feat. Mistah FAB & Turf Talk "Yes Sir" - sounds kind of like a mellowed out crunk record mixed with some new wave flavor. Not bad though to my ears. (alternate link: Zshare stream/download)
E-40 & San Quinn "Baller Blockin'" - from the videogame-inspired Dan The Automator presents 2K7 "soundtrack album." No idea how the game is but the album is about as good as as it could be when virtually every song is about basketball and contains really terrible sports metaphors as a result. That being said, it has its moments including this track and a not bad Lupe joint that I may put in an upcoming post. The album features a grip of other respected mainstream and underground guest MC's. Click here for more details. (alternate link: Zshare stream/download)
Bonus reading:
Wanna connect with other folks who f-cks with music like this? Join Thizzspace.com - the MySpace for the Nation of Thizzlam.
City of Dope - Bay area hip hop blog.
More recent Bay area hip hop songs and videos reviewed by Fear of A Brown Blogger's Ninoy Brown.
A Message from Snoop from The Wire
Thursday, October 26, 2006
"This is not a dis song, it's just a real song...."
Trust me, he'll be getting more airtime between now and Nov 21, love him or hate him
For real, F-CK Blogger! Their sh-t was down all night meaning I had to stay up late to do this post and end up being the last cat posting...
Jay-Z feat. Erykah Badu (I think) "Lost Ones" - I know I've been love-hating on this new Hov ish but seriously, all the stuff that's leaked so far has been cool and I actually like this track and have had it on repeat all night, but are y'all really excited about Kingdom Come??
I know cats are coming through and swiping the joints I've been posting but I'm not seeing a lot of commenting or genuine excitement for Sean Carter's Second Coming. S'cool. I'm playing the back rocking my new Birdman/Weezy rip on the ipod and, no joke, the Jibbs album. It's pop-rap perfection. BTW: is he talking about breaking up with Beyonce on this joint? (alternate link: Zshare stream/download - jacked from Spine)
New Clipse feat. Pharrell & Rosco P. Coldchain "Chinese New Year" here - are people still excited about the upcoming and long-awaited Hell Hath No Fury album too?? It's the only 5mic/XXL rated album this year (right?) but outside of the core Clipse fanboys, it's feeling real quiet out there. On 11/28 we'll know for sure though.
Download a fiya Amerie mixtape here. (courtesy LoveAmerie.com spotted via The Fader)
Before there was The Roots - the Swift Chancellor on Stetsasonic, the "original hip hop band."
And not to go all Robbie Unkut on y'all but I'm gonna keep it old school for a minute:
- On Halloween: The Bodega's 5th Annual CMJ Showcase w/ Prince Paul and the Ill Out Crew featuring performances and guest apperances from Stetsasonic, CL Smooth, A.G. (of Showbiz & A.G. and D.I.T.C.), the Juggaknots and more. Click here for more details.
- Speaking of D.I.T.C.: a new Lord Finesse rarities album.
- And also mentioned in that last link: A.G.'s new Get Dirty Radio album. Here's the first single: "Frozen" (produced by Madlib).
- Chris "Play" Martin of Kid 'n' Play now teaches a history of hip hop college course - whoa!
And finally, Idolator on freestyle icon Debbie Deb (who I've mentioned before recently) here and on the new Black Sheep here.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
"Me and Dispet seem to be the only muh'f-ckers BALLIN'"
Sorry Game, gotta give Cons some love second time around!
Game "Soundscan (G-Unit dis)" - WTF? This dude must have cut this like this morning!!(alternate link: Zshare stream/download. Originally spotted via Rizoh)
Paul Wall feat. Chamillionaire & Slim Thug "N Luv With My Money (Clean version)" - the South keeps running it. (alternate link: Zshare stream/download)
Consequence "Callin' Me" - now with direct links in case you missed it when I updated them the other day. Pay attention, this is what real hip hop sounds like! (alternate link: Zshare stream/download)
New music on The Pack's Myspace page including a rough mix of possible next single "I'm Shinin'." Check it and also watch Berkeley's finest comment on the Stevie Williams-Terry Kennedy rivalry on BET's new Beef TV show TONIGHT at 9pm. (related: short video clip of The Pack live at Mixshow Power Summit)
BTW, speaking of young boy rap: Jibbs' Featuring Jibbs album is the pop-rap album of the year. 4 mics easily, believe it. He's Nelly-meets-Chingy for these younger dunnies. Yeah, I said it....
Great Week For Black Politics in the Media?
Barack Obama and Harold Ford Jr.: Black (or all) America's moderate, centrist future?
All of a sudden Election 2008 is promising to become really interesting. Of course, the hysteria began immediately:
GOPUSA says Barack Obama is "The Most Dangerous Man In America."
I pointed out a couple other (less crazed) Obama naysayers the other day but at the other end of the scale Time magazine gushily explores, "Why Barack Obama Could Be The Next President."
Meanwhile, Newsweek looks at Black America's other "great political hope" (sorry, Condi and Colin), Tennessee Democratic Congressman and Senatorial candidate Harold Ford Jr. and how he "is running from his party in one of the must-win Senate races for the Democrats." (related: the RNC refuses to pull a racist anti-Ford TV spot in TN?)
Bonus Reading:
Top 25 stories ignored by media in past year by Project Censored.
The 10 Worst Congressmen by Rolling Stone - 9 out of 10 are Republicans (!). (related: "The Worst Congress Ever" - how our national legislature has become a stable of thieves and perverts -- in five easy steps.)
More related: America's Dumbest Congressmen - Radar ranks the 10 biggest fools on the Hill (7 out of 10 are Republicans!).
So finally, consider before you vote: even author Stephen King says the Republicans are scary.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Culture of Hustlers....
Chris Gibbers: NYC sneaker pimp (fo' real!) Image courtesy: Jake Davis films.
Gear and pop culture overdose!
BAATHING SADAMN!!! (related: more pics via High Snobiety)
Semi-related (not really): Action Figure Revolutionary Gear - too bad all these cornball streetwear sites & blogs don't feature this dope-ass clothing line instead of whatever wack limited edition collab sneaker, jean, tee or hoody is supposed hot this week?? The fashion industry might be more like the music one than I would have guessed.
City of Dope - incredible Too $hort-inspired poster from Upper Playground (spotted via SergDun)
The Throwback - dope old school photos from Ernie Paniccioli (via D-Nice)
Dentists employ Black Eyed Peas to indoctrinate children
Russell from Gorillaz wears muh'f-ckin' Vans too??!
The FADER is Fading Fast - more hilarity from Don't Believe the Hypebeast.
Shout to Kwasi & crew over at Laced magazine.
Chris Gibbers - sneaker dealer, Dunk fanatic and NYC "street influencer." (via Hypediss)
Official Pics of the Army Olive/Solar Orange Air Jordan 5.
"Joe Dirt wins a DJ Battle" - nah, it's actually (Canada's?) Skratch Bastid cutting up OG Justin Timberlake something stupid. What is it about Canada and its ability to produce incredible turntablists?
Finally, a ridiculous turntablist-inspired TV commercial. (jacked from Hypediss I think like half the links in this post. Sue me....)
Monday, October 23, 2006
Girls Night Out!
I know chicks are kind of running the music game nowadays but what's up with these new records from some of the most buzzing females out right now?
Gwen Stefani "Wind it Up" (prod. by the Neptunes) - but jackin' The Sound of Music?!! Funny thing is when it's all said and done I think Stefani's Love.Angel.Music.Baby album will go down as the blueprint for pop music in the hip hop era the same way Illmatic, The Chronic and Ready to Die were for 90's rap. Don't laugh, do you know how many records I hear that are basically retreads of "Hollaback Girl"?? Ironically, this cheesebag record sounds like Gwen knockin' off Fergie who was knockin' off Gwen to begin with. WTF? (Alternate link: Zshare stream/download)
Lumidee feat. Tony Sunshine "She's Like the Wind" - jackin' Patrick Swayze?!! This is probably not the best comeback look for this chick considering most heads thought she was mad suspect vocals-wise and a one hit wonder first time around with that "Uh Oh" track a couple summers back. Gettin' some spins in NYC though. (Alternate link: Zshare stream/download)
Lady Sovereign feat. Missy Elliott "Love Me or Hate Me (remix)" - how is this chick #1 on MTV's TRL?? (Alternate link via XXL)
M.I.A. "XR 2 (turbo remix)" by Diplo - has this chick's time passed?
Ryan Leslie Coaches Cassie - and the trainwreck continues.... (via Hip & Pop)
Minor update: A female record that's crazy right now? I'm winding down at the crib listening to Whoo Kid on Hot 97 before hitting the sack. This Shareefa album they are playing tracks from sounds RETARDED! Real talk - she could be the 2006 Keyshia Cole, seriously. She's got a joint sampling Biggie's "Everyday Struggle" that's DUMB sick!
Hov rocks the Kickdrums
Jay-Z "Hov is Back" (produced by the Kickdrums) - from the Mick Boogie Superman Returns mixtape. Yet again this sounds like some old lyrics (from multiple songs?) Pro-Tooled together over a new beat (can someone confirm?). (alternate links: Zshare stream/download | hiphophavoc.com)
BTW: "Dead Presidents 3" feat Nas coming on The Kingdom Come album plus another Hov/Nas collab on Hip Hip is Dead?. That's what I'm hearing from an insider-ish source [Ian drools in anticipation]....
Lupe Fiasco "Daydreamin' (Manny Faces Remix)" - this was emailed to me at work last week. It's real trip hoppy sounding but not bad. Who the hell is (are) Manny Faces though?? (alternate link: Zshare stream/download | related: more Lupe mp3's)
Unk feat. Andre 3000 & Jim Jones "Walk It Out (Remix)" - Andre, WTF?? (Alternate links: Zshare stream/download | XXL)
Nina Simone: Remixed and Reimagined.
Friday, October 20, 2006
"Things in Iraq are slipping fast...."
Study Claims Iraq's Death Toll Has Reached 655,000.
This is no newsflash 'cos I've been pretty much been saying this as long as I've been doing this blog but the Iraq war is outta f-cking control.
I mean even Bush is finally copping to this becoming his Vietnam war?! Amazing....
"The United States military command in Iraq acknowledged on Thursday that its 12-week-old campaign to win back control of Baghdad from sectarian death squads and insurgents had failed to reduce violence across the city."
An adviser warns that the U.S. may have weeks, not months, to avert civil war. (related: Think Progress says Iraq: Worse Than Civil War.)
So how f-cking stupid do these GOP goons think we are? "Sen. Burns: Bush Has A Secret War Plan. [The] Montana Senator Says He Believes President Has Plan For Winning, But Is Keeping It Quiet."
The Iraq Study Group led by former Republican Secretary of State James Baker to rule out “Victory” in report: Managed Withdrawal. That sounds a lot like defeatism and "cut 'n' run" talk to me! Funny how they won't release their study until after the midterm elections though.
Rumsfeld says Iraq Must Take Over Security. More cut 'n' run talk from Team Bush? I thought that was supposed to the "soft-on-terror" Dems' lane?
Meanwhile the head of the British Army is calling for their troops to withdraw from Iraq “soon” or risk catastophic consequences for both Iraq and British society.
And a UK brigadier says the Iraq war has cost years of progress in Afghanistan.
So here's what I've never gotten: I've been hearing this same ole' stupid Pollyanna line from the administration about American forces "standing down" as Iraqi security forces get up to speed training-wise and are able "stand up" and take over security for their own people. But Iraq has NEVER been secure since the start of the war and has steadily gotten worse while under American occuaption. How's it gonna be better once they leave or start to draw down their forces?? Somebody smarter than me please explain this. Ya boy G Dubs really f-cked this whole Iraq thing up but you already knew that, right?
Thursday, October 19, 2006
The South Ain't Goin' Nowhere!
Plies: the next Juvenile?
So stop your yappin' about the Jay-Z and Diddy albums....
Plies "Got 'Em Hatin'" - if you f-ck with Ozone mag, you BEEN knowin' this kid has been touted as the next to blow for a while now. This joint is like the 2006 version of Juvie's "Ha" for real. (alternate link: Zshare download/stream)
Sean P (of YoungBloodZ) "My Swag" - just the first shot. More comin'....
Lil’ Boosie feat. Yung Joc “Zoom” Video (Win | Quick)- not really loving this personally but Yung Joc has lasted a lot longer than I would have predicted so maybe he can help put this Boosie kid over the top too?
I know the reaction to UGKz' "Like Dat" was kind of mixed but trust me, their forthcoming Underground Kingz album has so much heat, it's retarded. When the official first single drops the hipster types are really gonna have they panties in a bunch, please believe it. In the meantime, f-ck with this incredible collab they did with Talib Kweli "Country Cousins" from his forthcoming Eardrum album.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Birdman & Weezy: You Ain't Know?
Should I have shown love and put shots of Joe Budden and Cons-to-the-quence up here instead??
I was gonna be a contrary bastard and do a week of news and rock posts in honor of Hip Hop Honors week but I didn't have the heart to go in like that. So....
- Birdman & Lil Wayne feat. Rick Ross & T-Pain "Know What I'm Doin'" (alternate link: Zshare download/stream)
- Birdman & Lil Wayne "You Ain't Know" (prod. Scott Storch) (alternate link: Zshare download/stream)
2 more reasons why all the young boys care more about Weezy than Jay-Z plus c'mon, STOP FRONTIN' ON T-PAIN, you know that joint with him sounds aight!
Consequence "Callin Me" - call me an old man but that's REAL hip hop.
Joe Budden "Broken Wings" - more real hip hop. I hope Joey can make a comeback cos I was a BIG fan of his last album but I just don't know in this marketplace. (alternate link: Zshare download/stream)
By the way, my man Brian pointed this out to me today: what was that I was saying about Fabolous, the other day? Yikes....
Monday, October 16, 2006
Look out: new music for Monday
Mobb Deep feat. 50 cent "Look Out" - I'm not gonna front, I LIKE this. (alternate link: Zshare download/stream, jacked from Spine)
Amerie "That's What You Are" - everyone's talking about "Take Control" but here's something grown 'n' sexy from DC's sweetest looking and sounding produced by Brooklyn's own The Buchanans (Jay-Z "What More Can I Say"). (alternate link: Zshare download/stream)
Speaking of Hov...
"Show Me What You Got", the video featuring Danica Patrick and Dale Earnhardt, Jr.... er what?! This is still ho hmm though. I mean, haven't I seen this before ("Money Ain't a Thang", "Me and My Girlfriend", "Big Pimpin'" etc. etc.)? Are people REALLY excited about Kingdom Come??
I'm more excited by this: muh'f-ckin legendary producer Jellybean Benitez has a MySpace page - wow!
Decent mixtape by DJ Illipse. Here's the artwork if you need/want it. (note: be aware this could take a minute to downlaod)
"Punjabi Thriller" - a Bollywood-ized version of the "Thriller" video.
"Make Sure You're Game is Tight" - the Swift Chancellor breaks down the Lupe Fiasco phenomenon.
Far Too Many Robots: a new backpack-ish blog - "Hip-Hop shouldn't be about womanizing and money. Real rap is poetry set to lip-smacking rhythms, with killer riffs and rhymes that'll make you go mmmm...." OK, but hasn't hip hop always been about "womanizing and money" from before even the "Rappers Delight" days??
Finally, I've been jacking a lot of links from all these sneaker/street wear sites recently so I HAD to link to this: Don’t Believe the Hypebeast - "If you/your brand get offended by anything you read here, then your all over print hoodie and quickstrike Dunks are probably too tight." Hilarious AND on-point! (via The In Crowd)
Saturday, October 14, 2006
“This genocide will be on your watch. How you deal with it will be your legacy — your Rwanda, your Cambodia, your Auschwitz....”
The Kitchen does it for the kids, the f-cking kids!
The quote in the post title above comes from actor George Clooney during a press conference about the Darfur crisis at the United Nations last month.
It's sad how we need white celebrities to shine the spotlight on and raise awareness of the problems in Africa. Now it's become trendy for them to be interested in the cause.
Vaguely-related: posts from "Anderson Cooper's 360°" show blog here covering his time in the Congo and Darfur a couple weeks ago.
Meanwhile back home:
Earl Ofari Hutchinson says, "Despite what Oprah says, Obama's not the right tonic for Democrats." (click here for the column from the Hutchinson Report | related: American Prospect on a possible Barack Obama 2008 run)
And an essay by the promoter of “ex-gay” movement sparks racism charges with its claims that Africans brought to the Americas as slaves were "better off."
Anti-hip hop coonery video banned by YouTube. S'funny cos me and one of my co-workers were watching BET "Rap City" earlier this week and I nonchalently joked about the fact that level of minstrelsy in current rap videos and mainstream hip hop culture was off the scale nowadays but it's so prevalent now that people didn't really notice it any more. NYOIL's video isn't that well-done but his points are well-taken and needed to be made for some sort of balance in the game right now. It's ironic that this video would be banned when there's so much other garbage allowed to be aired for our kids to watch.
Something else our kids, boys and girls, need to see: A Girl Like Me - short film about young black female self-image issues. It's nothing most of y'all who made it out of college haven't read or been exposed to before but seeing it again in this format makes you wonder when black folks are gonna move past this BS. Ever?
Bol's "Reality Check" - popular myths about black men debunked. Amongst the "shock-blog" prose, he actually makes some salient points.
"A Maine couple accused of tying up their 19-year-old daughter, throwing her in their car and driving her out of state to get an abortion were upset because the baby's father is black, a Maine sheriff said Tuesday."
Dork mag looks at the movie Black Gold.
Finally, direct charity is always the best but also help fight the spread of AIDS inf Africa by buying an iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition.
More good reading:
- Different Kitchen previously on the crisises in Darfur and the Congo.
- Barely Keeping Our Heads Above Water? More from the Kitchen on black political, cultural and social issues recently.
Friday, October 13, 2006
"They try to send Dirt on a long vacation...."
Ol' Dirty Bastard feat. Fat Joe & Curtains "Burnin' Up" - produced by Clark Kent? I can't decide if this is hot or another shameless graverobbing exercise? (alternate link: Zshare download/stream)
Jim Jones feat. Daddy Yankee, Don Omar & Tego Calderone "We Fly High (reggaeton remix)" - Jim Jones is KILLIN' it right now and I never saw it coming even though I was a strong supporter of "Bend N Stretch" back in the day. Every version of "We Fly High" has been redonkolous including this one and other tracks from his P.O.M.E. album getting leaked on Hot 97's mixshows are sounding SICK! (alternate link: Z-share download/stream)
Janet Jackson feat. Khia, Fatman Scoop & Fabolous - "So Excited (Remix)" - I'm not mad. Where the f-ck has Fabolous been anyway? (alternate link: Z-share download/stream)
Fader blog on Nas's new Hip Hop is Dead album and the Bay Area's Mistah FAB.
An interview with Timbaland's Right Hand Man, Danja at SOHH.com.
Tour Houston’s Hip Hop Hot Spots.
And more sneaker ish:
- The ostrich and snakeskin LBL Nike Air Force One by Eamon for the Noah’s Ark Collection.
- The new Kanye West Bape Stas: NiceKicks.com | HypeDiss.com
- Stussy x Nike Dunks Pics at NiceKicks.com again.
Back to some news/current affairs ish this weekend.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
"The Corporate Card's Like Free Cash...."
Jim Jones twice in one week?? Yup, it's Dipset Byrdgang all day the way he's coming right now!
Jim Jones "Alarm (Jay-Z Diss)" (alternate link: Z-share stream/download)
Diddy feat. Yung Joc, Dro & T.I. "Come to Me (Official Remix)" - between this and the "We Fly High" remix, NY might f-ck around and get the crown bacl stepping on the backs of the South. (alternate link: Z-share stream/download)
Diddy feat. Mary J. Blige "Make it Hard" - this one's giving me real Rich Harrison vibes. (alternate link: Z-share stream/download)
Meet the
Finally....
TOMORROW NIGHT: Brooklyn, stand up! Papoose live at Galapagos. See the flyer and buy tix here.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
50 Goes In?!
50 Cent "We Fly High (freestyle)" - can this help save the G-Unit brand cos I don't think Banks is gonna do it? (Update: never mind, I peeped this a little closer and it sounds like a blend with old 50 vocals from "High All the Time", not a new joint - unless I'm mistaken?)
Jay-Z "Kingdom Come" (mp3 via Spine, initially heard via Eskay)
New J*Davey via Big Stereo.
A freshman high school orchestra performs "Smells Like Teen Spirit."
Borat responds to accusations that he's portraying Kazakhstan in a "derogatory way."
And some stuff via my other site The In Crowd:
- I've become semi-obsessed with The Supremes' version of "Stormy" another version of which (by Dennis Yost & the Classics IV) was sampled by John Legend for his current single "Save Room." (wma audio link courtesy thesoulgirl.com)
- Beat diggers and hip hop vinyl collectors rejoice: THE SOUND LIBRARY IS BACK!
- Check out the Black Style Now Exhibit at The Museum of the City of New York.
Finally, Buck O’Neil, Negro Leagues Pioneer, is dead at 94 - R.I.P.
"We Will Not Tolerate Nuclear Weapons in North Korea..."
C'mon, you know this is a better use of $20 than buying Kingdom Come.
That's what G Dubs said back in May 2003.
So let me get this straight: in 2003, our intelligence couldn't definitively confirm that Iraq had WMD but we twisted it around to mislead the public into supporting the war for operation "Iraqi freedom" and to disarm Saddam of WMD's that turn out to have never existed. On the other hand, North Korea explicitly claims to have developed and detonated a nuclear device but we're not actually sure the explosion the other day even came from a bona fide WMD. [SMH] Amazing....
So while Congress gets their $20 million budget ready to celebrate the end-of-war party, here's the real deal:
“The number of U.S troops wounded in Iraq has surged to its highest monthly level in nearly two years as American GIs fight block-by-block in Baghdad to try to check a spiral of sectarian violence that U.S. commanders warn could lead to civil war.” (related: The US casualty rate in Iraq is the worst since Fallujah. )
There have been 4,000 Iraq police killed in the past 2 years. I guess those are the ones who haven't beem demobilized for being secretly members of death squads, getting poisoned or having feces and urine rained down on them from the ceiling of the new $75 million police academy built by the same hacks who built the Big Dig “disaster” in Boston.
Bush: Cut And Runner?
Meanwhile in Afghanistan, the country from which Bush actually cut and run letting Bin Laden escape unharmed in the process....
Five Years Later: Afghanistan Reverts To Breeding Ground For Terror
And the US is on the tipping point of seeing Afghans switch their allegiance back to resurgent Taliban militants.
Is that why Sen. Bill Frist wants to appease the Taliban
And Afghan girls are back in the shadowsMeanwhile, a poll of Iraq and Afghanistan war vets say the military is overstretched and underequipped.
But like Matt at 1115.org says: "Pay No Attention to the Dead Enders, Things are Just Fine."
And listen, Bush says that in the future with the hindsight of historical perspective, the bloodshed in Iraq will be looked at as "just a comma."
Bonus options:
Mad TV's Kim Jong Il x Gnarls Barkley "Crazy" video parody - now THAT's pretty funny! Mad-TV is kind of underrated.
Bob Woodward's State of Denial (related: more here and here)
Monday, October 09, 2006
Still Flying High.....
Jim Jones: carrying New York on his back?
XXL finally comes through: Jim Jones feat. T.I., Diddy, Baby & Young Dro “We Fly High (Official Remix)” - official ain't the word. This remix would be KILLING the game right if Jay-Z hadn't dropped that half-assed single last week and jedi-mind tricked everyone into talking about that instead. (alternate link: real audio via HHG)
Young Buck, Young Jeezy, T.I., Jazzie Pha "4 Kings" - nice! And shout to Big Mike of Convicts and (briefly) Geto Boys. Real hip hop fans know why. LOL note: why does Buck spit a comment about "3 Kings" in his verse. Did they add an extra king after the fact and is Buck so lazy he couldn't go back in and recut the line? (real audio via HHG)
Check out new tracks "A Town" and "Down South" from Sean P (fka Sean Paul) of the YoungBloodZ's solo album coming soon here.
When I first started talking about the group The Pack, I described them as "Lil Wayne mixed with Souls of Mischief over beats by Dem Franchize Boyz and Wiley." I guess DJ Diplo took his cues from me when he decided to remix their "Vans" track using Souls' classic "93 'Til Infinity" track. Check it here.
And whatever happened to Ms. Dynamite? Idolator and That Good Good have the answer via some new mp3's from her and her award-winning rapping brother (!) Akala.
And off the mp3's for a minute, Oh Word give you the Music Marketing 101 course in your blog MBA as he analyzes the difference between the launch of the recent E-40 and Ghostface albums.
And on the sneaker tip, check out Kobe Bryant's Denim Nike Air Force 1’s - are these actually hot??
Don't worry, I'm not oblivious. I'm gonna get to the f-ckery in a post real soon.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Holy Foleygate
Caption this muh'f-cker!
The straw that broke the camel's back? Finally? But how many friggin' times have I said something like that on this site so I remain skeptical even in the face of this epic debacle for the GOP. One can only hope people do the right thing in November though and that Hastert and Foley aren't the only fall guys when it's all said and done.
"House GOP Leadership knew about Foley almost a year ago but let him remain in House leadership and as chair of House sex offender caucus." (read more at AMERICAblog)
"U.S. Rep. Jerry Weller (R-Morris) suspects Democrats in page scandal leak - Congressman wants investigation into timing." (read more here)
Uh huh... but "the source who in July gave news media Rep. Mark Foley’s (R-Fla.) suspect e-mails to a former House page says the documents came to him from a House GOP aide [emphasis added]." (read the full story at The Hill)
Ah, ok! So on a somewhat-related note, why does Fox News keep incorrectly identifying Foley as a Democrat??
And more media f-ckery:
- Conservative "news" website, the Drudge Report spins the claim that the IM transcripts published by ABC were a "prank gone awry." Unbelievable....
- "It's too soon to demand Hastert quit as speaker" WTF?? (from a Chicago Sun-Times Op-Ed)
- Foleygate is an "Underwhelming scandal" (!) (from an Op-Ed in the Eugene Register-Guard)
- Rush Limbaugh blames the Pages for Foley’s "misconduct."
But at least one media outlet is doing its job: "ABC debunks claim that Foley scandal was election trick."
Meanwhile, "security moms" desert the Republicans over the Foley scandal. (related: more from The Times of London on how the GOP might be hurt in the upcoming midtern elections by "Foleygate.")
So things are looking good but to top it all off: Dennis Hastert's dodgy real estate deals are "worse than Foleygate." (reg. req'd to read the full story at The New Republic)
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Check my footwork....
Let's get fully gear-orientated for one post real quick...
Trapstar "Bape Force 1" knock-off's by Footwork available for $120 a pop in Brooklyn at "The Sneaker Spot" in Fulton Mall (nr. Duffield St.):
They look kind of fly to me, the unsavory drug dealer connotation of their name notwithstanding, but even my man at the spot said cats weren't f-cking with them too hard because they were, irony of ironies, ripping off the BAPE's and "not expensive enough" (that's negroes all day for you!!). Call (718) 852-9230 for more info and store hours though.
And from NiceKicks.com:
- "Black toe" Air Jordan 1's reissued in new colorways. (related: more via Hypediss)
- "Grills" for you sneaker's laces.
The Greedy Genius x Barney’s New York sneakers. (related: more at NiceKicks.com yet again)
Mini Choco Nikes.
Vintage Gear Addicts - nice site (although it looks like it hasn't been updated in a minute). And there's a clothing line called Lo-Life's inspired by the early 90's Brooklyngangs crews, the Decepticons and the Lo-Lifes?? (both links spotted via the TTLab blog)
Cool Hunting on cult toy manufacturer Kidrobot's new clothing line, Kidrobot Apparel. Do we really need yet another wannabe-BAPE clothing line doing the cartoon/camo/"all over print" hoody thing? I'm sayin', they already have the knock-off's at Dr. Jay's so you can get your Pharrell/Lupe/Nigo/Weezy steez crackin' on the cheap - doesn't that mean it's already (or soon to be) over?
And finally via The In Crowd:
- The SAPEURS of the Republic of Congo.
- VP Records reggae-inspired Riddim Driven clothing.
- Artful Dodger clothing.
BTW, I know I'm late but if anyone can tell me where I can still cop size 9 or 9.5's in these Evisu jumpoff's here in the city (and not necessarily just in the colorways shown in that link either), hit me up (email at top left).
Tweet
Trapstar "Bape Force 1" knock-off's by Footwork available for $120 a pop in Brooklyn at "The Sneaker Spot" in Fulton Mall (nr. Duffield St.):
They look kind of fly to me, the unsavory drug dealer connotation of their name notwithstanding, but even my man at the spot said cats weren't f-cking with them too hard because they were, irony of ironies, ripping off the BAPE's and "not expensive enough" (that's negroes all day for you!!). Call (718) 852-9230 for more info and store hours though.
And from NiceKicks.com:
- "Black toe" Air Jordan 1's reissued in new colorways. (related: more via Hypediss)
- "Grills" for you sneaker's laces.
The Greedy Genius x Barney’s New York sneakers. (related: more at NiceKicks.com yet again)
Mini Choco Nikes.
Vintage Gear Addicts - nice site (although it looks like it hasn't been updated in a minute). And there's a clothing line called Lo-Life's inspired by the early 90's Brooklyn
Cool Hunting on cult toy manufacturer Kidrobot's new clothing line, Kidrobot Apparel. Do we really need yet another wannabe-BAPE clothing line doing the cartoon/camo/"all over print" hoody thing? I'm sayin', they already have the knock-off's at Dr. Jay's so you can get your Pharrell/Lupe/Nigo/Weezy steez crackin' on the cheap - doesn't that mean it's already (or soon to be) over?
And finally via The In Crowd:
- The SAPEURS of the Republic of Congo.
- VP Records reggae-inspired Riddim Driven clothing.
- Artful Dodger clothing.
BTW, I know I'm late but if anyone can tell me where I can still cop size 9 or 9.5's in these Evisu jumpoff's here in the city (and not necessarily just in the colorways shown in that link either), hit me up (email at top left).
