Friday, February 29, 2008
Video: Gnarls Barkley - "Run"
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Key backer switches from Clinton to Obama
From CNN.com:
"Georgia Rep. John Lewis, who backed Hillary Clinton in his state's February 5 Democratic presidential primary, announced Wednesday he is switching his support to Barack Obama to reflect the will of his constituents."
The beginning of the end? Click here for the full story.
More:
Clinton Campaign Starts 5-Point Attack on Obama: too little too late? [NY Times]
Ohio Democratic Presidential Primary: Clinton's Lead Slipping in Ohio. [Rasmussen Reports]
Labels: '08 Election, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton
Bush Quacks Again!
Bush: US Is Not Headed Into Recession. [AP via Guardian]
Reality: Economy skids to a near crawl. [AP via WaPo]
Labels: George Bush, GOP incompetence
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
New video: Estelle - "American Boy (Feat. Kanye West)"
I thought her first single was santitation although it did generate some buzz within a certain circle of folks who I thought should have known better but this track (and video) is pretty good and not just because Kanye is featured on it either:
I'm out for the next week. I may post if I get a chance as I should have my laptop with me but most of the time, I'ma be otherwise occupied.
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I'm out for the next week. I may post if I get a chance as I should have my laptop with me but most of the time, I'ma be otherwise occupied.
Labels: Estelle, Kanye West
Monday, February 25, 2008
The Surge in Iraq was a Success??!!
Moqtada al-Sadr: the man responsible for the surge 'succeeding'?
I'm watching CNN and just heard that f*ckery floated without challenge while they were talking about John McCain a few moments ago. Agree?
Related:
From a Baltimore Sun article by David Wood:
"The Bush administration has ordered a significant number of troops to stay behind in Iraq as small military withdrawals continue this spring and summer, according to a senior Pentagon officer.
About 140,000 troops will remain on duty in Iraq in July when the last of the five "surge" brigades is withdrawn, Lt. Gen. Carter Ham, director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Pentagon reporters this afternoon.
That's about 8,000 more troops than were fighting in Iraq when President Bush ordered the "surge" of reinforcements 13 months ago."
Click here to read the full article, "140,000 troops to stay in Iraq as withdrawals begin."
And from a Boston Globe article by John Affleck, "Cleric Sadr renews militia's cease-fire":
"Moqtada al-Sadr kept the Iraqi nation on edge for two days, raising the possibility he would not renew a six-month cease-fire of his powerful Mahdi Army and that the country would plunge back into spasms of sectarian killing.
Then, in a dramatic touch, the Shi'ite cleric sent 200 sealed envelopes to be opened at yesterday's prayer services across Iraq. The answer was inside, he promised.
The answer was yes, the cease-fire will continue - a dramatic step likely to hold down American and Iraqi casualties while bolstering Sadr's importance as a political player in the Iraqi scramble for power."
So basically, this surge was only effective because of the whim of this nut job? Nice! [Click here to read the rest of the article.]
Labels: GOP incompetence, Iraq war, War on Terror
Duck Down vs. Stones Throw Sound Clash at SXSW
On March 12 for those of you going to the annual industry music fest in Austin, TX this year:
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Labels: Duck Down records, Stones Throw, SXSW
How to make the Soulja Boy "Crank Dat" beat
More complicated than you would have thought!
Related:
Download the "Crank Dat" sound pack for the tutorial video above here.
Labels: Soulja Boy
Lil Will feat. Soulja Boy - "My Dougie (Live in Dallas)"
Real Talk has the official video so I figured I'd give you something a little different. This live YouTube clip is already over 200,000 views in a month a half so you know this record's probably gonna go the distance like "Crank Dat." Those of you hoping NY's Finest is gonna go gold, I hate to break it you but be prepared to be disappointed again - ringtone rap is here to stay (sorry, Jada).
Labels: Lil Will, Soulja Boy
Who Will Tell Hillary It's Over?
From a Robert Novak Op-Ed in the Washington Post today:
"Even before Sen. Barack Obama won his ninth straight contest against Sen. Hillary Clinton, in Wisconsin last Tuesday, wise old heads in the Democratic Party were asking this question: Who will tell her that it's over, that she cannot win the presidential nomination and that the sooner she leaves the race, the more it will improve the party's chances of defeating Sen. John McCain in November?"
Not that I'm usually in the habit of agreeing with this jackass but in this case, I think he may have a point! Click here for the full article.
Related:
An opposing view by Carolyn Lochhead in the San Fran Chronicle.
Labels: '08 Election, Hillary Clinton
Not this idiot again!
"Ralph Nader's Bid for Presidency Meets with Negative Online Buzz" - like d'uh. Of course!
I can't believe this dude is jumping in to f-ck sh-t up again. No disrespect to Nader cos he's done some admirable things in the past as a consumer activist but if this dude really wanted to help the country, how come he completely disappears in between elections? Stop the madness....
Labels: '08 Election, Ralph Nader
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Jadakiss interview from The Come Up DVD
He speaks on his new album and most notably Jay-Z leaving Def Jam. (spotted via str8hiphop.com)
Labels: Jadakiss, Jay-Z, The Come Up
Contest: Win tickets to see Jazzy Jeff Live in NYC....
at the FADER/Flavorpill party at the Museum of Natural History. See the flyer below for details:
A few weeks ago Kanye did a surprise appearance at the Kid Sister/Cool Kids show at this same event so you never know who may show this Friday. Drop an email with the name of your favorite Jazzy Jeff-produced track and a winner will be selected at random. Contest ends Tuesday February 26th at 12 noon (EST).
Wow, two contests in a row after literally months without any.
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A few weeks ago Kanye did a surprise appearance at the Kid Sister/Cool Kids show at this same event so you never know who may show this Friday. Drop an email with the name of your favorite Jazzy Jeff-produced track and a winner will be selected at random. Contest ends Tuesday February 26th at 12 noon (EST).
Wow, two contests in a row after literally months without any.
Labels: DJ Jazzy Jeff, Fader magazine, Flavorpill
Contest: win tickets to see The Actor's Rap! play
I mentioned that I was going to see this play a few weeks back but didn't follow up to say that it was really enjoyable: funny and pretty on-point in terms of its examination of the current state of hip hop. If you've seen the movies Drop Squad
and Hollywood Shuffle some of the set-up's and lines may seem a little stale but there's definitely enough fresh material to still keep you engaged and laughing. If you're not sure but are still curious to see The Actor's Rap!, The Kitchen is giving away ONE PAIR of tickets for the matinée performance on March 1 (at 3pm) as well as a promo t-shirt. All you have to do is send an email listing what you think is the all-time worst performance by a rapper-turned-actor in a major Hollywood flick and I will select someone at random to win the tickets. Contest ends at 12noon on Tuesday (Feb 26).FYI:
The Actor's Rap! Play opened Friday, February 8th and will run for a limited engagement at the ENGELMAN RECITAL HALL at the Baruch Performing Arts Center (55 Lexington Ave at 25th Street).
All shows Thursday - Saturday at 8 p.m.
Saturdays at 3 p.m. & 8 p.m.
For more details, go online at www.theactorsrap.com.
Labels: Theater
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Mickey Factz EPK/DAP Magazine issue #3 feature
I'm kind of tight that Mickey let the big dog Eskay get the first look on this when the kid's been supporting him so hard body over the past few months but he swears it wasn't deliberate so no hard feelings on this end - he's still the truth:
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Labels: DAP Magazine, Mickey Factz
Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (trailer)
I guess this trailer has been out for a minute but I just got up on it this morning after reading the current issue of my Maxim comp subscription (don't ask me why I have that - I have NO idea). This movie looks so bad, it might be good - funnier than the original, which is now a stoner cult classic? Maybe. Yes, I am engaged in some high-minded pursuits this weekend! To save myself some dignity, let me say that this is pretty much a 180 back for actor Kal Penn from his role as Gogol in the more serious-minded The Namesake and the book
on which that movie was based, I am currently reading.New York Times blog: Hard Times for Hillary Clinton....
Snoop Dogg feat. Too $hort & Mistah F.A.B. - "Life of Tha Party" (audio)
On set at the "Life of Tha Party" video shoot in Vegas last Saturday. Image courtesy Ozone.
This leaked a couple weeks ago but it's so NUTS I had to still post it anyway:
Snoop Dogg feat. Too Short & Mistah FAB - Life of The Party" [Listen: windows audio stream | "link to HypeMachine]
The buzz on the Snoop album is banoodles.
Labels: Mistah F.A.B., Snoop Dogg, Too $hort
The Barack Obama Custom Air Force One Sneaker
Friday, February 22, 2008
The Game - Doctor's Advocate [The Samples]
Download them and get the background details here. My favorite album of 2006 - HAD to go in! [via Hip-Hop is Read]
Bonus:
The Roots - Game Theory [The Samples]
Hip-Hop is Read is that sh*t!
New video: The Count & Sinden feat. Kid Sister - "Beeper"
Co-directed by my dude Jazzbo who's celebrating his birthday this weekend so give him a happy birthday by dropping a line telling him what you think of the video in the comment box below.
Also viewable via direct links here or here.
Labels: Jazzbo, Kid Sister, Sinden, The Count
Semtex meets The Cool Kids
Above playlist: interview Parts 1 & 2 and freestyle.
Bonus:
Starski feat. The Cool Kids - "Stunnas On" [zshare stream/download mp3 link courtesy Pimp Hop (!) Records]
Labels: DJ Semtex, Semtex TV, The Cool Kids
Jay-Z - "99 Problems" (Barack Obama Video Mash-Up)
Richard Thompson Ford on Playing the Race Card
I just saw this dude on a rerun of a 'Colbert Report' episode from last week. He's a Stanford Professor who's written a book called The Race Card: How Bluffing About Bias Makes Race Relations Worse
.More:
Here's a trailer from a video of him talking about racial issues in the media.
Labels: Richard Thompson Ford, US race relations
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Hillary Speaks for ME....
 |  |  |  |
Does she?
BTW: even my dude Fatman Scoop is a Hillary supporter?! (Let the autoplay video in the player above run to the end for the proof.)
(h/t: YG, MBA!)
Labels: '08 Election, Fatman Scoop, Hillary Clinton
Mary J. Blige mix CD release party in NYC TONIGHT!
"I'm wild like Larry Davis"
Image courtesy HHNLive.com
The immortal line from MC Hood's tragically only appearance on record on the classic "Scenario (remix)" by A Tribe Called Quest. The subject of that line was just killed.
Related:
D-Nice, who has a new online gallery where you can buy his amazing prints and a newly redesigned blog, on his Run-In With The Infamous Larry Davis.
Labels: D-Nice, Larry Davis, US race relations
Backstage with The Pack!
Via Karmaloop TV:
I think this is them fresh from their daily morning 5-mile run (yeah, right - these guys?!) about to hit the stage at the MTV Campus Invasion show they did in the A last year. (h/t: Jazzbo)
Labels: The Pack
Sean Bell's widow appears in a Rocawear Ad
Just as the trial for her husband-to-be's accused killers is beginning. Click here for the story.
Labels: Nicole Paultre-Bell, Rocawear, US race relations
Shawty Lo feat. Ludacris, 4-IZE, Young Jeezy & Plies - "Dey Know (remix)"
Shawty Lo feat. Ludacris, 4-IZE, Young Jeezy & Plies "Dey Know (remix)" - not the "official" remix with Lil Wayne (you can hear what I think is that version here), but it's close(-ish). This is rapidly turning into one of the biggest songs of 2008 already and we're not even two months into the year. [direct link to a free mp3 download via the iLike app. on Facebook, Right Click and Save As]
Labels: Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Plies, Shawty Lo, Young Jeezy
Mickey Factz the Weekly Leak #8 - "Up High"
I swear this kid is gonna give Lupe a run for his money!
Mickey Factz - "Up High" [Listen/Download: Sharebee | Yousendit mp3 link]
Not sure what schedule these are dropping on - has it even been 7 days since I posted Leak #7? Maybe I'm the one off schedule here?
Labels: GFC, Mickey Factz
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Chinese DMC Champion DJ Wordy's 2007 routine
10 in a row!
Like my man Raheem always says, "The Dream is Real!"
Related:
"Unofficial Tallies in New York City Understated the Obama Vote" - this story is starting to gain real traction. [NY Times]
Labels: '08 Election, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, US race relations
DJ Eclipse's J. Dilla Tribute Mix
Missed this last week:
Part I | Part II [zshare stream/download mp3 links]
Bonus:
DJ Premier's Big L Tribute: Part I | Part II [zshare stream/download mp3 links]
Dilla & L, R.I.P.
Labels: Big L, Dj Eclipse, DJ Premier, J. Dilla
Erykah Badu speaks on her collabo with Madlib, "The Healer"
From her new album, New Amerykah Part One (4th World War). Might have helped if they'd actually put the track in the audio bed instead of rehashing her current single, "Honey" for the gazillionth time when hardcore Badu fans are probably more than familiar with that track by now.
Online:
Erykah Badu - MySpace | Website
Labels: Erykah Badu, Madlib
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Castro Resigns!
While I guess not surprising, this is MAJOR!
Semi-related:
Musharraf loses election in Pakistan. This is pretty major too!
Labels: Cuba, Fidel Castro, Pakistan
Monday, February 18, 2008
Obama's response to Clinton's 'Speeches vs. Solution' critique
(h/t: Real Talk NY)
See Hillary Clinton's 'Speeches vs. Solution' critique here.
Related:
Was Obama robbed in the NY State Primary? (spotted via Real Talk NY too)
Labels: '08 Election, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton
The Roots Live at The Apollo in Harlem this Friday!
Freestyle 101: Prodigy (Mobb Deep)
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Kanye West - Glow in the Dark official tour mixtape?
Even more Kanye!
Download the official (?) Glow in the Dark tour mixtape here. Tickets for the tour are on sale here (but not for NYC yet!).
(h/t: Real Talk NY)
Labels: Kanye West, mixtapes, N*E*R*D
Kanye West - "Hey Mama" Grammy Remix (Studio Version)
Obviously I don't agree with Urb that this was 'the best rap performance in televised award show history' (WTF??) but they have a studio remix of Kanye's "Hey Mama" performance here. For those too lazy to click that link though:
Kanye West - "Hey Mama (Grammy Remix Studio Version)" [zshare stream/download mp3 link]
(h/t: Brandon at Urb)
Related:
Learn more about Rita G, the girl from the "Flashing Llights" video here and here.
Labels: DJ Reflex, DJ Skee, Grammys, Kanye West, Urb magazine
Mickey Factz - "Talk Yo Ish" (audio)
Weekly Leak #7 from my dude Mickey produced by Drum Machine:
Mickey Factz - "Talk Yo Ish" (Yousendit mp3 D/L link)
This is an ALL-NEW version, not the one that did the rounds last year, with a completely different beat.
Labels: Drum Machine, Mickey Factz
On set at the Raheem DeVaughn "Customer" video
Video directed by Benny Boom coming soon. See behind-the-scenes video footage shot by Raheem himself via his Kyte TV channel, The Dream is Real TV (note: scroll though old shows to see Rah hangin' with Game while recording a track for his forthcoming LAX album - apparently the album is banoodles! I'm not surprised).
Labels: Benny Boom, Kyte TV, Raheem DeVaughn
Everlast - "Letters Home from the Garden of Stone" (video)
I missed this one so thanks to Jessica at red TANGENT for the heads up. This is the new single by Everlast (House of Pain, "What It's Like"), the lyrics for which are taken from a soldier's letter written home from Iraq.
Between this and that Will.i.am song that repurposed the text of a Barack Obama speech for its lyrics, is this the dawning of a new politically conscious era or a new form of 'hip hop' that finally realizes the promise of Chuck D's vision of the music as 'Black America's CNN' by literally sampling the news?
Iraqi police say U.S. attack killed citizen guards
Also from the LA Times:
"Three neighborhood security guards were killed and two injured early Friday when U.S. attack helicopters fired at their checkpoint south of Baghdad, Iraqi police said.
It was the latest in a series of complaints about errant strikes, which have stoked tensions between the citizen security groups in central and northern Iraq and their American backers."
Click here for more. I don't get it, don't we want the Iraqis to stand up and take care of their own security so the US can stand down and hopefully get the hell out of there eventually?
Labels: GOP incompetence, Iraq war, War on Terror
At Least 80 Killed in Afghan Suicide Bombing
From the NY Times:
"A suicide bomber blew himself up in a large crowd gathered at a dogfighting festival just outside this city in southern Afghanistan, killing some 80 people including a local police chief, Abdul Hakim Jan, a number of his guards and scores of villagers attending the event and wounding nearly 100 more in the country’s worst single bombing since 2001."
But not Michael Vick?? I keed, I keed. Click here for more.
Labels: Afghanistan, GOP incompetence, War on Terror
Maggie Williams - Hillary Clinton's New Campaign Chief
Read about her here in an article by Maura Reynolds. [LA Times]
Should I read anything into the fact that: 1. She's African-American but 2. Wasn't Clinton's election Campaign Manager until now that she's losing to Obama when she was supposedly her 'Top Aide' at the White House and also an 'Assistant to the President'?
Related:
Arianna Huffington on who Is Maggie Williams?
Labels: '08 Election, Hillary Clinton, Maggie Williams, US race relations
'Deserves': Hillary Clinton's (first?) negative attack ad against Barack Obama
Video: Hillary Clinton's 'Speeches vs. Solutions' address....
At the Lordstown, Ohio GM plant last Thursday. The video above inexplicably actually edits out the most newsworthy part of her, er... speech but CBS has it here. She's really starting to go at your man Obama extra hard now. And for those who say I haven't been covering Hillary enough, get ready....
Labels: '08 Election, Hillary Clinton
Friday, February 15, 2008
Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (movie trailer)
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
City of Angels, Here I Come....
Gonna be out in LA for work starting tomorrow. So (probably) no more posts 'til way into the weekend at best. Happy St. Valentine's Day tomorrow to those celebrating though.
New video: Kanye West - "Flashing Lights"
The Radiohead x Amp Live Rainy Dayz remix album is officially a Go again!
Apparently Radiohead has now approved the remix project according to Amp Live. More at Prefix.
Download the remix album here. [zip file via the Rainy Dayz site]
Share tracks from the Rainy Dayz remix album via Facebook using iLike: details here.
Labels: Amplive, Radiohead, Rainydayz Remixes
A How-To Guide For a Clinton Comeback?
Good luck, honey - 'cos you're gonna need it!
Related:
This one's for Cord who was commenting on Monday.
Labels: '08 Election, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton
Catch up on the Weekly Leaks from Mickey Factz
Come and listen to the Robot rap! Since Fader's sendin' 'em my way, I better come correct:
Mickey Factz - "Light" | "Robot Rock (Extended Version)" [Yousendit mp3 D/L links]
Not sure which of weeks # 1-4's Weekly Leaks from Mickey these were since I was late myself (Mickey, help me out!) but download these two tracks and you'll understand the tags below. More coming soon....
Online: MySpace | GFC official website
Labels: Anita Baker, Daft Punk, GFC, Mickey Factz
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Special Teamz - "One Call" (video)
Get your Jansport on! Do you know: there was a time when people actually got excited about this kind of hip hop?
Bonus audio:
Special Teamz - "Clap Your Hands (Radio Edit)" [Yousendit mp3 D/L link] from the album Stereotypez IN STORES NOW
Labels: Edo G, Special Teamz
More Shwayze: Video for "Hollywood"
Aka The Only Black Kid In Malibu!
Shwayze MP3s: "Buzzin" | "Don't Be Shy"
Online: MySpace
Labels: Shwayze, The Only Black Kid In Malibu
FADER TV: Behind the Scenes at the Teyana Taylor "Google Me" video shoot
Previously:
Listen to Teyana Taylor's "Google Me" here. [an alt. zshare stream/download mp3 link here via Chris Picks]
Labels: Fader TV, Teyana Taylor
Travis Barker & ?uestlove Jam Session
At The Roots' annual Grammy Party at The Key Club:
(h/t: Rosenberg Radio spotted via Rafi n them yet again)
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(h/t: Rosenberg Radio spotted via Rafi n them yet again)
Labels: ?uestlove, Grammys, The Roots, Travis Barker
Monday, February 11, 2008
Teyana Taylor - "Google Me" (audio)
I've talked about this MTV 'Super Sweet 16' chick before but I dunno about her (supposed) first official single: it sounds like a generic mix of Rihanna and Keyshia Cole which wasn't what I was expecting from someone who started out rapping, skateboarding and hangin' out with the young, fresh n dipped set uptown. And the lyrics - I know we're in the Facebook, Web 2.0 era now but WTF? Is this track really gonna go??!
Teyana Taylor - "Google Me" [Yousendit mp3 download link]
(h/t: Chris Picks)
Labels: Jazze Pha, Pharrell, Star Trak, Teyana Taylor
Iraq: Still a Friggin' Mess!
The US Army buried a study faulting the Iraq war planning. [NY Times]
More:
The U.S. military is seriously deficient in meeting "the threat of Islamist insurgencies," says a Pentagon-commissioned study released Monday. [CNN.com]
And:
"While nobody contests the US assertion that the security situation has improved a great deal, it is clearly neither perfect, universal nor irreversible." [from "Iraq 'reverse surge' plays on US minds" on BBC News]
We.are.f*cked!
Labels: GOP incompetence, Iraq war, Republican f-ckery, War on Terror
"It's hard to see a win for Sen. Clinton into March...."
No wonder Hillary had to pull the Race Card again!
Labels: '08 Election, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, US race relations
Deconstructing Illmatic
More ish jacked from Oh Word:
Deconstructing Illmatic by Dan Love. If you've never heard of the Illmatic album, I don't even know what to say....
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Deconstructing Illmatic by Dan Love. If you've never heard of the Illmatic album, I don't even know what to say....
Labels: Nas
