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Remixing NiggyTardust

Last month, I hit you with the info on the Saul Williams/Trent Reznor collaboration album, NiggyTardust. I just got word that tracks from the album are being made available for remix (ala the Nine Inch Nails remix website). Saul's site isn't that buckwild, but here's a few sendspace links that contain files for tracks (I'm guessing it's .wav files, the filesize on these are 100+MBs...):

http://www.sendspace.com/file/xo6ru8
http://www.sendspace.com/file/lmfe5v

I'd tell you producers to send your complete remix(es) to me, but the last time I tried that, I got nowhere. Enjoy these, though!
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Kia Shine "W.O.W." (video)

Did you catch that Kia Shine CD? I reviewed it, and you can peep the AVP to hear what it do. He apparently personally-funded and directed the video for his single "W.O.W.", which is always commendable; I spent the better part of the summer saying "WOW", and I don't dress fresh at all.

In any case, there's loads of multicolor "WOW"s in this clip. Check it:



This premieres next week on MTV2's Sucka Free Music Week, as well as MTV Jams, so consider this exclusive.
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You A Nigger Too

My nigga Enigmatik hipped me to this recent Nas interview over at MTV.com, revealing even more details about his forthcoming LP, Nigger, which was pushed back to, get this, Black History Month.

I shit you not.

Peep some of the nuggets of knowledge Nas drops in this interview:
"I have a song called 'The Fear,' " he said. "The full title of the record is 'The Fear of the Black Man's D---.' That's some sh-- you can get comedy [from], or you can get some seriousness from it when you talk about the barbaric castrations that happened in our past — which is very serious, nothing to laugh at."
WOW. I KNEW the LP was gonna be on that shit. It's an examination, a fucking microscope into the world's view on the Nigger. But not just Black Niggers, oh no:
"It's about the attacks that have happened to blacks, whites, all ethnicities," he continued. " 'Mick' niggers, 'guinea' niggers, 'kike' niggers. I have a song called 'You a Nigger Too.' "
I can see how something like this might hurt, though. We already have White dudes walkin' around throwin' "nigga" really greasy, and while some get the pass, remember this: more Hip-Hop is bought by White teens. This could bounce 50/50: either it will make them more willing to call Black people Nigger, or it will help them understand that hey, every race is the same (although I feel the former has a better probability of occurring).

Production-wise, cats like Salaam Remi, DJ Toomp, and Stargate (?) have given Nas beats; he's also set to link up with Jermaine Dupri ("Fallin'" wasn't THAT hot, but maybe he will bring No I.D.!?!?) and Diddy's Hitmen.

As long as a) will.i.am does not drop tracks, and b) this isn't some bullshit, I am fully behind Nas on this one. Still. Don't fail me, nigga.
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Cherry Chocolate Rain

It looks like Dr. Pepper called on Tay Zonday to revamp his Internet 'hit', "Chocolate Rain" for their new line of Cherry Chocolate Dr. Pepper. Wow. They flipped it, kind of Hip-Hop'd it out.

This shit is so ill, I might have to go buy a case of Dr. Pepper when I get off work.

Tay Zonday for VP.

Peep the video:


Download the MP3: Tay Zonday ft. Mista Johnson "Cherry Chocolate Rain"

Spotted at weapons of mass distraction. Shouts to nation.
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Video Wars: Prince Vs. Snoop Dogg

This new Snoop Dogg video for "Sensual Seduction" reminds me of a lot of things: Roger & Zapp, Parliment/Funkadelic, and those bad videos you'd make at Six Flags. The one thing I get most of all, however, is the mirror-image effects in Prince's "When Doves Cry" video. Observe:

Prince "When Doves Cry"


Snoop Dogg "Sensual Seduction"


Tell me I'm wrong.
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Mick Boogie presents Dillagence

Being a fan of Jay Dee's since for about as long as I've been a fan of Busta Rhymes, I've grown to appreciate the beautiful music they've created together. Gems like "Still Shinin'" and "So Hardcore" are staples of my Hip-Hop Bible. It seemed like they were trying to push each other to that next level, creatively. So, in hearing that Mick Boogie was dropping a mixtape full of unreleased Busta & Dilla collaborations, I was super amped. And now, Dillagence is available, for free (or a $10 fee, with all proceeds going to the J Dilla Foundation). Peep the tracklist:

1) Words From Ma Dukes
2) Dillagence (produced by DJ Spinna)
3) Takin What's Mine
4) Step Up
5) The Conversation (f/ Talib Kweli)
6) Code
of the Streets (f/ MOP)
7) Lightworks (f/ Q-Tip and Talib Kweli)
8) Baggage Handlers (f/ Raekwon)
9) How We Roll
10) Best That Ever Did It (f/ Rah Digga)
11) Psycho (f/ Cassidy and Papoose)
12) The Range (f/ Rah Digga)
13) Not Right Now
14) Other Side Of The Road
15) Who Tryin To Kill You
16) High
17) Dillagence Outro
You've had to have heard tracks like "Lightworks" (seen around here as "Lightworking"), "Baggage Handlers" and "Psycho", as well as the recently leaked "Step Up". Beautiful music from two beautiful artists. Pump this in ya whip for days and reflect on the mastery that tape. I do wish a track like "Modern Day Gangstas" could have been included, but I understand why it wasn't.


PS: The main Dillagence post over at illRoots has a few mirrors up as well.
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Inside the Rapper's Studio: Ghostface Killah

Miss Info has crazy exclusive knowledge on the forthcoming Big Doe Rehab album that Ghostface will be dropping next week. Here are the two Parts of Ghost going track-by-track, dissecting his latest opus:

Part 1


Part 2


She also has loads of audio clips available in that drop as well. Nice work, ma.

BONUS BEATS: eskay not only has the AVP for Big Doe Rehab up, but he also threw up "Yolanda's House", a nice track featuring both Method Man & Raekwon. I like Meth's rhymes on that one.
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A Def Soul Christmas

I'm glad that Def Soul Classics has stepped up and tried to present some new takes on classic Christmas music. Bringing in heavyweights like The Isley Brothers featuring Ron Isley (which I never get - is there a legit Isley Brothers unit that does NOT feature Ron Isley?) and Miss Patti LaBelle (with both discs being executive produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis), you are definitely sure to get some quality R&B and Soul music, as well as two beautiful voices to help bring you right into that Christmas spirit. I got both of these discs, and figured I'd back-to-back them in the player, and get a proper experience with both. First up: the Isleys.

I'll Be Home For Christmas was the one disc I was kind of iffy on. I grew up listening to the Isley Brothers through my mother, and grew up on tracks like "Between The Sheets", "Caravan of Love", "Harvest for the World" and a host of other classics. I didn't think that Mr. Big could pull off some of these tracks - and I was sadly mistaken. The disc starts out with a jazzy take on "Winter Wonderland", with a pretty hip flute solo in the middle. Ron's voice is as great as ever, and you can hear his timeless adlibs creeping in, but staying true to the original's flavor. Their "Isley Christmas Medley" is a thing of beauty, and clockin' in at almost 6 minutes, the seductive guitar strumming makes you get into that zone that some of their other slower cuts bring you to (notably, the bedroom). Their take on "White Christmas" is a bit unexpected, bringing some "dreamin' dreamin' dreamin'" vocal randomly to the intro, and stepping this classic up a bit. The added treats are the two NEW compositions on this disc: "I'm In Love" isn't very Christmas-y, but sounds like the perfect track to put on when you have your engagement ring from Kay, and are proposing to that special someone underneath the Christmas tree. The true gem is "What Can I Buy?", which has Ron speaking to his lady friend, the one who has everything, trying to figure out what she wants, exactly. It's got that cool Isley feel, very modern funk style, and some nice lines ("girl I'll spend it all if I could buy you"), as well as Ernie Isley's distinctive guitar wailing. All in all, this is a tight disc: you get some updated classics, as well as some tracks that stick right to how the originals sound. Ron's voice works well with all of these, and at times you feel like they are sitting by the fireplace, crooning these songs of old to a living room full of loved ones, like in their take on "The Christmas Song". Beautiful holiday music.

I wish I could feel the same way about Patti LaBelle's Miss Patti's Christmas. All is not lost, as the "Christmas Jam" opening track has a funky feel to it. Reminds me of that episode of A Different World where they all went to Dwayne Wayne's house and the whole Wayne family was singing together. Very chill vibe. After this, the selection gets dicey. Patti's voice is in tact, but I'd like to have heard some less-Adult Urban Contemporary grooves on this disc. "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" and "What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas?" sound alright, and I bet my mom and her peoples will love them, but they sound both uninspired and unoriginal. "Holidays Mean More To Me" and "It's Going To Be A Merry Christmas" have the same exact theme (don't gimme no presents, I just need you), so hearing them back to back makes no sense to me. The remaining tracks are devoted to the Lord, which is always good to hear, but again the tracks vary. "Nativity" has that 2007 synth-happy beat, and it's so crunk I was waiting for like Young Jeezy or someone to jump out and drop a 16. "Jesus, Oh What A Wonderful Child" starts out like an Al Green track, but then drops into some Swampfox, Alabama, down home gospel feel, which is always good for the spirit. This being Miss Patti's newest Christmas album since 1990, I kind of wonder why she was chosen for this series. She's no doubt got the vocal game on lock, but Patti over new-school sounds doesn't really cut it, especially when she does a 180 with a few of these numbers.

In the end, my assumptions were way off: I figured the Isley Brothers would be trying to hold onto the youth, while Patti stuck to the tried and true and would shine right through. It was actually the Isleys who crafted some perfect blends of the new and the old, while Patti's disc seemed all over the place in terms of the style of the selections. Both artists still have "it", but whodathunk that Mr. Big and his family would outshine Miss Patti LaBelle singing about Santa and Jesus Christ?!? For what it's worth, though, for your family members or friends who grew up on the timeless music from both Patti LaBelle and the Isley Brothers, these CDs would make PERFECT stocking stuffers.

Grades:
The Isley Brothers - B+
Patti LaBelle - C

Both discs are available NOW. Peep this link for more info on the tracklists.
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You Betta Axe Somebody


THE CHURCH OF LUDACHRIST

More than a mash-up crew, this is a religion, bitches. Here's a few MP3s:

"Se-bast-I-Am" (more info on this SebastiAn/Timbaland freakin' number HERE)

Also, you can grab Bangfest, the LUDACHRIST debut mix, for FREE (in 320kbps MP3 format) as well. Tracklist:

1. Get on my Axel 1:27
2. Polar Bears in Africa 1:08
3. Toto 2 Hot 0:33
4. East vs. West vs. Bitches 0:55
5. Suck that news, Tiger 1:16
6. Hey you! Get down on the floor 2:15
7. Take on Me 0:46
8. The Golden Era 1:29
9. Metallitroy 1:06
10. Lunchbag 0:38
11. Predators 0:49
12. The Windows of Justice 1:15
13. Ghost Busta Rhymes 1:53
14. Only the Strong Eat Cake and get Hypnotized 1:44
15. Meet me in the Grind 1:15
16. Rock me Child 0:57
17. Cult of Brutality 0:21
18. Interlude 0:44
19. Dire Straight Bitches! 2:19
20. We are your Hoes 2:13
21. No Love 1:11
22. Owner of a Lonely .44 0:50
23. Daft Effect 0:57
24. Headbanger 1:35
25. The Swarm 2:59
26. The Legend of Curtis 1:49
27. Soul on Ice 1:52
28. Detatchable Pinky 1:46
29. Splash D's 1:43
30. The Pigs are Here 1:08
31. Se-bast-i-Am 2:01
Crazy hipster dancefloor madness. Shouts to Knick and Ewun. Checkout LUDACHRIST on MySpace.
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First Wedding Dance

That first dance between the newly-wed bride and groom. It's a magical moment. The spotlight is on them, and all their friends and loved ones can see them, in their glory, look into each others eyes and move ever so lightly to the music.

Or you can have a bit of fun with it, like this couple did:



Big up to my wifey for the video.
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Hip-Hop Bowling

You already know what it is when the iNTERNETS CELEBRITIES and the Underground Hip-Hop Celebrities get together for a bowling session.

And to quote Dallas, Hip-Hop is definitely a lot like bowling. Check out the video:



More fun and games at Oh Word. Shouts to Rafi for the link. Cop them $9 Stand Up! tickets NOW!
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RiotControl Nine

Burt Fox & Sonny Noir are back for the latest edition of their RiotControl podcast. This edition "features new and classic electro, electronic, dance and more." Check out the tracklist:

Numbers - Kraftwerk
2-D - Skream
White Flash - Modeselektor
Destroy Them My Robots - Anthony Rother
Hustler - Simian Mobile Disco
Jagz The Smack - Rustie
Someway Through This - Black Ghosts (Skream and Plastician RMX)
Moments In Love - Art Of Noise
International Players Anthem - UGK
White Label - Diplo
Computer Love - Kraftwerk
Unite - Burial

Nice lil' mixture of Hip-Hop, Dubstep, and other pieces of noise. Download RiotControl Nine; peep RiotControl on MySpace, and make sure you burn their feed.
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Leon on Curb Your Enthusiasm

I've slept on Season 6 of Curb Your Enthusiasm, but caught up with it over the last week or so. That nigga Leon is the truth. J.B. Smoove is the actor's name, you might have seen him in Pootie Tang or other joints. I found clips of his scenes on YouTube, and want to share what's been cracking me up this week:

"Get In That Ass"


"Long Balls"


"Phone Swap"


Great season,and one of the best parts was my man Leon.
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Be Thankful For What You Got

I'm not the BIGGEST Thanksgiving head. I am not into the whole folklore of the White Man and the Red Man sitting down to eat corn and shit. I don't think it went down that way. Being a Family Man, though, I do get sentimental, and I do appreciate certain things. I am thankful that my family is alive and well, and not ending up in a tragic accident like the one that happened around the corner from my house yesterday, or the murder that popped off near my in-laws last weekend. I am thankful that my Nets finally won last night. Among all, I'm thankful to still be enjoying this blog. Being a writer that blogs for not much seems like a dumb thing to do, but I am having a ball, and getting to converse with some down ass people. I am thankful for my peers in this lil' thing of ours.

In any case, all of that is not why I am posting right now. I wanted to throw a "thank"-y track up for the day, and it hit me: "Be Thankful For What You Got". Perfect vibe, perfect message, just right for me and mine. But you know we have to take it a step further... so here are the original, as well as 3 different versions of this beautiful cut
Enjoy your turkey day: grab a cold one and relax with those who mean the most to you.
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Marv Won vs Nems

Shouts to Perpetuum for hittin' me with this. Nems is the truth.



I like Nems. I think Marv did aaaaaaiiiiiight (that "Slick Rick shit" shit was dope), but I like Nems' flow better.
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Pre-Order 8 Diagrams TODAY!

The Wu-Tang Clan Mega Store opened today, and you can pre-order 8 Diagrams. I'd say you should grab the 8 Diagrams package, which is the limited edition CD/DVD version of 8 Diagrams, as well as the t-shirt (which you save $5 on when ordering this package). All they need to include is a 40 and a Dutch and it'd be ON!

Peep the tracklist:

1. Campfire
2. Take it Back
3. Get Them Out Ya Way Pa
4. Face the Problems
5. The Heart Gently Weeps
6. SKIT
7. Wolves
8. Gun Will Go
9. Sunlight
10. SKIT (Robin Harris)
11. Stick Me for My Riches
12. Windmill
13. Weak Spot
14. Life Changes
15. Starter
16. You Can’t Stop Me Now
17. Watch Your Mouth
eskay threw some leaked joints from the LP up today (ripped from DJ Semtex's radio show), so check those, then pre-order this, and support one of the illest groups in Hip-Hop history.

BONUS: Enigmatik posted the latest RZA interview segment with Kotari. Holla.
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Snippets Day!

Today must be the day that the snippets come out to play:

Phew. Keep up, kids!

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Saigon: "I QUIT"


eskay posted up this story about recordings of Saigon being interviewed recently on Shade45, saying he finna slap everyone from Nelly to Melyssa Ford. He reportedly said he was drunk when he said that shit (but then had words for Joe Budden!?)... and now my nigga Enigmatik hit me with this link, showing Saigon just being frustrated and, well, quitting. Now, before he deletes this shit, I am posting this up, in its entirety...unedited:

Monday, November 19, 2007

I QUIT........

You see I got into rap a very very long time ago, I didnt do it to become rich, I didnt do it to become famous, I did it because it was a way for me to vent about the bad things that were happening around me, It was therapy for me so to speak.....Ive realized now that sooo many people have gotten into Hip Hop, whether the business aspect or otherwise, its not really for me anymore...First of all, people need to know
that I am a contraversal person period, before I ever was in a magazine, on T.V. in a studio, I was very very deep in the street shit...Contraversy has always followed me, Its unfortunate but it is what it is...Its my life...I dont try to start shit to cause contraversy, its the Media, the press and yall who eat off contraversy who start the shit, try to make me look wild or out of control when Im just being myself....I cant take turning on a computer and seeing my name being thrown around in all kinds of ways, Its not good for me, and not good for these writers, I am accident prone for life, I will take a page out of the Wu Tang book and beat the shit outta one of yall man, youre playing with fire.. Should I post my Rap Sheet on the internet for yall dummies..Im not a regular dude. I never signed up for this so Im stepping away from this fake shit.....I did a interview on Shade45, the interview was 2 hours long mind you, we talked about EVERYTHING from what we need to do as a people to get on track to economizing and everything but you know whats on all the so called media outlets in boldface as the headline, 'Saigon Disses Whoever'...You know what part of a 2 hr interview they replay? Me saying something about a person...If I woulda said, Ill slap John Hardy Hawkins for his role in the Slave trade, they would never put it in boldface or re run it 1000 times, but If I say Ill slap a rapper or
something, Its the headline news of the day....Thats ass backwards to me so Im done...No more interviews, no more mixtapes, no nothing....Im not a rapper anymore, Im done.. Im back to being regular me...This shit is too fake for me, I found myself getting caught up in the bullshit but now Ill gladly walk away...These people are so predictable that to prove to my niggas who would say my buzz was dying or whatever, I would say 'oh yeah', watch this, then for fun, I would just do an interview and make a comment about someone because I knew they would run back like little bitches who instigate something to get the people talking. Then walah, youre buzz is back, (nevermind the 10 great new songs you just put out)..But its not fun anymore...I look at the Prodigy incident, that started not because of anything but these media outlets...He told me to suck his dick in an INTERVIEW..Then it becomes physical, we both coulda got shot, stabbed or even killed...Had I been with my crew somebody wouldve died in there all over something that started in an INTERVIEW. Then the same people who instigated it would be talking about how senseless we are..I dont give a fuck if nobody ever does a story on me again..I dont rap anymore, I dont need it anymore... I no longer have to keep pretending to be a certain way to care about a radio spin, or an interview, so I can address these people when I see them like I BEEEEN wanting to, and thats unbiased. NO MOREASS KISSING FOR ME. (Thank God)All of that trying to be politically correct bullshit is just that,
bullshit..There is no honor amongst theives...Now I can say what the fuck I want, when I want, however I the fuck I want without people feeling like they have the right to ridicule me, judge me and talk slick about me because I have that word "rapper" attached to me, or because Im a "rapper" who supposed to know how to talk to these fake ass media people who really dont give 2 fucks about hip hop or black culture period. How many of these outlets are owned by black people anyway? I know alot of people dont give a fuck about me stepping away, some people might but so what, its a wrap...Some people will say I was wack anyway lol, or I never had punchlines or funny metaphores anyway, but that wasnt my thing anyway....I left enough great music behind for people to understand I was good at rapping, thats all I ever wanted out of it, But now Im back on my bullshit...I have no KIDS, I have nothing to lose. My purpose for even starting this was trying to get black people out of the stages of deaf, dumb and blindness and with the way of the world today thats a fight I probably couldve never won anyway...I wouldve given my life trying to save my people and died in vein like alot of people did...And to that rapper thats throwing my name around, U must be retarted or like hospital food or something, we have BEEF homie, not rap beef, beef beef..I have nothing more to say about that....Fuck this bum ass rap game anyway, its full of fake ass niggaz who pump poison to the kids, make a few dollars and act like theyre larger then life when they know their music is detrimental to their fucking communities, If it aint about sex, its about drugs or violence, where are the songs about getting an eduacation, or being responsible parents and shit, or stopping the Gang Violence...This shit is sickening......Im done.....SAIGON IS DEAD...Should I say Ill slap a rapper so they run and put it in all their news section and gossip columns..Okay Ill slap the shit outta EVERY Rapper hows that....I QUIT, now I gotta figure out how Im gonna break this to Just Blaze......THE GREATEST STORY NEVER TOLD=Prophecy......
Wow. I respect what he was trying to do LYRICALLY, but really, nobody cares though, Sai. I mean, you aren't like Denzel with the acting, and with no album out, you're nothing more than a whisper in the mixtape circles. Maybe you really are just not cut out for being in the media's eye. Oh and LMFAO @ "now I gotta figure out how Im gonna break this to Just Blaze". Once you hit submit, he knew.

SMH @ his lack of basic grammar and vocab skills. Stay tuned for another episode of "As The Record Turns"...
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Donny Goines, Hired Gun & Cause: Da Cypher

I have been tellin' you guys about the forthcoming Stand Up! show on the 6th of December being put on by SitDownStandUp & Oh Word (and being hosted by the iNTERNETS CELEBRITIES), featuring MCs Donny Goines, Hired Gun, Cauase, NYOIL and a mystery MC... to get you guys psyched, here's a cypher featuring MCs Donny Goines, Hired Gun & Cause (as seen on Oh Word):



You know you wanna go! Grab your tix NOW!
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DJ Triple H & DJ Cable present Southern Smackdown

Back in August, I provied a link to a Guest Mix that DJ Cable did for BBC 1Xtra. Him and I have kept in contact, and he just hit me with a mixtape he recently completed with DJ Triple H entitled Southern Smackdown (zShare stream/dload link), which is hosted by the one like Lil' Keke. The tracklist is super up-front Dirty South Hip-Hop, from cats like Gorilla Zoe, Scarface, Dem Franchize Boyz, Killer Mike, David Banner and many more from the South. Check it out:

Tracklisting:

DJ Triple H

01 - Intro
02 - Gorilla Zoe – Lil Shawty
03 - Hurricane Chris – Hand Clap
04 - David Banner Feat. Yung Joc & Chris Brown- Get Like Me
05 - Sean P – Everywhere We Go
06 - Shawty Lo – They Know
07 - Killer Mike – Good
08 - Soulja Boy – Crank Dat (Travis Barker Remix)
09 - Dem Country Boyz – Spiderman
10 - Yung Joc Feat. Gorilla Zoe – Juice Box
11 - Lil Keke Feat. Birdman – G Til I Die

DJ Cable

12 - Dem Franchise Boyz Feat. Shop Boyz – Rock
13 - Scarface - Never
14 - Mike Jones - Turnin Heads
15 - Birdman Feat. Lil' Wayne - Pop Bottles
16 - Yung Joc Feat. Gorilla Zoe - Bottle Poppin'
17 - The Alliance - Diddy Bop
18 - Dem Franchise Boyz - I'm Fresh
19 - DJ Cable - Relax & Take Notes (Interlude)
20 - B.G. Feat. T.I. - For A Minute
21 - Webbie Feat. Lil' Boosie - Independent
22 - Soulja Boy - Shootout
23 - Outro
24 - DJ Khaled Feat. T-Pain, Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Lil' Wayne, Fat joe, Birdman & Rick Ross - I'm So Hood Remix (Bonus Track)
Super official; put some South in your mouth.
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rock the dub radio: episode 009


Special edition of rock the dub radio here. Toasting the new Jay-Z album, as well as Nas' Greatest Hits package, I decided to make a show using tracks that show some of the different sides of both MCs. Lots of personal favorites in these 2 hours; I'll let the tracklist speak:


(direct MP3 download - podOmatic is doing maintenance, so it might not be available right now!)

01/intro
02/Nas "The World Is Yours"
03/Nas "On The Real"
04/Nas "Purple"
05/Large Professor ft. Nas "Stay Chiseled"
06/Nas ft. Ludacris & Jadakiss "Made You Look (Remix)"
07/Nas ft. Jay-Z "Black Republicans"
08/Nas ft. Jay-Z & Lord Tariq "Analyze This"
09/Nas ft. Bravehearts "Zone Out"
10/Nas "I Gave You Power"
11/Nas "Everybody's Crazy"
12/Nas "Nazareth Savage"
13/Nas "U.B.R. (Unauthorized Biography of Rakim)"
14/Nas "No Idea's Original"
15/Nas "NY State of Mind"
16/Nas ft. The Game "Hustlers"
17/Nas "Come Take A Ride (2 Seater)"
18/Nas "Thief's Theme"
19/Jay-Z "Roc Boys (And The Winner Is...)"
20/Kanye West ft. Beanie Sigel & Freeway "Can't Tell Me Nothin' (Remix)"
21/Jay-Z ft. Memphis Bleek, Beanie Sigel & Amil "You, Me, Him & Her"
22/Beanie Sigel ft. Jay-Z "It's On"
23/Freeway ft. Beanie Sigel & Jay-Z "What We Do"
24/Jay-Z "44 Fours (Live)"
25/Jay-Z "Who You Wit II"
26/Jay-Z "It's Like That"
27/Jay-Z "All I Need"
28/Raekwon ft. Ghostface Killah & Nas "Verbal Intercourse"
29/The Roots ft. Dice Raw & Beanie Sigel "Adrenaline"
30/Jay-Z "Allure (DJ Green Lantern 'Flashing Lights' Blend)"
31/Jay-Z "My Last Song (DJ Nappy Green Album Mix)"
32/Jay-Z ft. Nas "Success"
33/Jay-Z "Show You How"
34/Jay-Z "Interlude (Poem)"
Threw some cuts many might not be too up on, as well as some joints that I think truly showcase how ill both of these individuals are. Let me know what you think.

Next week marks the 10th episode of rock the dub radio. Shouts to Chad and WGHH Radio for throwing my lil mixtapes out to the world. Episode 010 will be a battle (first of many, hopefully), entitled "dub vs. boom", and features an hour from myself, and an hour from my "Have You Seen Me Dunk?" fam, Enigmatik (of Boo Goo Doo Boom fame). Soundclash style, bringing fresh cuts as well as some old favorites. Keep on the lookout for that one.

As per usual: RSS \ e-mail me tracks!
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Kanye Breaks Down (video)

Video spotted @ TSS; Wes has info on what transpired. Short story short, Kanye was performing in Paris, and broke down when "Hey Mama" dropped.

Kind of wild that he's still on tour - I don't think I could THINK, let alone go on a world tour, with my mom recently passing. Takes a big dude. Shouts to him in his time of mourning.

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Happy Birthday, ODB

There's not much more I can say about ODB that hasn't already been said by someone who is better with these kinds of words. I mean, today is Dirt McGirt's born-day. I just figured, why not give the people some presents, tracks of Dirty's that I absolutely love, and let you niggas know why:

"Pussy Keep Calling": not sure where this ended up (the Osiris mixtape?); ODB gettin' raunchy over a nice, slower-tempo track. The funny thing about Dirt Dog was that he was so damn nasty, always high, drunk (or a combo of the two), but still would get on these tracks and just talk that raw sex shit. Cracked me up. "Cum all in that pussy" never sounded so threatening... lol.

"Diesel": this is one of the only tracks where Dirty's "I need help!" calls sounded both paranoid and fucking real deal Holyfield at the same time. You also get that classic grimey flow, masking some really intriguing thoughts, almost non-Dirty-esque, if there is such an idea. Classic Wu-banger (off their Greatest Hits disc), with Rae, U-God and Meth on the assist.

"Dog Shit": From Wu-Tang Forever, this is the lone Dirty solo cut. And it knocks. So many quottables in here ("that means, ho, you been shitted on!"), it's crazy. The hypnotic beat matches Dirty's all-over-the-map rhymes. That interlude at the end ("Fisher Price, 'My First Timberlands'") is not to be missed...

"Harlem World": When Return to the 36 Chambers dropped, I copped a bootleg cassette tape of it in New Haven, CT. It was a 45 min. tape, so I had to flip to the B-side and rewind to get more flavor. I hated that, but I learned that entire LP off that tape. I ended up ditching it, and buying the retail CD not too long after, and fell in love with this, the last track and 2nd bonus track. Still not sure why it's named "Harlem World", but that verse where ODB doesn't spit the last word in his bars was actually something I saw him do on MTV, during the Wu's performance of "America" (around 2:57 is where it gets good - I used to have this on VHS), where he would randomly spit the whole verse. Very crazy rhymes, with an equally ill beat (which didn't fit with the rest of the LP, but that's part of it's glory). I think a lot of people dismissed this cut, for no good reason.

"Hip Hop Drunkies": Just a fun-ass track, from the Alkoholiks' Likwidation album. Very dope combo. I had this on a recording of a local Hip-Hop show, Vibes & Vapors, and wore that tape out too. I like the ice cubes hitting the glass in the beat.

Now, I'll throw some YouTube finds here:

ODB @ the '98 Grammys:


Classic RZA & ODB from who knows how long ago (All In Together Now!):


"Got Your Money" video:


"Woo Hah! (remix)" video:


Finally, Wu-Tang Corp. has some MP3s for download:

Enjoy these. Smoke a bone, grab a 40 and get bent to this. We miss you, ODB. You are always with us, my nigga. One love.

UPDATE: theENGINEER has a few posts devoted to the ODB as well. Check them out, now!

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Have You Seen Me Dunk?


Just a lil' bit of FYI - Enigmatik and myself have embarked on a blog of epic proportions: Have You Seen Me Dunk? is THE spot to peep all of our Basketball-related posting, and is set to be the illest roundball blog on the 'Net. You're going to get Bulls love, Nets love (and tears), as well as anything else B-Ball-related that we sit fit to post.

So head on over there, get on the bandwagon (early), and let us know what you think.
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Stop shittin' on Winston

I used to get heated in elementary school when people would talk about Ghostbusters (either the movies or the cartoons), and only speak about the 3 Caucasian 'Busters. The cartoon was the worst - they used to coon up Winston for no good reason. Now, G4 reports that there's a new Ghostbusters video game coming (no word on systems - yet), and stars Bill Murray, Dan Ackroyd and Harold Ramis have all signed on to appear/write scripts for this game. Which is cool but... where's Ernie Hudson?

Please, makers of this new Ghostbusters game, don't shit on Winston Zeddemore!

BONUS FUN FACT: Arsenio Hall voiced the character of Winston in The Real Ghostbusters 1986 cartoon.

UPDATE: An Anonymous rock the dubber posted this link to a Variety article that not only states that Mr. Hudson WILL be in the game, but it also states that this new game will be cross-platform, or so it seems. Looks like the same company that brought you the recent Scarface game will be bringing this to the masses. Sue me for not reading VARIETY LOL; but thanks for the link. I am glad that they STOPPED shittin' on Winston.
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bear with me...

...as I deal with Blogger. I thought I had my template saved, but while testing different templates, I realized that when I tried to revert to my old set up, all of the text on my right side was not saved in the template. What the fuck. In any case, I'm cleaning it up. Might be premiering a new template.

Who knows.
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NETSWATCH: Tip Off

Aside from K-Mart, Dr. J in his prime would be perfect right about now...

NJ Nets, what's going on? I am a fan, although I do not watch as many games a year as I should, but with my son, I figured I wanted to have at least one bond (outside of classic wrestling matches on WWE 24/7) between us, and he seems to dig roundball - even if he is all of 1 year old. In any case, since I've been blogging about 5 moonths shy for two years, I guess it's about time that I dedicated a new series to my hometeam, the New Jersey Nets.

Tonight, unfortunately, my Nets will do battle with the Celtics, AKA the undefeated team that picked up both Jesus and KG in the off-season. *SIGH* Didn't we just get beat by these dudes over the weekend, where we lost Vince Carter? Do we need to suffer more? The Celtics are dropping the majority of their foes by double digits (at least), and don't seem to be running out of steam (maybe someone needs to pull a Tanya Harding on one of their "top 3"). Hopefully, we get solid performances from Kidd, RJ and, um, Nenad, who should be really coming into his own this year. Plus, I have Kidd on my fantasy squad, too (come to think of it - Carter is on my team too - I need an updated report before I drop him), so I hope he comes out with his usual great performance.

Speaking of Vinsanity, the only update is that he has a Grade 1 ankle sprain, but there's no timetable as to when he will come back. My relationship with Vince as a fan is more hate than love, because when there's not much on the line, Vince looks HOF-bound; when we need him to pull it out in the cluthc, oh say, Game 6 of a pivotal playoff series, he will flub shots, lack hustle and just be an all-around scrub with the rock. I don't get dude, but he is under contract, so I can only hope he gets back on his feet and plays quality ball.

Where will the Nets end up this season? As of right now, they are 2nd place in the Atlantic Division, right behind the Celtics (who are probably not going anywhere anytime soon), and if they play their usual ball, should at least make the playoffs. Second round if we're lucky. I just don't know what Rod Thorn is thinking. He needs to holla at Jay-Z, be like "yo, sir, can you please buy us a quality PF/Center and get this thing poppin'?", but NOOOOOO; is he conserving money for the supposed big move to Brooklyn? Who knows, but until someone opens up a purse (have they never heard of the old adage 'you gotta spend money to make money'?), we will have an aging legend in Kidd, an always-improving RJ and whatever the rest of the team is going to try and bring. I just don't see them going further with this squad/attitude.

Prove me wrong, Lawrence.

LOY'S PLACE has the match-up broken down HERE.

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Dirty Minded

Had no idea this documentary even existed... can anyone find this on DVD?

Rest in peace, Ol' Dirty.

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4
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VH1 Hip Hop Honors: Total Fucking Outtakes

Rafi has posted up a few clips that were left out of the iNTERNETS CELEBRITIES' "VH1 Hip Hop Honors Total Fucking Access" video. The Consequence video is priceless, just for the point where he realizes who they are! Check 'em out:

Kool Moe Dee interview

those Moe Dee glasses are wild.

Consequence

my man's swagger-jackin' Mr. Ed's teeth.

NYOIL interview

Mint.

Don't forget: Stand Up!, December 6th, NY.
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Support Asya Shein

She's going to be walking in the 2007 Los Angeles Walk with Us to Cure Lupus Walkathon. As many of you know, J Dilla passed from complications due to Lupus back in Feb. 2006, and through the J Dilla Foundation (and other Lupus organizations), mad awareness and support has come from this sort of Internet/grassroots avenue of education.

Asya Shein hit me up, and is one of 3 members of a team that is walking on the 17th of November in L.A. during this Walkathon. All monies raised will fund research sponsored by the Alliance for Lupus Research and its efforts to prevent, treat and cure Lupus. I think anyone/everyone who has been touched by Jay Dee should donate some dollars or, if you are in the area and can make it, take the time to do some walkin'! It's for a good cause, and it's a great way to exercise, too! She hit me with some facts that kind of bugged me out:

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease in which a person's immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissue.

Lupus can cause life-threatening damage to major organs such as the kidneys, lungs, heart and central nervous system.

Lupus is the leading cause of death among women with autoimmune diseases who are in their childbearing years (ages 15-45).

Women are five times more likely to die from lupus than men, and African Americans are three times more likely to die from lupus than caucasians.

Between 1979 and 1998 there was an approximate 70% increase in lupus deaths among middle-aged African American women.
How wild is that? I didn't know that more African Americans die from Lupus than Caucasians. Kind of deep. In any case, visit Asya's page and support/donate/etc., get the word out and I hope they have a great day for walking on the 17th!

One love.
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RIP Donda West


That's what the early reports are saying; All Hip-Hop reports that, at age 58, Dr. Donda West died suddenly, possibly due to some surgical procedure (those reports are not confirmed as of yet). It's just kind of crazy - 58 is way too young to pass! I'm not the biggest Kanye West fan, but I feel for him in these somber times. She just put out that Raising Kanye book, too!

Kanye West "Hey Mama"

I'll post more on this when more info becomes available. RIP Donda West.
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Hoodoo Love


I unfortunately wasn't able to go see this, but I think my like-minded bredren and sistren out there in the NYC area should go check this out:

In a southern tale of love, magic, jealousy and secrets, Toulou escapes from the Mssissippi Delta cotton fields to pursue her dream of singing the blues in Memphis. When she meets a rambling blues man, the notorious Ace of Spades, this dream is realized in a way she could never have imagined.

Hoodoo Love was originally produced as part of the Cherry Lane Mentor Project 2006 mentored by Lynn Nottage.

This is on a limited engagement; it started on October 16th and is running through December 9th, so head on over to the Cherry Lane Theatre page, or this NY Times article on playwright Katori Hall, as well as the Hoodoo Love EPK and get more info on this play.

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Ghostface Killah Big Doe Rehab: cover/tracklist



Tracklist:

01 At the Cabana Skit [performed by Ghostface Killah and Rhythm Roots Allstars]
02 Toney Sigel a.k.a the Barrel Brothers [ft. Beanie Sigel and Styles P]
03 Yolanda's House [ft. Raekwon and Method Man]
04 We Celebrate [ft. Kid Capri]
05 Walk Around
06 Yapp City [ft. Trife Da God and Sun God]
07 White Linen Affair (Toney Awards) [ft. Shawn Wigs]
08 Supa GFK
09 Rec-Room Therapy [ft. Raekwon and U-God]
10 The Prayer [performed by Ox]
11 I'll Die for You
12 Paisley Darts [ft. Raekwon, Sun God, Trife Da God, Method Man, and Cappadonna]
13 Shakey Dog Starring Lolita [ft. Raekwon]
14 ! [performed by Ghostface Killah and Rhythm Roots Allstars]
15 Killa Lipstick [ft. Method Man and Masta Killa]
16 Slow Down [ft. Chrisette Michele]
Stacked, right? I'm digging the amount of Wu niggas on there. I like how he's bringing back Shakey Dog, too... plus a track with Beans AND Styles P!?! I can't wait!

Info via Pitchfork.
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Gorillaz D-Sides: cover/tracklist/info

Following up their G-Sides compilation from a few years back, the Gorillaz are back with a new collection of unreleased treats, including B-sides, demos, remixes and other gems, entitled D-Sides, which is set to drop on the 20th of November. Murdoc has also set up a Facebook page, so head on over to there and get the lowdown. Here's the scoop on this double disc:

D-Sides, an assortment of B-sides from Gorillaz’ multi-platinum second album Demon Days, early demos and previously unreleased tracks compiled together for the first time, has been confirmed for a November 20 U.S. release on Virgin Records.

D-Sides highlights include “Hong Kong,” the lush and lovely track recorded by Gorillaz for Warchild and the surprise hit of last year’s Demon Days Live show (given an exclusive refit here with added strings), the dubbed-out collaboration with The Bees, “Bill Murray,” and the apocalyptic scum-pop of “We Are Happy Landfill.” “Stop The Dams” is another collaboration, this time with the Sugarcubes’ Einar Orn, protesting against dam building in Iceland’s wilderness. Demos “People” (which later became Demon Days single “DARE”) and “Don’t Get Lost in Heaven” give a sneak peek into the band’s creative process, while the Mandarin version of “Dirty Harry” provides an insight into how Gorillaz might sound if they’d been born east of the Yangtze instead of deep in the wilds of Essex, while D-Sides’ bonus CD of remixes includes reworkings by DFA, Junior Sanchez and Hot Chip.

A special edition of D-Sides will be available in a debossed glossy dual box, and will include two exclusive Jamie Hewlett prints, a collection of Gorillaz badges, stickers and a “Choose Pazuzu” patch. The track listing will be the same as the standard edition.


Peep out the tracklists for both discs:

CD1:
1. 68 State FEEL GOOD INC. B-SIDE
2. People DARE DEMO
3. Hongkongaton DIRTY HARRY B-SIDE
4. We are Happy Landfill WEBSITE ONLY DOWNLOAD
5. Hong Kong WARCHILD
6. Highway (Under Construction) DARE B-SIDE
7. Rockit DEMO - DEMON DAYS SESSION (watch the video here)
8. Bill Murray FEEL GOOD INC. B-SIDE
9. The Swagga DEMON DAYS LTD EDITION
10. Murdoc is God DIRTY HARRY B-SIDE
11. Spitting Out the Demons FEEL GOOD INC. B-SIDE
12. Don’t Get Lost in Heaven DEMO VERSION
13. Stop the Dams KIDS WITH GUNS/EL MANANA B-SIDE

Bonus disc:

1. DARE (DFA Remix)
2. Feel Good Inc (Stanton Warriors Remix)
3. Kids With Guns (Jamie T’s Turns To Monsters Mix)
4. DARE (Soulwax Remix)
5. Kids With Guns (Hot Chip Remix)
6. El Manana (Metronomy Remix)
7. DARE (Junior Sanchez Remix)
8. Dirty Harry (Schtung Chinese New Years Remix)
9. Kids With Guns (Quiet Village Remix)

I know there's some Gorillaz fans out there - keep your eyes/ears peeled for this monster!
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Fuck Prince

Now, this being rock the dub, guys like Prince don't get much play on this here blog. Not to say I'm not a fan of his, for "Erotic City", his Batman soundtrack, and Purple Rain, among much more of his music, are some of the shit that made me who I am today. I was a fan of his back when people though Michael Jackson would kick his ass in a battle (like Chris Rock said, "Prince won!")... but this is some bullshit.

Look, Prince, I can understand you wanting to control your art. I am all for that; I understood the name change, the "SLAVE" on your cheek, and I backed you. I loved the fact that you ended up reclaiming your name and really taking control of your masters. Big thing for art and artists alike. The thing is, you're dicking over three of the biggest Prince fansites there are? How you gonna fuck over people who helped make you who you are today, financially, and tell THEM TO TAKE DOWN THEIR ART!?!? Photos are one thing, but fan-generated media, praising you? That's like the James Brown estate telling you to stop playing Funk tunes, or Jimi Hendrix telling you to stop playing guitar. Why stifle someone who is so obviously enamored enough by you to take time out of their busy life to produce something to show their appreciation with you and your work?

You've made mad money in the last few years, touring off of your back catalogue. Who do you think bought those CDs/tapes/vinyl records? Who do you think buys your tickets, nigga? The fans! Don't become the industry - don't put up inane restrictions which will further fuck over the very group you need to help further your own monetary gain. That shit can (will?) bite you in the ass, and then leave you for dead.
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The iNTERNETS CELEBRITIES @ VH1's Hip-Hop Honors 2007



VH1 Hip Hop Honors Total Fucking Access: red carpets, Michael Eric Dyson, witty commentary and guerilla reporting, all in under 10 minutes. What's more realer than the iCs?!

After the fiasco that was Viacom pulling their footage of the "Scenario" tribute from YouTube, it's good to see this glimpse from behind the scenes of this year's event come to light. I would call these guys my peers, but they are lightyears ahead of me. Shalom!

Shouts to Rafi for the link - glad it's finally complete!

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Wu-Tang Clan 8 Diagrams Mixtape!

No mistake at all. This is the Wu-Tang Clan 8 Diagrams mixtape; there's tons of cuts that are labeled exclusive that many Wu-fiends have heard before, but it's a good primer and lead-up to the double-dose of Wu we will be getting in December. Looks like this is mixed by DJ Allah Mathematics, so expect some tight cuts. Or something. Download it HERE (if that Loud link is down, grab it from this MEGAUPLOAD mirror), then check the tracklisting:

1) Intro feat. Method Man
2) Watch Ur Mouf (Wu-Tang Exclusive)
3) State Of Grace (Raekwon Exclusive)
4) Break That Break (Unreleased)
5) Wu Banga 101 Remix (Unreleased)
6) My Corner (Raekwon Exclusive)
7) Stick Me 4 My Riches (Wu-Tang Exclusive)
8) Thug World (Wu-Tang Exclusive)
9) Maxine Remix (Unreleased)
10) King Toast Queen (Unreleased)
11) Strawberries & Cream Remix
12) Weak Spot (Wu-Tang Exclusive)
13) Intoxicated feat Macy Gray (ODB Exclusive)
14) Crooklyn Dodgers (Ghostface Exclusive)
15) The "W" Remix (Unreleased)
16) Real Nillaz
17) Ghost Is Back
18) Don't Go Breaking My Heart ODB feat Macy Gray
19) Violent Skit
20) Life Changes (Wu-Tang Exclusive)
21) Treez (Unreleased)
22) The Abduction
23) John 3:16
24) Good
25) Da Destroyer (Raekwon Freestyle)
26) Iron God Chamber
27) 4:20
28) Wise (Unreleased)
29) Presidential M.C. (Bonus Track - The Heart Gently Weeps)
Shouts to Loud for making this happen.


8 Diagrams should be in stores December 11th. Check out the Wu on MySpace.
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Will LOST suffer from Writer's Strike?

EW has reported that both Damon Lindeloff and Carlton Cuse, pulled a Tina Fey outside of Disney's studios in California. Now I was kind of chuckling at this whole situation, because the studios are so quick to curb piracy, because pirates take food out of the working man's mouths. What do they do? They hunkered down, figured out how to keep their defenses up and stave off any profit sharing until absolutely necessary. Ayo, they need to cut the shit. Season 4 of LOST is apparently only half done (8 episodes in the can, as per the above EW report), and who knows how long we'd have to wait if this strike was still poppin' off. What's good? I mean, if you studio heads make no ends off of digital sales, then the writers won't either; if you do, cut them a percentage, and call it a day. The writers are the backbone of so much of the entertainment industry, you'd think this was a no-brainer.

We here at rock the dub wish the writer's get what they deserve, and until the strike is over, I say we loot and pillage! Burn laptops in effigy! Set paper plants on fire! Steal DVDs and leak them on the interne- err, on second thought, why don't they just hurry up so we don't have to suffer through a bunch of bullshit reality TV shows like So You Think You Want To Be A Fat Band Member?

Fix up, bigwigs.
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Jay-Z American Gangster [review]


The sounds of the 70s and 80s (aka the sounds I grew up on and cherished throughout the late 90s) will be made popular again by Jay-Z, the man who, with producers like the Neptunes, helped usher in the sounds of crack rap and the late 90s ghetto fab movement. And he does it with such finesse. There's a lot of talk, and I've seen other bloggers who've asked "what happened to the album I was hoping for?"... I ask, what did you expect? Jay said he was inspired by the life and times of American Gangster, the Hollywood flick, and with that came sounds that were from another era. Were you thinking this was Reasonable Doubt: The Sequel? This is Jay getting his grown man on, but still giving you guys that "Ignorant Shit". It's Reasonable Doubt and The Blueprint make a baby. And at times, it's amazing.

If there's one thing that stands out, it's the awesome soundscape throughout this disc. The majority of it is steeped in this classic, dusty vintage 70s wears, with tracks like "American Dreamin'", with it's Marvin Gaye-crooning, sounding like it came out on Motown back when Marvin and Stevie were finding their own way. Loads of percussion, subtle drums, nice tidy bass. "Sweet" comes on strong with its blaxploitation loop, full of heavy guitar, droning synth note and just overall lurching funk. Jay takes the soul he's been getting into on his better-received albums and goes all the way in, not losing his step but definitely losing himself in the music, becoming both an instrument and the guiding light for each cut. You get the feeling, hearing tracks like the anthemic "Roc Boys", that if some other MC was on them, it just wouldn't be "theirs". The epitome of the 70s in the 2k7 scope is the awesome funk of "American Gangster", where the ever-changing samples roll on top of each other, making it almost hard to pay attention to the raw Jay is laying out on the mirror for you. You will sniff it, but it might be a minute while you get into the groove. The 80s gets its swerve on as well, with the intial '87 mentality of "Blue Magic", the sub-heavy romp of "Hello Brooklyn 2.0" and the show-stealing story in "I Know". Again, Jay knows how to ride these beats, put the ROC stamp on them and claim them for his own. Do they all work?

90% of the time, definitely. It's not until Jay's last verse in "Hello Brooklyn 2.0" that it seems to fit into the underlying theme/inspirational tones of the disc as a whole. "Ignorant Shit" rocks that interesting touch to it, flipping both a known Isley Brothers sample as well as flipping the perception and oomph behind most "ignorant rap", but screams more "mixtape gem" than something that should be on here. Not that his Imus commentary sounds forced, but half a verse from Beans and repeating lines at the end? Not really something I was expecting. When Jay sticks to the topic, AKA the reflections of his own story and upbringing he saw when he peeped American Gangster, it fits like a glove. Jay can chart that progress, from hungry youngster to feeding up-and-coming gangster, to the jaded-millionaire stance in standout cut "Success", to the bottom-falling-out rut of "Fallin'". Dude knows how to paint a picture, but I think in terms of trying to satisfy the public and the naysayers, the path might have gotten a bit muddied along the way. The fact that Jay is knockin' on 4-0 and is still leading the pack in terms of creativity, flows, lyrics and the whole package is still amazing, and a great sight to behold.

All in all, this album deserves any accolades it will receive. Unlike T.I. Vs. T.I.P., one could understand the underlying theme on this disc. Jay hasn't lost a step, never did. He spits intricate rhymes over some of the most intriguing, freshly dusted Hip-Hop grooves this side of 1996 (dare I say it's a great thing Diddy is back!?). For those looking for that old Jay, stop: while one could say "oh, dude took it back to Reasonable Doubt", it's a different mindstate. Back then, it was the idea of Jay doing 1 album, and just giving niggas that hustler music. This time, Jay is the true artists, interjecting himself into a narrative that harkens back to his childhood, but is also the story of hustlers old and new, those who are trying to get that paper by any means necessary. It's a cautionary tale, it's great music, and it's a perfect example of modern Hip-Hop being able to be more than just empty threats and retarded imagery. Jay wears his poetic license on his crisp sleeves, but there's a lot more than veiled threats on this mannequin.

rock the dub gives Jay-Z's American Gangster a 3.5 out of 5 stars. The lyrics are there, the theme is mostly stuck to, but the missteps knock this one down from being the epic disc that it could have been.

You can purchase and preview American Gangsterat Amazon.
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rockthedub.com


Just a few quick announcements:

Sometime this week, this blog will be going down. Why? Well, I recently purchased http://www.rockthedub.com/, and plan on moving this blog to that domain. To do this, it might take 12-24 hours. I got plans and shit, so I'd imagine before the end of the week. Joy.

Also, I am working out a format/schedule, but last night I tested out a SHOUTcast show my peoples at NovaShells hooked up (they've got the ill deals on UNIX & IRCD shells, servers, shoutcast packages and all of that); we tested out the sounds, and yes, Hip-Hop and DnB @ 128kbps sounds PERFECT on it. This will be an extension of my rock the dub radio show for WGHH Radio - focusing on more ignornant Hip-Hop and loads more DnB - I'm thinking split shows. We'll see. So that is on the horizon - be on the lookout!

Any questions? Get at me.
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