rockthedub

I Get Money... the wristband?!?!

Talk about ignorance. I mean, it's bad enough that 50 Cent took an innocent old school rhyme and has made it this nonsensical anthem and a seminal cock-rub whenever he throws fake "50" dollar bills in the air during his shows. Now some jack-offs have mass produced these wristbands carrying the slogan?

I feel bad for Milk Dee. Is he going to see any monies off the proceeds? I hope this is feeding someone's babies or putting loot into the pockets of some Black college students. We all know that's a pipedream...

SMH.

(shouts to Rafi for the initial link)

SAB

Separated At Birth?

khal 10:10 AM No comments

Amy Winehouse & Mick Jagger ...wow. (Pic from Rolling Stone)

iNTERNETS CELEBRITIES, youtube

"Cereal Is Dope" Outtakes

khal 10:56 AM No comments

Those damn Internets Celebrities; you can't just have one amazing video like "Cereal Is Dope" (make sure you digg it); you gotta hit us with the OUTTAKES?!!? Check out this reel clips that didn't make the cut:

Get some info regarding these HERE. Rafi drops the ill post there; Dallas drops some more insightful info, and we also get TWO Lucky Charms-related clips HERE. INTERNETS CELEBRITIES FTW!

American Gangster, Hip-Hop

Possible American Gangster tracklist?

khal 10:40 AM 3 comments

Over at weapons of mass distraction, there's a supposed tracklist to Jay-Z's forthcoming American Gangster from iTunes that looks mad suspicious:

1. Amen
2. Blue Magic
3. Untitled
4. Alright, Alright
5. You Don’t Know
6. And The Winner Is
7. American Gangster (Featuring T.I.)
8. Welcome
9. Ignorant Shit
10. The Demise
11. I Get Money (Remix)

OK I first assume that the "I Get Money (Remix)" is that Forbes 123 joint with 50 Cent and Diddy; if Jay wasn't trying to go radio with this, why would this be included? If you peep the original post @ wmdeez, there's other rumored tracks that are missing, like "No Hook", which was a big part of the NY Times article, as well as cuts featuring both Kanye West AND Nas. I don't see ANY of this making any sense. Not to mention that Just Blaze recently posted about the 40/40 impromptu session Hov and Blaze did on stage (with free drinks!), mentioning a cut entited "Roc Boys".

Basically, iTunes, I think you need to hold off on this until eskay posts something. I don't believe nathan until then.

Hip-Hop, youtube

Amanday All Day (webisode 3)

khal 9:26 AM No comments

Diva on the VMA's. Pt. 1:

review, RnB, track-by-track

Chaka Khan Funk This review

khal 10:37 PM No comments

I don't think I can pull off a full piece on this Chaka Khan disc, so I figured why not drop a track-by-track review on this. First time for any of my rock the dub reviews, so let's see how it goes:

"Back In The Day"
It must suck being an established artist trying to stay relevant. Chaka has done so much, it's hard to not compare her new output with her classic work. This track is not where she needs to go: the writing is weird, her voice is being filtered odd, and aside from the bass guitar, this is an odd intro to start out with.

"Foolish Fool"
Stupid track title, even more mindless lyrics. This sounds like a jam that ended up being recorded and kept on in a purple haze.

"One For All Time"
This one is a little better, the chorus is dope, but it's not something I'd love to listen to again and again. Kind of sounds like something I've heard before and didn't like.

"Angel"
The first slow jam, and it's alright. The lyrics are kind of out there, and sound like a drunken Teena Marie, but Chaka makes it work.

"Will You Love Me"
This CD is 0 for 5 right now in terms of keepers; this Neo-Soul sound is not hittin for Chaka. Her voice sounds much better, but the instrumental is too far out.

"Castles Made Of Sand"
Ugh. The first line is on some spoken word malarky; the backwards guitar reminds me of the guitar solo in D'Angelo's "The Root", but this is just a mess.

"Disrespectful" (ft. Mary J. Blige)
OK this is the best track on it. Not a good look that the heater comes in at track 7 of a 13-track disc. The beat reminds me of Amerie's "1 Thing", but Chaka and MJB freak this one just right. Keep this one.

"Sign 'O' The Times"
Appreciating this track only makes sense if you are a Prince fan. If you've never heard the original, you will be lost. This remake is not good @ all - something is just off. The arrangement sounds like Prince's original, only it's not, so it comes off kind of pointless.

"Pack'd My Bags/You Got The Love (ft. Tony Maiden)"
Who or what is a Tony Maiden? I have no idea. This track sounds like it could be dope live - they could extend that "pack'd my bags" mantra and really freak it vocally. I'd actually rather hear this cut done live than on a CD.

"Ladies Man"
Promising track that sounds a bit too modern for my Chaka taste. Some of the metaphors are silly, but what can you do. Nice, slower vibes here.

"You Belong To Me (ft. Michael McDonald)"
Why did they need to throw the vocoder on here? And did Michael McDonald HAVE to hop up on this? It sounds like Barry Gibb and the Bee Gees produced this, with a fake Stevie Wonder harmonica solo. Wow.

"Hail To The Wrong"
Another attempt at a more modern-sound that just goes nowhere. Those handclaps and the constant percussion hit (what is the stick hitting, an empty bottle or something?) just annoy the daylights out of me. I do like Chaka's non-screaming voice, though.

"Super Life"
Not really feeling this one either. Sounds like its trying too hard to sound like vintage Rufus. Those wah-wah guitars are dope, but the entire package is bland.

Which is the main thing about this CD: Chaka tries hard. Her voice is the saving grace: she has such control, she can make her voice do backflips at will - but the selection of tracks on here is ridiculous. Loads of half-hearted attempts at wooing the Adult Contemporary crowd, who'd just rather hear her belt out some classics. Maybe this disc was made with a "tour of the hits" in mind, ala her pal Prince. Go Chaka, let me hear "Sweet Thing".

Essential Cuts: "Disrespectful", "Pack'd My Bags/You Got The Love"

rock the dub gives Chaka Khan's Funk This album a 2.5 out of 5 stars. While Chaka still has "it", her selection of songs is sub-par; Chaka can still blow, but needs an overhaul in terms of songs that really mean something.

hit the links:
Funk This on Amazon
Chaka Khan on MySpace
Listen to the entire LP on Download.com

DJ Nappy, FOTM, mp3, On That Leak, thugstep

FOTM: THUGSTEP #6 (10/2007)

khal 10:04 PM 1 comment

Opus III vs. Demonic 1 "Fine Day (DJ Nappy THUGSTEP Mix)"

A lil' different styles. No Rap this month, but this shit still has an ill feel to it. Nappy threw Kirsty Hawkshaw's lovely vocal on "It's A Fine Day" (which was a cover of the Jane & Barton tune from 1983 of the same name) with a brutal Demonic 1 track (which is available for FREE on his "DIE!" EP through SWAEG Records - grab this and more HERE), giving her beautiful voice some bombarding bass and beats. It's a great contrast, and almost turns the sing-songy chorus into a sarcastic romp. Imagine a schoolgirl skipping through war-torn Iraq, bouncing on her way to school, singing a song as rockets and WMDs are going off along each side of her.

Rough in this jungle.

For previous THUGSTEP leaks, hit the link. Check out DJ Nappy on MySpace. And get involved, pigeons.

Hip-Hop

Nas: Greatest Hits?

khal 3:09 PM 4 comments

(as seen on Nah Right)

Peep the tracklist:

1. Less Than An Hour (with Cee-Lo)
2. Untitled New Track
3. It Ain’t Hard To Tell
4. NY State Of Mind
5. One Love
6. If I Ruled The World (with Lauryn Hill)
7. Street Dreams (with R. Kelly)
8. Hate Me Now (with Puff Daddy)
9. Ether
10. One Mic
11. Got UR Self A…
12. Made You Look
13. Oochie Wally
14. Bridging The Gap (with Olu Dara)

OK what is this? "Oochie Wally" is one of your greatest hits? Why not "I Can" or "The World Is Yours"? Nas, you've had so many defining statements... why go out with the nonsense listed here? And the funny thing is? I bet this is the final. I'm surprised he isn't going by just the dope singles, for "Thief's Theme" should have made the cut (I'd even seckle for "Hip Hop Is Dead"). "Bridging The Gap"? I know you love your Dad but DAMN! The sequence is off, too! That track with Cee-Lo is from Rush Hour 3; why put that and another new cut at the very beginning? At the very least go in chronological order!

I guess it doesn't matter, though; with this dropping on November 6th, coming up against Jay and his American Gangster CD, it won't even matter. This is just fufilling the obligations of the former contract, no?