VIDEO: SNL's Andy Samberg - Iran So Far Away ft Adam Levine

Saturday Night Live's Andy Samberg delivers another classic musical contribution with 'Iran So Far'. A love song for Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad with a hook by Maroon 5's Adam Levine and a cameo by Jake Gyllenhal.

UPDATE: I posted the MP3 here.

LISTEN: NYGz - Ya Days R #'ed (Prod. by DJ Premier)

DOWNLOAD NYGz - Ya Days R #'ed (Prod. by DJ Premier) (MP3)


Not to say that NYGs doesn't do fine over this beat, but how is it that DJ Premier is still the best and most consistent Hip Hop producer, yet he doesn't get calls from the big MCs? Can you imagine how good this track would sound on Jay-Z's American Gangster or the new Nas album?

VIDEO: Straight Outta Congress

Jon Stewart is once again the lone sane person in the sea of madness as he speaks on the congressional hearings on Hip Hop. He even works in some Beastie Boys and Ice Cube quotes.


Via HHIsRead.

VIDEO: Common Vs. Papoose

Watch the difference btween..

A focused MC using every word with purpose...


..and an unfocused MC warbling.

LISTEN: Hell Rell - The Hardest Out Remix ft. Lil' Fame & Styles P

DOWNLOAD Hell Rell - The Hardest Out Remix ft. Lil' Fame & Styles P (MP3)


Lil' Fame on the right
In a surprising move Hell Rell got Styles P to join him on the remix for 'Hardest Out', the title they previously bickered over. They're both obliterated by M.O.P.'s very own Lil' Fame who spits I'm one of the hardest artist regardless/Of who you crew or squad is/Or who you think is the hardest.

He also address the various labels M.O.P. has been signed to and even speaks some truth on the Rocafella and G-Unit situations. First it was Select/ Relativity next / I'm from the era where record labels were selling cassettes/ Then after that was Loud Records/ Columbia next but them n*ggaz didn't know how to market the Brownsville vets/ Then the Rocafella mishap/ Pardon me Dame/ I'm with the baddest bitch in the hood/ Pardon my chain / And my situation today is looking kinda ugly/ But no matter how it go down/ The streets they'll love me. Ouch. 50 Cent loses.

LISTEN: Beanie Sigel - What They Gonna Say To Me

DOWNLOAD Beanie Sigel - What They Gonna Say To Me (MP3)


Beanie Sigel consistently brings that fire. A nice collection of Jay-Z vocal samples makes up the hook and some ad-libs.

LISTEN: Bishop Lamont - American Dream + No Stoppin'

DOWNLOAD Bishop Lamont - American Dream (MP3)
DOWNLOAD Bishop Lamont - No Stoppin' (MP3)


Check out the trademark West Coast beats and flow from the Dr. Dre backed Bishop Lamont. I hope he will not get sucked into the black hole that is Aftermath. American Dream is a funny yet real look at racism encountered by Lamont on an every day basis.

LISTEN: Smitty - You Don't Love Me (Targeting Khaled, Clive Davis & Jimmy Iovine)

DOWNLOAD You Don't Love Me (Targeting DJ Khaled, Clive Davis & Jimmy Iovine) (MP3)


Smitty gives us the story of an artist dealing with industry bullshit, but mostly from blame-others point of view.

NEWS: Kanye West In Interior Design Mag

Kanye West continues to stretch the boundaries of expected character elements for a rapper. He was profiled and interviewed for Interior Design Mag.

Kanye's Bathtub with Aquarium.

West studied fine art at the American Academy of Art in Chicago on scholarship. He collects pop art. And he absolutely adores design.

"It's been my dream to be in Interior Design." With that unsolicited introduction, he steps into his Los Angeles house for a portrait session, fresh off a transatlantic flight from the Concert for Diana. Without missing a beat, he's ready to pull out his laptop to preview a music video in the works with Takashi Murakami, then talk renovation with Desiderata Design principal Don Stewart.

Given his celeb stature, West's home is surprisingly restrained—the furthest thing imaginable from MTV Cribs. Full article here.

NEWS: Talib Kweli Talks Reflection Eternal

Hi-Tek recently mentioned that he'd be doing another Reflection Eternal album with Talib Kweli, but Talib states people shouldn't yet hold their breath for RE II or a new Black Star album.


Kwe was quick to explain the RE idea is still in motion, as he and Tek have worked together on various albums since 2000's Train of Thought. But he also added that fans shouldn't necessarily wait for an RE album — or, for that matter, one by Black Star, his side project with Mos Def — anytime soon. He's not pulling a Dr. Dre/ Detox situation, just some things are easier than others, according to Kweli.

In fact, he went so far as to spell out the differences between a Black Star album and Detox. "Well, the clear difference is Dr. Dre has sold hundreds of thousands of millions more records than we've sold. And two, [with] Detox, Dre can make it happen if he wants to. Black Star is two people. But Dre can sit down in the studio and make Detox himself. I can't do it without Mos Def, and Mos Def can't do it without me."

Full interview here.

NEWS: Jay-Z DVD Coming

It's not quite clear if this is completely official and/or endorsed by Jay-Z, but Eagle Rock Entertainment is set to release The Making of Jay-Z’s Reasonable Doubt as part of their Classic Albums Series. It will feature commentary by Mary J. Blige, Kanye West, Irv Gotti and Foxy Brown and footage of Jay-Z performing with the Notorious B.I.G..

VIDEO: Jae Hood Interview

J-Hood interview conducted after Funkmaster Flex basically announced a boycott of any J-Hood record, but before Sheek Louch talked about saving him from his stepdad. Topics include his relationship with 50 Cent, D-Block, and the comments made by Flex.

VIDEO: Poppa Wu Being Poppa Wu

Poppa Wu was interviewed recently. He briefly speaks on 8 Diagrams.

Will you have a part on 8 diagrams or OBCLII albums?
I probably do what I do I just go on and bless the track with that wisdom and knowledge. I'm the man with the science. It all depends. If I feel it I'll get on it. If I feel it, I feel it If I don't I don't. (Full interview here.)

The video below is part of the Poppa Wu 5% DVD and follows Poppa Wu around the neighborhood with Method Man, Masta Killah and more Wu members making appearances.

VIDEO: Lupe Fiasco - Dumb It Down

New Lupe Fiasco video for 'Dumb It Down' off of The Cool.

NEWS: Timbaland Working With Jay-Z

Timbaland is working with Jay-Z for the latter's American Gangster album.


Picture jacked from MuchMusic
"He wants me to do the next single," Tim said. "He just does it for fun. We talked about [his next album]. He says it's just a hobby, ain't nothing else to do. When a person tells you that, what you supposed to say? 'You crazy'? He said, 'I don't wait for nothing. I'm there. I'm doing it for the love of music.' What am I supposed to say? 'You wack for doing it'? ... Some people think Jay fell off. Or he's just over people's head. I think that's what it is. That's another thing: It could hurt him or it could make him be not the legend he is. That's the only thing I'm scared of for my friend."

Timbo also proceeds to call Dr. Dre his Daddy in a Baby/Lil' Wayne move I never saw coming. Speaking on a chart battle with Dr. Dre in the vein of 50/Kanye: "I call [Dr.] Dre my daddy. To make it be some talk, I gotta go against my big brother. He's my big brother. [Who are] the two quarterbacks? Peyton Manning and Eli? When they have to go against each other, it's like, 'Do I really wanna go against my big brother?' Dre is my mentor. That would drive people to the stores. Like, 'Oh snap, Tim and Dre!' That would be big.

He also talks about doing Missy Elliott's new album and more in the full interview.

NEWS: Rakim, Ghostface & Brother Ali Tour

Now this sounds like a concert I'd like to attend. Ghostface Killah, Rakim and Brother Ali will be backed by a 10-piece live band for each of the dates below. Great scoop for Brother Ali.


Rakim, Ghostface, Brother Ali Tour Dates
October 29 - Los Angeles, CA - House of Blues
October 30 - San Diego, CA - 4th & B
October 31 - Long Beach, CA - The Vault
November 1 - Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst
November 2 - San Francisco, CA - Mezzanine
November 3 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater
November 4 - Seattle, WA - The Showbox
November 7 - Park City, UT - Harry O's
November 8 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
November 9 - Aspen, CO - Belly Up
November 10 - Kansas City, MO - The Beaumont Theatre
November 11 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
November 12 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
November 13 - Bloomington, IN - Bluebird Theater
November 15 - New Haven, CT - Toad's Place
November 16 - New York, NY - Nokia Theatre
November 17 - Baltimore, MD - Sonar
November 18 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
November 21 - Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero

VIDEO: Ski Beatz Can Rhyme

Wow, I never knew Ski Beatz could rhyme, but according Wikipedia he was a rapper first. "Discovered by DJ Clark Kent, Ski was originally known as "MC Will-Ski" (source).


Different kitchen also has a video of the Ski produced Camp Lo freestyling.

VIDEO: Dead Prez Performs In Kenya

Dead Prez performing 'Til We Get There' at the British Council in Nairobi, Kenya. Livest.crowd.ever.


Via the British Council blog.

LISTEN: Lil' Wayne - Beat It Up (prod by Timbaland)

DOWNLOAD Lil' Wayne - Beat It Up (prod by Timbaland) (MP3)


This Lil' Wayne track has been floating around and it's allegedly produced by Timbaland but somehow I don't think it is. Take a listen for yourself.

NEWS: Q-Tip Speaks On New Album

DOWNLOAD Q-Tip - Work It Out (MP3)

Q-Tip is set to release The Renaissance on Universal February 12th. Lead single, he criticizes ring tones, above.


"On the new album, it's got more of a band feel," says the 37-year-old rapper. "In hip-hop, the most important thing is the drums, and my drummer got the chops. So sonically, it's all there, man. It kinda sounds like a dusty, like the music could be a sample." Full interview at BaltimoreSun.

Related: Q-Tip is also planning a collaborative album with Common. They are also playing a show together October 10th at Nokia Theatre in NYC.

NEWS: Potential Jay-Z American Gangster Cover

Goodfellas-esque, I like it. Via RT.

LISTEN: Busta Rhymes - Woo Ha! Got You All In Check Remix ft ODB

DOWNLOAD Busta Rhymes - Woo Ha! Got You All In Check Remix ft Ol' Dirty Bastard (MP3)

I don't usually post old stuff, after all this is a Hip Hop News blog, but just because I know there's people out there that have this classic remix of Busta Rhymes' 'Woo Ha! Got You All In Check' featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard.

NEWS: New Hi-Tek Album

Hi-Tek is releasing Hi-Teknology, Vol. 3: Underground in November with appearances with Talib Kweli, Gorilla Zoe, Snoop Dogg and others. He mysteriously decided it was a good idea to describe the album to Billboard as "poppy, upbeat and a little corny but still hot."

In more assuring news he also says he is in talks with Talib to record the follow-up to Reflection Eternal: Train of Thought.

VIDEO: P. Rosenberg Interviews M.O.P, Royce 5'9", Jeru

P. Rosenberg is such a fanboy haha. Gotta love his passion for the genre. He asks Royce 5'9" is he has heard his name before. P. starts stuttering and stammering when he asks Lil' Fame what he actually says on a particular song.

VIDEO: Hip Hop Vs. America

This is part 1 of BET’s Hip-Hop vs. America discussion program. Appearances from T.I., Al Sharpton, Nelly and others.

NEWS: Ja Rule Has Gays Over For Christmas

The folks over at Spinner asked Ja Rule about his recent controversial and ignorant statement on gay people.


S: How would you react if one of your kids told you that he or she was gay?
Ja Rule: That's their own preference. I'm going to love them regardless. I have relatives that are homosexuals and, you know, they come over for Christmas, hang out.

Read the full article here.

NEWS: Chamillionaire Doesn't Like The Gays Either

Well, we already knew Ja Rule was a gay basher who blamed gays for the demise of the US. I was somewhat surprised to have to assign Chamillionaire to the same team.


I am angry. At the gay kissing.
In what ProHipHop ignorantly* describes as a "nice blog post/personal statement", Cham disappointingly states in a grammar/typo challenged piece of writing:

"The B word, the N word, the F word, it’s all a moral thing inside of each person. If you look at TV, everything is messed up about TV. Gay people kissing each other on shows. The us is in general. Movies, they’ll have guns everywhere, nobody pays attention to that. It’s not just in Rap." Read Cham's full blog here.

* Clyde of ProHipHop has missed the offensive line when he first posted and described the Cham piece and judged it accordingly.

NEWS: Young Jeezy Speaks On Pimp C

I'm getting a little sick of all these 30/40+ year olds arguing like little kids, but here's what Young Jeezy had to say about Pimp C's most recent comments.


AHH: Just so we’re clear, Pimp questioned the figure 17.5. He’s been adamant that he wasn’t referring to you, but people are wondering if it’s still a slight to you since you go by Mr. 17.5.

Young Jeezy: If he ain’t referring to me he ain’t referring to me but first of all I’m one hundred, I’m a real street ni**a and I ain’t gotta stress that. And nor will I get myself or anybody in my circle indicted to prove nothing to no ni**a, but at the end of the day that what it is and that’s what I’m standing on. He been gone six years, he don’t know what’s been going on in these streets. And to be honest with you, nobody ain’t got to go shop over that way anyway. Come on man, this real man, this the world. You can go to the West Coast, you can go wherever you need to go to do what you got to do, ain’t just one store. [laughing]

He also debunks the $60K for a guest verse thing and calls himself amazing. Read the full interview here.

VIDEO: Daft Punk Tells Will.iam No

The Daily Swarm reports that Will.i.am remixed his song 'I Got it From My Momma' and included a Daft Punk sample. Hm original. Then he did a video for it (watch below) before Daft Punk actually gave him permission to use the sample. They ended up denying the request. Ouch. More info here.


Even though I love the Daft Punk track sampled, I still can't listen to this awful song. Cool video though if you turn the sound off.

NEWS: Jim Jones Signing To G-Unit

Photo cred
After a not at all subtle hint yesterday on my part, and now XXL rumoring about it, let me just say straight up that Jim Jones is currently working out the details with 50 Cent's G-Unit label. Signing bonus is already determined and will keep Jim ballin' for a few months.

Lets summarize this by saying Cam'ron loses, 50 sort of wins (though he's paying for it), and Jim Jones sort of wins, but will most likely end up losing.

NEWS: Havoc's "Fuck T.I." Taken Out Of Context

I don't really know how you could possibly take Havoc's "Fuck T.I. out of context. Or how you could possibly put it into a contest where this explanation makes sense. Havoc tries to explain in this XXL interview.


XXL: During an interview on Shade 45 last month, you said, “Fuck T.I.,” in response to the South’s popularity in hip-hop. Why did you call out T.I.?
Havoc: When I made that comment, it came out the wrong way and people took it out of [con]text. My issue is that New York needs to get it together. The problem is not T.I. and the South, at all. They’re making beautiful music. They need to be looked at like a reflection of us, like, “We used to do it like that.” Right now, I’m like, “Come on, what’s going on here?”

Full interview here.

VIDEO: Chamillionaire Interview

Chamillionaire talks about the concept behind his last two videos and more.

NEWS: David Banner Speaks Up

The Hip Hop Hearings taking place in congress right now and yesterday Master P and David Banner spoke.


"..Rapper and record producer Levell Crump, known as David Banner, was defiant as lawmakers pressed him on his use of offensive language. "I'm like Stephen King: horror music is what I do," he said in testimony laced with swear words. "Change the situation in my neighborhood and maybe I'll get better," he told one member of Congress.

"If by some stroke of the pen hip-hop was silenced, the issues would still be present in our communities," Crump said. "Drugs, violence, sexism and the criminal element were around long before hip-hop existed." Full article here.

They also watched some music videos that were accused of being degrading to women. I wonder which video they are watching exactly in the picture below.

LISTEN: Willie The Kid - Ch Ching

DOWNLOAD Willie The Kid - Ch Ching (MP3)


No, this is not Kurupt
Willie The Kid is down with Aphilliates Entertainment and brings us a tired concept lyrically but somehow he manages to make it enjoyable through his punchlines and a good beat courtesy of Don Cannon.

LISTEN: Heart Foundation - Staten Island

DOWNLOAD Heart Foundation - Staten Island (MP3)


Heart Foundation consists of Staten Island's Fes Taylor and Mr. Prezident, I posted about the former last week. Lately I've been quite surprised and impressed with the quality of the music coming from the lesser knowns out of the Wu camp.

LISTEN: Solomon Childs - Women of Tomorrow

DOWNLOAD Solomon Childs - Women of Tomorrow (MP3)


Originally recorded in 2006 this Solomon Childs track deserves some new shine. To be released on his upcoming My Motion Picture album (Wu Music Group).

VIDEO: Peedi Peedi - Fall Back

Peedi Peedi is still somewhat of a mystery to me in terms of his affiliations and strength as an MC. I tend to lean towards digging what he does.

NEWS: Shhhhhh

Photo cred
Shhh...I'm not saying anything, but umm....yeah, you'll hear soon enough.

LISTEN: Smif N Wessun - Gotta Say It Mix

DOWNLOAD Smif N Wessun - Gotta Say It Mix (MP3)


Smif N Wessun go at it a little more smooth than I'm used to from them. Off of their new album..called..The Album.

LISTEN: The AwayTeam - Psycho Ward f/ Sean Price

DOWNLOAD The AwayTeam - Psycho Ward f/ Sean Price (MP3)


Sean Price makes an appearance on 'Psycho Ward' by the AwayTeam.

VIDEO: Kanye West #1 Human In Music

Some might get annoyed with Kanye West's bragging and boasting, but personally I just chuckle. It's like the nerdy kid that gets bullied finally winning the game. Revenge of the Nerds redux. At least he keeps open the possibility that there are non-humans in music that are better than him. Semi-drunken and funny.

LISTEN: Witchdoctor - The Barrel

DOWNLOAD Witchdoctor - The Barrel (MP3)


Outkast/Goodie Mob affiliate and Dungeon Family member Witchdoctor has always been one of my favorite out-of-left-field type of people in Hip Hop. This trippy beat perfectly fits his updated style. Off of his new album Diary of an American Witchdoctor, out October 23rd.

Witchdoctor is currently on tour with Ghostface Killah

Adult Swim Presents Ghostface Killah Featuring Witchdoctor:
10/01/07: State University of New York, Albany, N.Y.
10/03/07: University of New Hampshire, Durham, N.H.
10/05/07: Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J.
10/06/07: Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va.
10/07/07: University of Maryland, College Park, Md.
10/09/07: American University, Washington, DC
10/11/07: University of Central Florida, Orlando, Fla.
10/14/07: University of Oklahoma, Norman, Okla.
10/16/07: UCLA, Los Angeles, Calif.
10/17/07: University of Arizona, Tuscon, Ariz.
10/19/07: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, N.M.

LISTEN: Memphis Bleek - Memphis Bleek - IMI The Mixtape Vol. 1 (Full)

STREAM Memphis Bleek - IMI The Mixtape Vol. 1


Listen to Memphis Bleek's new mixtape above. They'll even let you download it for free in some way but I haven't yet figured out how.

LISTEN: XVII - True Story ft Pimp C

DOWNLOAD XVII - True Story ft Pimp C (MP3)


Pimp C goes hard against Young Buck and Young Jeezy.

VIDEO: Saigon Talks About Album, Video, Mobb Deep

StreetKnowledge TV talks to Saigon about his upcoming album, new video, the Mobb Deep mess.

Q-Tip, Kanye West, Just Blaze, Swizz Beatz, Jay-Z, Faith Evans, Bun B, Fatman Scoop and others are all name dropped as people appearing on the upcoming Greatest Story Never Told album.

VIDEO: Young Jeezy - Duffle Bag Boy/Black Bandana

Young Jeezy goes for that D.I.Y. look for his latest video 'Duffle Bag Boy/Black Bandana'. I blame YouTube.

VIDEO: Jay-Z Speaks On American Gangster

Jay-Z talks about American Gangster with DJ Clue and how it's a genius concept.

LISTEN: Jay Eletronica - Dimethyltriptamine (Prod. By J Dilla)

DOWNLOAD Jay Eletronica - Dimethyltriptamine (Prod. By J Dilla) (MP3)


CDR has a Jay Electronica interview up. An excerpt below.

Jay Electronica: I’m an emcee at heart, so I’m always gonna write in a way that I feel is superior to any emcee. That’s just the nature of a true rapper. However as I have grown, I understand that it is also a medium of communication to people on a large scale and that comes with responsibility. So I keep that in mind when i create as well.
CDR:Do you ever get bored with the braggadocio nature of MCing?
Jay Electronica: Never. It’s the core of b boy/girl.
Full interview here.

LISTEN: MF Grimm -Head In The Clouds (Bonus Remix)

DOWNLOAD MF Grimm -Head In The Clouds (Bonus Remix) (MP3)


Off of the new MF Grimm album The Hunt For The Gingerbread Man. One of the most underrated MC's still around.

LISTEN: Snoop Dogg - To The Top ft Game, Terrance Martin, Uncle Chucc

DOWNLOAD Snoop Dogg - To The Top ft Game, Terrance Martin, Uncle Chucc (MP3)


Snoop Dogg is working on some new material and released this one featuring nephew The Game, Terrance Martin and Uncle Chucc on DJ Skee's new mixtape. He's also working on a new album allegedly called Ego Tripping.

My favorite part of the song is the banter at the end.
Snoop We're musicians, can you dig that?
The Game Like The Beatles.

Via the good folks at SOHH Left Coast.

VIDEO: LL Cool J vs Jay-Z

Please, please, please, please, please LL Cool J make your little diss record targeting Jay-Z that you are hinting at in this interview below. I beg you. Do it. Is it possible to end a career that's already over?


Eskay is right to point out that blaming someone else for your record not selling is lame whether you're small time, or a legend. I will second that and say especially when you're a legend.

NEWS: GZA To Perform Liquid Swords In NYC

Photo by Kathryn
After having to cancel his Brooklyn version of the 'Liquid Swords' concert, GZA has just announced two nights at the Manhattan venue The Knitting Factory, which holds only 250 people. Nice and intimate like the 4th chamber. Tickets for both night, December 13th and 14th, are on sale right now. More info over at BrooklynVegan.

LISTEN: Ivan Ives - Mad Game

DOWNLOAD Ivan Ives - Mad Game (MP3)


The new and still under the radar Ivan Ives album Iconoclast album is worth checking out. Russian roots, part of the LA Hip Hop scene. He has a song with Vaste Aire, one with Cappadonna, some nice 9th Wonder-ish sounding beats, but I chose to share 'Mad Game' for it's addictively pleasant beat. Great track.

SEE: Creative Street Art

Now that is what I call creative use of a knife. Seen at the 1st Avenue L Train Brooklyn bound platform.

VIDEO: Funkmaster Flex Speaks On Jae Hood & Remy Ma

Funkmaster Flex interviews Lupe Fiasco but goes on a tangent where he speaks on Jae Hood's recent dissing of the Lox and Remy Ma going at former mentor Fat Joe.

LISTEN: J Dilla/Jaydee - Mash ft. MF Doom & Guilty Simpson

DOWNLOAD J Dilla/Jaydee - Mash ft. MF Doom & Guilty Simpson (MP3)


According to our friends over at Illroots MF Doom has to cancel his appearance at the NY-Tokyo Festival. Now, just the other day the fact that MF Doom didn't show, didn't actually stop the show from being performed, but this time it did. Hope all is well.

LISTEN: Large Professor - Beatz Vol. 2 Sampler

DOWNLOAD Large Professor - Beatz Vol. 2 Sampler (MP3)


Large Professor is about to come back with his second volume of his instrumental beats album. Download above and find some classic samples from the NYC rap catalog re-interpreted.

VIDEO: New Jay-Z Trailer

The Jay-Z/'Blue Magic' trailer is one of those rap game/crack game metaphor things. Watch below. It says music by DJ Babu, so I wonder if the throwback beat in the beginning will appear on the album. I really hope it does.

LISTEN: Kanye West - I Can't Say No ft Trick Daddy

DOWNLOAD Kanye West - I Cant Say No ft Trick Daddy (MP3)


From the sound of this it's a track that was made during Kanye West's Graduation sessions that didn't make the cut. Sound quality is a little muffled, but it's a good track. Trick Daddy make an unexpected appearance.

NEWS: Havoc, Prodigy & Alchemist Free NYC Show

Havoc is still celebrating the release of The Kush and will be performing a free show at New York's Highline Ballroom tomorrow night (Saturday). Alchemist and Prodigy will be joining him onstage. Who wants to bet it will end up in a big fight? The show starts at midnight.

VIDEO: 50 Cent Interview By Rosenberg

I don't know P. Rosenberg personally, but I respect and love what he does on the radio and on his blog. This interview however is just a little too....I don't know...too ass-kissy. Especially the ending where he sort of apologizes and asks if he pissed him off and 50 forgives him. But then again, interviewing a power player like 50 might be a little intimidating.

VIDEO: Ja Rule - Body

Unfortunately this video for Ja Rule's 'Body' is not going to be a hit.

NEWS: David Bowie Down With Jena 6

I know Bun B was heading down to Jena, and Mos Def is all about it, but David Bowie puts his money where his mouth is and donates $10,000 to the Jena 6 defense fund.


"There is clearly a separate and unequal judicial process going on in the town of Jena," Bowie said Tuesday in an e-mail statement. "A donation to the Jena Six Legal Defense Fund is my small gesture indicating my belief that a wrongful charge and sentence should be prevented." Full article here via DailySwarm.

LISTEN: LA The Darkman - Check

DOWNLOAD LA The Darkman - Check (MP3)


Long time Wu-Tang affiliate LA The Darkman moved from Brooklyn to Atlanta, but returns with a track for the borough.

LISTEN: S.I.C. - I Am The Streets

DOWNLOAD S.I.C. - I Am The Gun (MP3)


Staten Island's S.I.C.'s 'I Am The Streets' is clearly Nas inspired, but it's good enough for that not to eclipse the quality of the song. Great street soul beat with string samples adding atmosphere.

LISTEN: Raekwon - Cocaine World

DOWNLOAD Raekwon - Cocaine World (MP3)


"Yo Chef, when is that Cuban Linx 2 coming? It's coming when I tell it to come. So all you n*ggaz that wanna know. We're going through a serious chamber right now."

Off of the upcoming mixtape House of Wax: The Vatican Mixtape, Vol. 3.

LISTEN: Jay-Z - Blue Magic

DOWNLOAD Jay-Z - Blue Magic ft Pharrell (MP3)


I am very pleasantly surprised with Jay-Z's start off single 'Blue Magic'. I've been weary of anything produced by Pharrell without Chad Hugo in recent years, but this minimalist bongo beat works out really well. Pharrell interpolates En Vogue's 'Hold On' on the chorus.

VIDEO: Saigon Fights Mobb Deep Crew

Saigon miraculously escapes Mobb Deep melee after punching Prodigy. Poor Prodigy, he always seems to lose.

NEWS: Kay Slay Hustles Jive Records For $1.5 Mill

I guess I was wrong when I said that signing Papoose to Jive Records was a bad business move. It was a bad move only for Jive. Kay Slay hustled them out of that $1.5 million signing bonus.

“It was like a fucking year of hell,” DJ Kay Slay said. “They meant well, they believed in the project. Unfortunately we almost became victims of A&R hell. You can not put a 60-something year-old white man on a 20-something year-old black kid’s project from Brooklyn and think it’s going to pop. We wound up with records that we didn’t want to come out.”

Was it really unclear previous to signing this deal who the A&R would end up being? I doubt it. It's funny how money changes situations.

NEWS: 50 Cent Beats Kanye West In Europe

Maybe 50 Cent can switch his flow and say he meant overall worldwide first week sales so he won't have to retire.


"Kanye West may have trounced 50 Cent in the battle of the heavyweight rappers on The Billboard 200, and indeed in the United Kingdom, but across Europe as a whole the tables are turned.

Cent's "Curtis" (Aftermath/G-Unit/Interscope) debuts at No. 1 on European Top 100 Albums, while West's "Graduation" (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam) can only enter at No. 3." Full article here.

Kenny Chesney really lost this one.

NEWS: NY Times Article On Jay-Z's New Album

So American Gangster, the new upcoming Jay-Z album, is a reality for the fourth quarter. MC's wear your helmets. On one hand this sounds like a lame-ish cross-promotional effort with a movie, a product endorsement of sorts disguised as an album, but on the other hand I can't front. I want a new Jay-Z album and I love that it's coming.

"Jay-Z, the rap superstar and president of Def Jam Records, has quietly returned to the studio to record an album of new songs inspired by the forthcoming movie “American Gangster,” his first “concept” album and second CD in less than a year.

The album, which his label plans to release in early November, came together over the past few weeks after Jay-Z was shown the film, directed by Ridley Scott, in which Denzel Washington portrays Frank Lucas, a early 1970s Harlem heroin kingpin." Read the full article here.

The movie trailer looks pretty dope too. No pun intended.

VIDEO: Wale Appearance In Mark Ronson's 'Valerie' Video

Washington DC's Wale rhymes during the first 30 seconds of this video for Mark Ronson's 'Valerie' featuring Amy Winehouse. Not a bad tune in itself either, but I'm really posting it for the Wale bit.

NEWS: Fat Joe Announces Album, Chooses Bad Title

Now if you're Fat Joe, why would you choose The Elephant In The Room as your album title?


"Imperial Records, a division of Capitol Music Group and Terror Squad Entertainment have signed a new deal to distribute Fat Joe's next album entitled The Elephant in the Room, slated for release in early 2008. Fat Joe's new release is a follow-up to his previous critically-acclaimed album, Me, Myself & I, featuring the double platinum single, "Make It Rain."

Fat Joe's The Elephant In The Room will feature production by the multi-platinum powerhouses that previously worked with Fat Joe on his earlier hits, including Scott Storch, Cool and Dre, DJ Khaled, Danjahandz and the Runners, as well as guest artists P. Diddy, Rick Ross, Fabolous and more." More here.

LISTEN: Fabolous - Let Me Hear You Say (ft. Joe Budden)

DOWNLOAD Fabolous - Let Me Hear You Say (feat. Joe Budden) (MP3)


Joe Budden and his family are all in our hearts right now. Hope all will be well with his brother. Fabolous and Joe burn this track up severely.