VIDEO: Prisoners Do Soulja Boy/Hammer

Pretty sure this is the same prison that also did the Thriller reanactment. This time they so Soulja Boy's 'Crank Dat' and MC Hammer's 'Can't Touch This'. Someones got way too much time on their hands there. Oh wait...never mind.


Via CoEd.

VIDEO: Gnarls Barkley - Run ft. Justin Timberlake

New Gnarls Barkley video featuring young Justin Timberlake in a funny intro.

Gnarls Barkley - Run (Video Premiere)
Uploaded by Get-Me-Bodied

UPDATE: So MTV sent out a press release with embeddable code and when I embedded it, silly trusting ole' me. All it did was embed a non-video that links to the MTV page that does run the video, and it only runs there. Tisk, tisk. Shame on you MTV. So instead I'm posting the DM ripped version. Coz f you.

VIDEO: Joe Budden - Talk 2 ‘Em (Jay-Z Diss)

I can't believe Joe Budden picked a night time Times Square setting for this video. Directed by Jordan Tower. Download the song here.

Via Illroots.

LISTEN: Izza Kizza - Walk the Dawg ft. Missy Elliot

DOWNLOAD Izza Kizza - Walk the Dawg ft. Missy Elliot (MP3)

Seems a little out-of-character for Timbaland and Missy Elliott to be jumping on the song+dance band wagon, but here's Timbo's 'latest artist' Izza Kizza with 'Walk the Dawg'.

LISTEN: Jay-Z & Mary J. Blige - You’re Welcome

DOWNLOAD Jay-Z & Mary J. Blige - You’re Welcome (MP3)

Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige are going on tour together (read about it here) and they're working on an album as well (read about it here). This is the first leaked track allegedly off of the aforementioned project. One of Swizz Beatz's least annoying productions in years. I actually really dig this. Stepping his game up from disposable cool to potentially lasting mature. Comes with YHTNt tags. I'm posting this picture because Eve is the FOAT (finest rapper of all time) and it's Friday.

VIDEO: The Roots - 75 Bars (Black Thought’s Reconstruction)

Rik Cordero directed The Roots' new video for '75 Bars (Black Thought’s Reconstruction)'. Moving on up!

VIDEO: Fat Joe Performs @ Rasputin

Fat Joe performs live at Rasputin in Brooklyn NY and does have that whole Elephant In The Room thing going on there. Produced by Jetty Productions and Paul Jacob Bashour.

LISTEN: Method Man & Redman - Broken Language 2008 Freestyle

DOWNLOAD Method Man & Redman - Broken Language 2008 (MP3)

Meth and Red freestyle over Smoothe Da Hustler & Trigger the Gambler’s Broken Language beat. They both kill it, but Red kills it a little extra.


Props to Shake.

VIDEO: Sean Kingston - There's Nothin' ft. Juelz Santana & The Dey

Feels more like a summer hit, and I'm freezing my @$$ off right now. Juelz Santana and The Dey (no clue who that is but she's cute) guest star on Sean Kingston's 'There's Nothin''.

VIDEO: Mos Def & Michel Gondry Perform At Sundance

Mos Def appears in the Michel Gondry movie Be Kind Rewind and he also recorded a song for the soundtrack. This is footage of him performing the song, 'Your Feets Too Big', at Sundance '08 with the movie's director on the drums. He does not spit but covers a Fats Waller track instead.

LISTEN: Kidz In The Hall - Sweet 16

DOWNLOAD Kidz In The Hall - Sweet 16 (MP3)

King Magazine recently selected Naledge to write 16 Bars on a subject they picked at random. Kidz In The Hall then proceeded to record it as a full on song. And it's one of my favorite Kidz tracks yet. Kidz In The Hall's sophomore LP, The In Crowd is coming out on Duck Down 4/29.

INTERVIEW: Kaki King

Little side-step away from Hip Hop. I did a photoshoot and an interview with Kaki King that just went up on Gothamist.com. Read an excerpt below and the whole thing here. The photos below are from the shoot and you can see the full 28 picture set here.

Kaki King is a guitar player and singer-songwriter from Atlanta, Georgia. She lived in Brooklyn for 7 years until last summer, when music started taking her on a permanent tour around the world. Her upcoming album is called Dreaming Of Revenge and will be released March 11th on Velour Records. King was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Score for the music she played in the Sean Penn film Into the Wild, appeared on a Grammy Award winning Foo Fighters album and Rolling Stone Magazine has declared her the first and only female "Guitar God."

You lived in Williamsburg for about 7 years until you started a perpetual touring lifestyle last June. Do you miss the city when you're on the road or is it a nice break for you?
New York is the only place I know of where if you stay too long, you get sick of it, but the instant you leave you miss it. Things I miss about New York whilst on the road: 24 hour bodegas, instant cheap eats everywhere, amazing-looking people who are boring, boring-looking people who are amazing, a transit system that never shuts down, and a city of 8 million where you still manage to run into everyone you've ever known. Read the full interview here and the full 28 picture set here.

LISTEN: Nicolay And Kay - Through The Wind

DOWNLOAD Nicolay And Kay - Through The Wind (MP3)

Nice little 1970s/80s Detroit vibe going on this new track off of Time:Line, the collaborative album by Nicolay of Foreign Exchange and Kay.

VIDEO: Lil' Wayne Performing In NJ

My doubts about Lil' Wayne as a rapper are pretty well documented but I do have to admit he has that Amy Winehouse/Talented Trainwreck going for him. In this video he performs a few of his better known tracks and introduces Jae Millz as a new signing to Young Money.

VIDEO: Behind-The-Scenes @ The Roots's 75 Bars Video

LISTEN: Rick Ross - Maybach Music ft. Jay-Z (No Tags)

DOWNLOAD Rick Ross - Maybach Music ft. Jay-Z (MP3)

Rick Ross is joined by former boss (no pun intended) Jay-Z on 'Maybach Music' (lame title). Rick doesn't seem to be able to ride this beat very well for the most part. Jay-Z gets in a Paul McCartney/Michael Jackson reference in, quotes 2Pac and flows better than on most of his guest appearances of the last 2 years. Tagged with a March 11th street date tag. No that is not a mini me version of Rick Ross, it's JD, but I wanted to use this photo and it's so Maybach.

UPDATE: This is now the untagged version via YMW.

. Audio via Eskay.

VIDEO: Re-Up Gang Interview

Three fourths of the Re-Up Gang speak to OnSmash on the future and the past. Pusha T couldn't make it.

VIDEO: Chuggo - Come On F*cking Guy

For comic relief purposes, though this guy seems to be serious. Including the fake-skull-and-rat-on-a-stick thing. Choice line: "I put mayonnaise on everything, that's how I eat." Now that's hardcore.


Thanks to Heathclif for sending over this piece of crap.

NEWS: Pete Rock Joined By Black Thought, Redman, Lords Of The Underground, Styles P @ Show

Some guests have been added for tomorrow's Pete Rock album release show for NY's Finest at the Highline Ballroom (NYC).

Now performing Pete Rock, Torae, W.A.L.E., Kid Cudi, Black Thought, Redman, Lords Of The Underground, Styles P and more.

Concert starts @ 9PM
Doors open @ 7 PM
Tickets $25.00 (Directions/Tix)

LISTEN: Cuban Link - Moment Of Truth ft Remy Ma & Triple Seis (Fat Joe diss)

DOWNLOAD Cuban Link - Moment Of Truth ft Remy Ma & Triple Seis (MP3)

This track was intended to be a Fat Joe diss, but the amount of piled up mediocrity collected here ends up making it more of a Cuban Link/Remy Ma/Triple Seis diss.

Found via Eskay.

VIDEO: Behind-The-Scenes Jay Rock's 'All My Life' ft. Lil' Wayne

This is a making of video for Jay Rock's 'All My Life' featuring Lil' Wayne. Off of Jay Rock's upcoming album Follow Me. Probably the dopest beat Weezy has rapped on in quite a while.

LISTEN: Chance - Built 4 This

DOWNLOAD Chance - Built 4 This (MP3)

Chance gets introspective over a Kanye West-circa-2002-esque Chipmunk Soul beat courtesy of 631 Productions. The homie has two strikes against him for this being the best picture on his myspace, and the track being off of an album by the questionable name The Misadventures of George Kush, BUT the track is hot so lets give him the benefit of the doubt. And honestly, this is pretty much the pose, attitude and prop set I employ over here in the SDSU offices myself while I blog. My stack of Lincolns is spread like a fan on my lap.

VIDEO: Jay-Z - I Know

Out of nowhere he's a music video for Jay-Z's 'I Know' off of American Gangster.

NEWS: The Notorious B.I.G. Move Script Review

NY Magazine's Vulture Blog had the opportunity to read the script to the upcoming Notorious B.I.G. biopic and describes it as follows: Similar recent music bios have been wise to limit their scope to specific parts of their subjects' histories. The 113-page screenplay for Notorious (by journalist Cheo Hodari Coker) makes the unfortunate decision to pack an entire (albeit short) life into a two-hour movie. 8 Mile's focus on Eminem's early, pre-fame career gave the film a natural story arc and taught us things we didn't already know. Notorious — on paper, at least — plays like a loose-knit highlight reel; it's basically the screenplay adaptation of Biggie's Wikipedia entry.

It opens with his murder and funeral, then doubles back to his Brooklyn childhood. We get a few scenes of Biggie at home, in the classroom, and on the corner dealing crack; there are some rap posters in his bedroom, and we see him fill a rhyme book during a nine-month prison sentence, but there's no real explanation given for how he went from enthusiastic fan to one of hip-hop's all-time most revered emcees. Nevertheless, by page 30, he's signed to Puffy's label, and from there it's a mad, tensionless dash to the end of his biography, with all emerging conflicts — his mom's breast cancer, baby-mama drama, various love triangles (Biggie, Faith Evans, Lil' Kim; Biggie, Evans, Tupac) — resolved within a scene or two. Read the full description here.

VIDEO: DJ Khaled Interview

I want to officially announce, and this has been in the making ever since 'We Takin' Over', that I've officially started the "Help DJ Khaled Return To Normalcy" foundation in partnership with the Attention Deficit Disorder Association and the Association of Hyperactive Children. We're trying to save up enough money to hire a full-time assistant that makes sure all sugar is removed from any room Khaled enters. In addition, we need to hire an attractive female nurse that can put her finger in front of his mouth and say "shhh you're at 11, we need you to be at 4. Library voice". A paypal account is coming shortly to help restore his sanity.

LISTEN: Common - The Light '08 (It's Love) (Prod. by Just Blaze)

DOWNLOAD Common - The Light '08 (It's Love) (Prod. by Just Blaze) (MP3)

I am not a fan of corporate alcohol sponsoring our favorite art form but I do enjoy this Just Blaze produced remake of Common's 'The Light'. More 'Why You Hate The Game' than Public Service Anouncement, this goes more towards the soulful tip.

VIDEO: DJ Khalil Breaks Down New Nas Beat For 'What It Is'

Per tradition, I am underwhelmed with Nas's beat selection. Aftermath staff producer DJ Khalil gives us a little insight into the making of Nas' 'What It Is'.


Via CrateKings.

VIDEO: Keys To The City > Dyme Def (Seattle)

Keys to the city is a new series that delivers a scene report focusing on different hip hop scenes in the country. This time it's Seattle and the group featured is called Dyme Def.

LISTEN: Lounge Lo - Lingerin

DOWNLOAD Lounge Lo - Lingerin (MP3)

Wu-Tang Clan affiliate Lounge Lo drops a gem with Lingerin' off of Simpstonian Institute.

NEWS: Atmosphere Tour Dates

Rhymesayers mainstays Atmosphere are hitting the road again, this time in support for their upcoming new album When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Sh*t Gold. Dates Below. But first look at this picture of Slug of Atmosphere looking like a Simpson's character next to Chuck D.


Atmosphere - 2008 Tour Dates
04.19 St. Paul, Minnesota, Fitzgerald Theatre w/ Brother Ali & Chuck D @
04.22 Chicago, IL The Metro
04.23 Chicago, IL The Metro
04.24 Toronto, ON Opera House
04.26 Boston, MA The Roxy
04.27 New York, NY Webster Hall
04.29 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
05.02 Austin, TX Emo's
05.03 Austin, TX Emo's
05.05 Phoenix, AZ Marquee Theater
05.06 Los Angeles, CA Henry Fonda Theatre
05.07 Los Angeles, CA Henry Fonda Theatre
05.08 San Francisco, CA Grand Ballroom at The Regency
05.09 San Francisco, CA Grand Ballroom at The Regency
05.12 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom
05.13 Seattle, WA Showbox
05.14 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
05.16 Salt Lake City, UT In The Venue
05.17 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
05.18 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
Dates via BV.

CONTEST: Win A Pete Rock DJ Bag & More

STREAM Pete Rock - NY's Finest (Full Album)

As you all know Pete Rock's new album NY's Finest is dropping Feb. 26th on Nature Sounds Records. The good folks over at Dickies (no homo*), YakPak, CornerStone and SDSU are teaming up for this contest and we're giving away a Dickies DJ Bag, the NY's Finest CD and vinyl and the Pete Rock Cornerstone Mixtape.

WHAT TO DO TO WIN Write me at wes[AT]liberatedmatter[DOT]com (subject line: PETE ROCK CONTEST) and tell me your mailing address and answer the following question: Which two rappers are featured on the Pete Rock single "We Roll"? Watch the EPK if you need help answering that. One winner will be randomly picked and sent the prizes per UPS, who by the way are hiring. NOTE: Only people in the continental US are eligible. Sorry international readers.


Make sure to pick up NY's Finest at your local record store this week. Stream it in full above.

* I loathe the term 'no homo' and never use it, but I couldn't help make the crack in this case.

NEWS: Sneakerheads Endorse Obama

Obama 'gets coveted sneaker obsessive community endorsement...'. HA!



(Source: SneakerObsession via DiffKitchen via DS.

LISTEN: Joe Budden Interview

DOWNLOAD Joe Budden Interview By DJ Booth (MP3)

Joe Budden talks more about leaving Def Jam and a host of other items. An excerpt below, download the full interview above or check it out here.
DJ Booth: In "Roll Call," you threw some jabs at the old label regarding the priorities
Joe Budden: And it felt great.
DJ Booth: Jay, Kanye, Jeezy are obviously at the top of that list. But likewise, most labels have that same problem. You look at Shady/Aftermath, they have artists like Stat Quo, or Bobby Creekwater, who signed back in '05. They haven't dropped anything. Do you think just across the board, majors in general, it's just not the right time?
Joe Budden: No. Certain majors just know what they're doin', and got a good grip on the dynamic of what's happening, and some don't. I think Def Jam happened to be one of the labels that really didn't have a good grip on things that were going on. I'll say that – that's my political answer.
DJ Booth: Joe, knowing what you know about label politics and corporate BS, regardless of the success that you did see on your debut, would you still have inked your signature on that Def Jam recording contract?
Joe Budden: No. Nope, nope, nope, nope nope. Definitely not. I would have had a clause in my contract; I would've definitely put some fine print in my contract that said, "If the president leaves, I'm leaving." That'd be the bottom line there. The people that signed me at Def Jam ended up leaving shortly after I released my album. So then it's like, I was in a whole different world, I was at a whole different label, a label ran more like Arista instead of Def Jam, and I didn't sign to Arista, I signed to Def Jam. So, no, I probably would not have signed that.

NEWS: Erykah Badu Channels ODB For Dilla

Interesting note about the upcoming Erykah Badu album New Amerykah pt. 1 The Breakdown (or whatever it's called this week).

”Telephone” - last track of the album inspired by a story Dilla’s mother told Badu. Evidently during his final days, Dilla would float in and out of coherence, having very real conversations with people no one else could see. One of these people, as Dilla told his mother, was ODB. Dirty was telling Dilla that when he gets to the other side not to get on the red bus, though it was inviting. The white bus would be the one to pick him up. Great, beautiful song. Lyric: “Telephone! It’s Old Dirty. He wants to give you directions home.” Only Badu could make ODB sound like a visionary guide through the afterlife. When people say funerals are celebrations of an individual’s life (as they fight back tears and look anything but celebratory), this song makes you believe it. The track closes with the uplifting words “Celebrate tonight” repeated.

VIDEO: Jay-Z - Numb >> Jigga Who, Jigga What (Live w/ Linkin Park @ MSG)

Jay-Z made a surprise appearance at this weekend's Linkin Park Madison Square Garden show to perform 'Numb' and 'Jigga Who, Jigga What'. Extremely shaky lo-fi footage, but the sound is pretty decent.

(Source: Via GigWise via Eskay.)

VIDEO: RZA - Black Widow (Live)

RZA performed at Studio B this weekend and it was my buddy Heathclif's birthday so he got his gangsta on onstage. RZA masterfully segues from 'Happy Birthday' into 'Black Widow'. Masta Killa makes a cameo.

VIDEO: Writing To Riker's

The Real is back. "Breaking up is hard to do, but not when she's behind bars."

LISTEN: M.O.P. - Get Rich ft. Bilal

DOWNLOAD M.O.P. - Get Rich ft. Bilal (MP3)

M.O.P. brings out Bilal to expand on a tired topic, BUT it's that Brownsville swagger that makes it enjoyable anyway.

LISTEN: Muja Messiah - Amy Winehouse

DOWNLOAD Muja Messiah - Amy Winehouse (MP3)

Now...it's very confusing to me that Muja Messiah does a track called 'Amy Winehouse' over a Rihanna track, while channeling some Snoop Dogg. But somehow I still like it. Off of MPLS Massacre out March 18th.

LISTEN: The Roots - Black’s Reconstruction

DOWNLOAD The Roots - Black’s Reconstruction (MP3)

Black Thought goes hard for 75 bars. He didn't need a hook on this shee-it. This is a track off of the upcoming album Rising Down and it's reminiscent of 'Thought @ Work' off of Game Theory (see video below). Props to Skeezo for sending this over. Read more about the album here.

LISTEN: Torae - Somethin' To See

DOWNLOAD Torae - Somethin' To See (MP3)

Brooklyn's own Torae hooked up with Khrysis of the Justus League for the lead off single off of his album Daily Conversation. I love this beat like 50 Cent likes beef.

Check out the NYC show schedule below.

2/28 9PM Pete Rock/Wale/Torae @ Highline Ballroom
3/5 8PM Torae @ The Pyramid
3/9 8PM Royce the 5'9"/Torae @ Knitting Factory
3/25 8PM Termanology/Torae/Marco Polo @ eMC

VIDEO: NYOIL - Cap’n Save A Hoe

Off of 9 Wonders which you can stream and download here.

VIDEO: Rihanna + The Klaxons - Umbrella (live)

In the spirit of the Kanye West/Daft Punk collaborative Grammy award show performance his tour mate Rihanna performed 'Umbrella' with UK Electro Rave Rockers The Klaxons.

Via BV.

VIDEO: Rick Ross - Boss ft. T-Pain + NYC Concert

Rick Ross will be performing at Irving Plaza in NYC Tuesday, March 11 at 9PM. $35 seems a little steep. Tickets are for sale here.

Rick Ross - Boss ft. T-Pain

VIDEO: Wiz Khalifa - Say Yeah

VIDEO: 8 Wu-Tang Clan Webisodes

LISTEN: Jay-Z - Classic Gangster (Full Mixtape)

DOWNLOAD Jay-Z - Classic Gangster (Full Mixtape) (MP3)

I swore to not post any more Jay-Z/American Gangster mashup albums anymore, but with a cover like that how could I not post this one?



Jay-Z - Classic Gangster
01. Jay-Z vs. Ice-T - Intro
02. Jay-Z vs. Boogie Down Productions - Pray
03. Jay-Z vs. The D.O.C. - American Dreamin’
04. Jay-Z vs. Big Daddy Kane - Hello Brooklyn 3.0 feat. Lil Wayne
05. Jay-Z vs. Kool G. Rap - No Hook
06. Jay-Z vs. Public Enemy - Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)…
07. Jay-Z vs. A Tribe Called Quest - Sweet
08. Jay-Z vs. Slick Rick - I Know
09. Jay-Z vs. Beastie Boys - Party Life
10. Jay-Z vs. Eazy-E - Ignorant Sh*t feat. Beanie Sigel
11. Jay-Z vs. Too $hort - Say Hello
12. Jay-Z vs. D-Nice - Success feat. Nas
13. Jay-Z vs. Run D.M.C. - Fallin’
14. Jay-Z vs. Eric B. & Rakim - Blue Magic
15. Jay-Z vs. N.W.A. - American Gangster
Props to BrooklynBodega.

NEWS: Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival 2008 Dates Announced

The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival 2008 has announced the following dates:

June 21st - Nasty Funk and Hot Buttered Soul - A celebration of Hip-Hop's roots. Featuring the best crate diggers in the game as well as the finest in Neo- Soul

June 13th, 20th, 27th and July 11th - The BHF Film series - Sit out in the park and watch the finest in Hip-Hop cinema. The films the Academy snuffed. We're talking 'Juice', 'Beat Street' and 'New Jack City.' As well as the finest offerings from Brooklyn's own indie filmmakers

July 12th - The main Festival Date - The Kings and Queens of Brooklyn return home supported by the next wave from Brooklyn and beyond. In addition the early part of the day will be dedicated to community enrichment and health issues affecting our community including childhood obesity

July 15th to Aug 1st - BHF Tour '08 - The July 12th lineup will the road. Bringing that BK energy to Chicago, SF, LA, Austin, ATL and more.

For more info check BrooklynBodega

NEWS: will.i.am to make acting debut in X-Men Origins: Wolverine

I was hoping his mutant power would be teleporting Fergie away, but I'm still enthusiastic about his character anyway. Twentieth Century Fox has added three more superheroes to “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” with Ryan Reynolds set to play Deadpool, “Friday Night Lights” regular Taylor Kitsch to star as Gambit and hip-hop artist will.i.am joining the cast as John Wraith. Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am will play Wraith, a mutant who has the power to teleport, and is another test subject of the Weapon X program that created Wolverine and other mercenaries. It would be his first film role. (Source: Variety via DS)

From the trailer it looks like they're sticking closely to the Barry Windsor Smith version.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine Trailer

VIDEO: Sheek Louch - Good Love

New Sheek Louch. I wonder what will happen to the Def Jam version of The Lox now that Jay-Z is gone.

VIDEO: Behind-The-Signs @ KRS One's 'Self-Construction'

KRS-One has fired up the Stop The Violence movement again. This is some behind-the-scenes footage filmed at the LA Recording School where they recorded 'Self-Construction' featuring The Game, Chamillionaire, Busta, Fat Joe, Doug E. Fresh and some others. Go over to Eskay's to download 'Criminal Minded 2008' produced by DJ Premier.

LISTEN: NYOIL - 9 Wonders (Full Mixtape Stream)

I'm not one usually to post a stream of something, but I'll make an exception for NYOIL's new mixtape rapping over previously released 9th Wonder beats.

UPDATE Download the full mixtape below:

LISTEN: 6th Sense & Wildabeast Are...Both Nice - Arcade Fly

DOWNLOAD 6th Sense & Wildabeast Are...Both Nice - Arcade Fly (MP3)

You might remember 6th Sense from the Mick Boogie mixtape he released. He's back, this time in a tandem with Wildabeast under the old schooly moniker Both Nice.

NEWS: TVT Records Files For Bankruptcy

TVT Records, the folks that brought you Hip Hop by the likes of Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz, Pitbull, Ying Yang Twins and more, is expected to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week after terminating the majority of its employees this afternoon. Read more about it here and here.

LISTEN: HERO - Be Aware

DOWNLOAD HERO - Be Aware (MP3)

HERO = E-Dot + Darp Malone and this is the first single off their forthcoming and self-titled debut album to be released on 3-25-08. Great track.

VIDEO: Erykah Badu Talks About 'The Healer'

Erykah Badu talks about her Madlib produced song 'The Healer', (download/listen here) off of her recently re-titled upcoming album New Amerykah Part One (4th World War).

LISTEN: Devin the Dude - Makin’ it Hard

DOWNLOAD Devin the Dude - Makin’ it Hard (MP3)

Houston's very own Devin the Dude is set to release Smoke Sessions Vol. 1 (shout out to Gotty) April 1st. It's a mixtape and the first installment of a series of Smoke Sessions volumes to be released this year by Devin and his longtime collaborators Coughee Brothaz. Tracklist below. Single above.


Smoke Sessions Tracklist:

1. Official Smoke Session Intro
2. If I Did a Mixtape
3. Getting High (Odd Squad feat. Devin the Dude, Jugg Mug, and Rob)
4. Searching
5. She Want Me to Get Closer feat. Drissola (Coughee Brothaz North)
6. Mixtape II
7. Take Me Home feat. Baby Girl (Shaun)
8. Makin’ It Hard feat. Monique & T.J.
9. Stangy
10. Todd’s Crazy Ass (Todd Fisher)
11. Da Real Thang (Odd Squad feat. Devin the Dude, Jugg Mugg, and Rob)
12. Not Them, Those (14K – Wood and Quad)
13. Coughee Brothaz Freestyle (Devin the Dude, SK, Dudi Mac, Daraja, 1-3, Preach, Rob Quest, and Jugg Mugg)
14. Freestyle
15. Ain’t Nothin’ Like Old School Bitch feat. Jugg Mugg, K.B., & Warren Lee
16. Bitch Gotta Go! (Tony Mac)

VIDEO: Talib Kweli - Hostile Gospel Pt. 1 (Deliver Us)

'Hostile Gospel Pt. 1 (Deliver Us)' is one of my favorite Talib Kweli tracks of late.

VIDEO: Behind-The-Scenes @ Guru's New Video

Another first on SDSU. Our buddy Neilson sent over this great behind-the-scenes footage from Guru and Solar's video shoot for 'Jazzy Ways' with that excellently employed Slick Rick sample. Off of Guru's Jazzmatazz: The Timebomb/Back To The Future Mixtape which I posted for download here. Well worth the download with features by Common, Damian Marley, Lord Tariq, Common, Zion I, Doo Wop, Tony Touch, Aceyalone, Nature, K-Born, High Power, Mr. Lif, and more.

VIDEO: Flo-Rida - Elevators ft. Timbaland

I posted the mp3 for this before (download/listen here), and mentioned that the hook is vintage Timbaland/Furtado electro pop, framed by so-so verses. But I do love that hook. My question is, on what planet does the line "used to date Kanye/now she want me" lead to bragging rights? Sloppy Seconds Saturn? I believe they shot the video in 1996. My favorite part is that DJ Khaled's face is covered by the credits at the very end when he makes his cameo.

VIDEO: Dom Pachino - F*ck Critics

Dom Pachino = PR Terrorist of Killah Army. That Jay-Z sample on the chorus is hot and surely uncleared. LOL @ the hunting with pistols in the snowy forest scenes. Looks like they're walking off without a catch there at the end. The second video has Dom P guesting on the Shyheim track 'Loyalty.


Shyheim - Loyalty ft. Dom Pachino

VIDEO: Wu-Tang Clan - Take It Back

Yup, it's allegedly the official video for Wu-Tang Clan's 'Take It Back'.

NEWS: Riot At Dead Prez Concert

I'm a little bit in between Eskay's glee and SoulBounce's pessimism on this one. A riot broke out at last night's Dead Prez's Evergreen State College. There's definitely some chuckle-worthy elements to this story, and really 'F*ck The Police' is quite an excellent song (listen below).

Kiro TV reports: "Police said a band called the Dead Presidents was playing at Evergreen State College when a fight broke out within the crowd at about 1:30 a.m. As a campus police officer responded and tried to make an arrest in the brawl, she was surrounded by a crowd of concert-goers. Police said as she struggled to remove the man from the crowd, the band onstage started playing a song called “F___ the Police,” and the audience became increasingly agitated and combative. Washington State Patrol Trooper Brandy Kessler said the crowd surrounded the officer’s car, demanding for the arrested man to be released. The officer called for backup. Thurston County deputies responded and removed the campus officer from her car and released the arrested man. When a deputy’s car failed to start, the crowd overturned it, breaking out windows and ripping the car apart. Officers were pelted with rocks during the melee. Officials said a deputy's laptop computer and a radar gun were stolen. No weapons were lost. One officer was hurt by pepper spray in his eyes." (Source)

Eskay comments: "Call me irresponsible, but these kinds of stories make me smile. dead prez were performing at a college in Olympia, Washington last night when a brawl broke out in the crowd. When a campus cop tried to arrest one of the people involved, the shit hit the fan. [...] When the officer was trying to leave the venue with the suspect, dead prez started performing "Fuck The Police." I love it. (Full post)

Soulbounce comments: "This will surely be another blow to Hip-Hop, as pundits like O'Reilly and his ilk will once again paint all rap artists with the same, tired, brush." (Full post)

Dead Prez - F*ck The Police (Audio Only)

NEWS: Sickamore Quite Atlantic A&R Position

In the category of "Finally someone with a spine/something that should happen more often": Sickamore has regisned as Director of A&R at Atlantic Records. I've been following this guys career for a few years through his early mixtapes and I'm happy to see he's keeping his back straight.



"Gave my notice last week Tuesday, though today is my final day in the office. No, I'm not leaving to take another job. Nor was I fired attempting to cover it up. I've just lost faith in the major label system. I'm a guy of integrity so the last thing I'll ever do is stay somewhere just to collect a check or say I'm "an A&R". That's just wack. Though I'll continue to consult for Atlantic, Asylum Records, Columbia Records as well as continuing to help the artists I've signed like Wynter Gordon, Slim of 112 and of course Saigon.

People who know me know I'm very passionate about my career. I started two businesses (record store in 2002 and The Famous Firm b/k/a I Can Make You Famous) before I had this job. I didn't take this position for the money. When Hip Hop first mentioned it to me in December 2005, I was hesitant. My lawyer laughed when I told her about it: "You're going to get a job?!?!?! You make more money on your own! Atlantic is about to fold! You're crazy!". But I knew the experience would be vital for my career growth. So I took it. I told myself "give it at least two years." That was February 2006." Read the full blog post here.

LISTEN: Pete Rock - Best Believe ft Redman

DOWNLOAD Pete Rock - Best Believe ft Redman (MP3)

One of my favorite rappers ever + one of my favorite producers ever = not that great of a song. Tired hook and I'd rather have had a little more Red than Pete on the mic. But hey, those horns still sound real good. Below a photo from the videoshoot. Off of NY’s Finest. Unkut reviews the album, and dug up the track above.

LISTEN: Fabolous - Hand On My Glock (LA The Darkman And Willie The Kid)

DOWNLOAD Fabolous - Hand On My Glock ft. LA The Darkman & Willie The Kid (MP3)
DOWNLOAD Fabolous - There Is No Competition [Full Mixtape] (MP3)

LA The Darkman kills it on this new track off of Fabolous's new DJ Drama helmed mixtape There Is No Competition, which actually has a bunch of excellent tracks.

VIDEO: Grand Theft Auto IV Trailer/Jay-Z Mash Up

Video game graphics sure have come a long way since I played pong and the SNES Legend Of Zelda game as a youngen. 3typen mashed up Jay-Z's 'American Gangster' vocal up with an original beat and montaged it under a trailer for Grand Theft Auto IV trailer. Looks better than most action movies.

VIDEO: Consequence - Feel This Way

Another Rik Cordero production.

VIDEO: Shea Davis Freestyle

I think the camera itself was high on some digital Mary Jane judging from the haze. I'm really just posting this because Shea Davis's buddies in the back amuse me with their dancing and silent hype man vibe.

VIDEO: D-Boy - Nach Ke (Bhangra Bounce)

On the alternative tip here's a performance video from the BBC Introducing series featuring our buddy D-boy, who worked with Estelle (download her Kanye featured track). Featuring Swiss and V Dubl E.

LISTEN: Joe Budden - Dear Diary (RMX)

DOWNLOAD Joe Budden - Dear Diary RMX (MP3)

The unofficial remix by WMS the Sultan. Dope beat.

Via Shake.

LISTEN: Fred Knuxx - Freedom: Part 2 ft. Crooked I

DOWNLOAD Fred Knuxx - Freedom: Part 2 ft. Crooked I (MP3)

Fred Knuxx might confuse me with his amalgamated named (Freddie Foxx + Bumpy Knucks = Fred Knuxx?) but this is a great track. A raw Dr. Dre-esque beat by X-Plosive (named after a Dr. Dre song?) and a great Crooked I feature.

VIDEO: Method Man's Top 5 MC's & Songs

The new odd beard is in effect. Definitely a surprising list haha.

VIDEO: Shyheim Speaks On Jay-Z, Raekwon, etc.

VIDEO: Kanye West - Flashing Lights

Whoa this is like Eminem's 'Stan' meets Fatal Attraction part two video wise. Why is her hand blurred out when she sprays her clothes with lighter fluid?

NEWS: Royce Da 5'9" Playing The Knitting Factory (NYC)

Royce Da 5'9" is still one of my favorite underrated MC's and now we all get the opportunity to see him perform live. Info below. That's a Sunday and you know he probably won't go on til 2AM, but it's daylight saving day so we get a little extra sleep afterwards.



Sunday, March 09, 2008 - 8:00 PM
Same Plate And Hidden City Entertainment present
Royce Da 5'9", Torae, Kaze, Emilio Rojas and more
The Knitting Factory - 74 Leonard St. NYC (info/directions)
$12/15

NEWS: DJ Khaled Starts New Label

DJ Khaled has announced a new label deal for We The Best Music (I just e-rolled my eyes) with Def Jam. My guess is we'll see some posse cuts with Young Jeezy, Fat Joe, Akon, Lil' Wayne, T.I., T-Pain, Rick Ross and the other usual suspects. Even his press release reads like a bad SNL skit.


"I'm proud to be a member of the Def Jam family," said DJ Khaled. "Def Jam has been and still is one of the most important institutions in hip hop AND music as a whole. I am extremely honored and excited to be a partner with them in We The Best Music. I look forward to creating great music and continuing the success. LA, Shakir and Lenny S are you ready? I am!!! Let’s go!! Caaaaassssshhhhh Flooooowww!!! And remember....We global....global, we're international.....international! We The Best Music/Def Jam....get ready for history!!!"

VIDEO: Smif-N-Wessun Biggie Tribute Freestyle

Smif N Wessun recorded a video for their Notorious B.I.G. tribute. Off of Prime Cuts Presents Well Done Vol. 3.

LISTEN: Snoop Dogg - Life of The Party ft. Too Short & Mistah FAB

DOWNLOAD Snoop Dogg - Life of The Party ft. Too Short & Mistah FAB (MP3)

NEWS: JD Teams Up With Shaq For Collaborative Album

I apologize. That was mean. I just had to use this photo.

VIDEO: Jay Electronica - Because He Broke The Rules (Live)

Shake uploaded a live Jay Electronica performance of 'Because He Broke The Rules'

NEWS: Lupe Fiasco & Kanye West Tour Dates

Aside from appearing at the Bonnaroo Music Festival together June 12-15 they have some announced some tour dates:

Kanye West's Glow in The Dark Tour ft Lupe Fiasco, N.E.R.D. & Rihanna
04/16 - Key Arena, Seattle, WA
04/18 - ARCO Arena, Sacramento, CA
04/19 - HP Pavilion, San Jose, CA
04/20 - Sports Arena, San Diego
04/27 - Pepsi Center, Denver, CO
05/01 - Superpages.com Centre, Dallas, TX
05/02 - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, The Woodlands, TX
05/10 - Superpages.com Centre, Dallas, TX
05/22 - The Palace, Auburn Hills, MI
05/24 - Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
05/27 - Credit Union Centre, Saskatoon, SK
05/29 - Rexall Place, Edmonton, AB
05/30 - Pengrowth Saddledome, Calgary, AB

Lupe Fiasco - 2008 Tour Dates
2/26 - Occidental College, Valencia, California
3/01 - Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
3/02 - Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
3/25 - Great Hall Fredricksburg, Virginia
3/29 - University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
4/09 - Ferrum College, Ferrum, Virginia
4/10 - St. Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
4/11 - Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island

NEWS: Bubba Sparxxx Signs To Koch

As announced by Koch Records: Timbaland's protégé Bubba Sparxxx has signed a new label deal with Koch Records for New South Entertainment which will be releasing his upcoming new album in the summer of 2008. He will also be releasing some other folks, yet to be named. And yes that is him with Britanny Murphy and that's not related at all.

NEWS: The Game Goes To Jail

Game done did it again. He pulled out a gun at a basketball game a little while back, and it's 60 days behind bars. I say make it a project, write an album in there. Bring an iPod with beats (is that allowed?) and write and come out with a classic.


"The rap artist known as The Game pleaded no contest today to a felony firearm charge for pointing a gun at another player during a pickup basketball game last year in South Los Angeles. Deputy Dist. Atty. Tien Pham of Central Trials said the artist, born Jayceon Terrell Taylor, was sentenced in Los Angeles Superior Court to 60 days in county jail, three years formal probation and 150 hours of community service." (source)

LISTEN: Blu - CityOfLos(t)Angel(e)s ft. Co$$

DOWNLOAD Blu - CityOfLos(t)Angel(e)s ft. Co$$ (MP3)

Blu just keeps giving us new songs these days. Great tune.

Via shake.

LISTEN: Dodi Phy - Truth ft. Muja Messiah

DOWNLOAD Dodi Phy - Truth ft. Muja Messiah (MP3)

Minneapolis's Dodi Phy and Muja Messiah team up for an excellent indie effort. Great flow, deep beat, great thoughts. Check out the kid Dodi here. Not a lot of rappers mention the Dave Matthews Band or Paul Simon as influences bunched in with the more traditional Jay-Z/Scarface/2Pac.

LISTEN: Joell Ortiz - Here, The Next ft. Novel

DOWNLOAD Joell Ortiz - Here, The Next ft. Novel (MP3)

Produced by Statik Selektah, mostly known to me for working with one of the other most interesting rookies of 2007, Termanology. Excellent narrative.

LISTEN: 2 For The Money ft A.G. (Cuts By DJ Premier, Prod. By Showbiz)

DOWNLOAD 2 For The Money ft A.G. (MP3)

Cuts By DJ Premier, produced by Showbiz. Off of the collaborative O.C./A.G. album O-A-Sis. This picture is straight off of O.C.'s myspace page. I swear.

LISTEN: Edreys - D.U.I. (Dumb Under the Influence)

DOWNLOAD Edreys - D.U.I. (Dumb Under the Influence) (MP3)

Buffalo's Edreys is dropping a 7" and for which 'D.U.I.' is the a-side and the video below, 'I Like It', is the B-side.

VIDEO: Nas & Kelis @ Grammies, Wearing '

Nas made for one of the better Grammy YouTube moments I've seen so far. The CNN reporter asks some questions about Nas & crew wearing shirts that say 'N*gger' on them, as well as some on his nominated previous album Hip Hop Is Dead. Her tone is eye-roll inducing, especially when she says: "Hip Hop isn't dead in my eyes. Kanye's up for 8 Grammies.". Then Kelis comes back to school the presenter by letting her know John Lennon had a song called 'Women Are The N*ggers Of The World'. Awesome TV moment.


Via TSS.

VIDEO: Kanye West - Stronger ft Daft Punk @ Grammies

Kanye West wonn best rap album and best rap song at last night's 2008 Grammy Awards and showed us he's one of the best live performers, slim pickins in our beloved genre, during 'Stronger' with the enigmatic Daft Punk fellas.

LISTEN: Skillz - Get Off The Boo Boo ft. Pimp C

DOWNLOAD Skillz - Get Off The Boo Boo ft. Pimp C (MP3)

Skillz and UGK's late, great Pimp C team up for 'Get Off The Boo Boo', which is not about 50 Cent.

NEWS: Jay-Z & Mary J Blige Touring Together

Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige have announced the twenty-five date North American Heart Of The City tour. This will be big. Will this lead to the rumored collaborative album (read here)?


Mary J. Blige & Jay-Z : Heart Of The City 2008 Tour
3/22 Miami, FL American Airlines Arena
3/26 Baltimore, MD 1st Mariner Arena
3/27 Uniondale, NY Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
3/28 East Rutherford, NJ Izod Center (tix)
3/30 Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center
4/2 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
4/3 Boston, MA TD Banknorth Garden
4/5 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum
4/Washington, DC Verizon Center
4/16 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl
Spotted at BV.

NEWS: Prodigy's Farewell Concert

Somehow I knew something like this would go down at Prodidy's farewell party at BB Kings the other night. And ouch @ only 150 fans showing up. And 50 Cent doesn't even show up? No other G-Unit members aside from some cat I've never even heard of? What's up with that? From TSS's recap:

So, out comes G-Unit’s newest addition, Maserati Fox with his Dumb Out clique. Three atrocious songs (in which Maserati didn’t rap any full verses), 10,000 cries of “G-G-G-G-Unit!” and 234,000 calls of “Dumb Out” later, the most exciting thing to grace the stage up to that point makes its timely arrival… a plastic beer cup, which pelts Maserati square in the sternum. After a look too priceless for words, Maserati Ron Artests it into the crowd, his whole gang of Dumb Out goons right behind. As they search for the cup-thrower, the rest of the crowd is teetering over whether they want the night to become brawl at The Palace II and collectively stomp this G-Unit clown, or wait peacefully while Maserati gets brought back to the stage and the night goes forward as planned, a bit ahead of schedule. Read TSS's full recap of the night here.

More pics here.

NEWS: Timbaland To Release First Ever Mobile Only Album

Well, this sure sounds asinine and like a bootlegger's dream. Timbaland has partnered up with Verizon for the first ever mobile-only album. Also I just came across this photo and wanted to use it badly.



As Timbaland's "Shock Value" goes up for five Grammy Awards, the hitmaking hip-hop producer has announced a deal with Verizon Wireless to make the first "mobile album," which will be exclusively available to subscribers of V Cast, Verizon's mobile entertainment service. As Verizon's mobile producer in residence, Timbaland will produce one song per month throughout 2008. Each month, he will work with a different artist on a track while touring the country on the Verizon Mobile Recording Studio Bus, which will also capture making-of footage for V Cast subscribers on a dedicated Timbaland channel. [...] Each mobile Timbaland track will be released days after it is produced. Songs will be released as a full-length download, ringtone and ringback, and will be available only through V Cast and Verizon. At the end of the year, some sort of compilation "album" will be released exclusively through Verizon, according to Ruth. Whether the music is worked to radio during the exclusive period or made available via broader distribution afterward is up to Interscope. Via DS. I'd link to the original Billboard article, but their crappy site doesn't work in firefox on mac's, so whatever.

VIDEO: Yung Joc - I'm A G Ft. Bun B & Young Dro

Yung Joc brings in Bun B for cred, and Young Dro came to the party as well.

VIDEO: Chance Freestyle

I'm not that into the whole bling thing, and I kind of wanted to hate on this video of Chance freestyling in an appartment, but I ended up digging it.

LISTEN: Kaimbr - Breakem Off

DOWNLOAD Kaimbr - Breakem Off (MP3)

Another one of those Rawkus 50 track, and another one that knocks. Washington DC's Kaimbr brings us 'Breakem Off' with a Blackstar sensibility on the beats produced by Roddy Rod. Off of the digital EP Why Be Somebody Else.