February 21st, 2009
Can someone explain to me how the video for “Put a Donk On It” has nearly 4,000,000 You Tube views? Preferably, somebody British, who can launch into a diatribe involving the words “chav” and “rubbish.” Dan and Dom, I’m looking at you.
Does the Blackout Crew believe that the supreme mathematics of modern music can be ascertained by snorting crushed Liquid G tablets and listening to A.B. Logic’s “The Hitman?” At least, Britain has to reckon with their own, LMFAO. Someone needs to stop this insanity (no Susan Powter).
Posted in Are You From the Lester Bangs School of Thought? | 7 Comments »
February 21st, 2009
I’m rooting for the erstwhile Scott Mescudi. Between the appearance on 808s & Heartbreak and last year’s A Kid Named Cudi, he’s flashed enough potential to justify the hype. Plus, he has several things working in his favor: a Kanye co-sign, ability to both sing and rap, a single that has received radio burn, and a Crookers remix that went viral.
Cudi’s Man on the Moon: The Guardians is slated to drop on G.O.O.D./Fool’s Gold sometime this summer, but his odds of stardom remain opaque. The major labels have not consistently proven that they can create stars in the post-Internet world. If you look at the most popular artists to emerge over the last few years, they tend to skew Southern and all built fan bases prior to signing with a major: T.I., Ross, Jeezy, Plies. For every Lupe to germinate, there’s a Rhymefest, a Clipse, a Knux, a Murs, who struggled to sell 50k.
Still, in a rap world continually obsessed with chimerical coketasias, we could use more stoner anthems. Cudi’s ceiling might be Lupe, but at least you’d want to smoke a blunt with him.
Download:
MP3: Kid Cudi-”Day ‘N’ Nite”
MP3: Kid Cudi ft. Wale-”Look Up in Da Stars”
See Also:
Video-Kid Cudi & Kanye West on 106th & Park
Video-Kanye West ft. Kid Cudi-”Welcome to Heartbreak”
Posted in Videos | 8 Comments »
February 20th, 2009
On the heels of their previous compilation that excavated the contents of Daft Punk’s crates, Rapster Records brings forth volume two–Protected: Massive Samples–a collection of the original sample sources that constituted Massive Attack’s Blue Lines.
It includes the well-trodden suspects: James Brown (”Never Can Say Goodbye”) and Isaac Hayes (”Ike´s Mood”). Chaka Khan, The Blackbyrds and William De Vaughn also make an appearance. But the compilation’s true find is Lewin Bones Lock’s “5 Man Army Dub,” the reggae blast that buoys Blue Lines burner, “5 Man Army.” If you’re keeping score at home, the drums used on “5 Man Army,” come from Al Green’s “I’m Glad You’re Mine”–also found on the Protected comp and on the Notorious B.I.G.’s posthumously released “Dead Wrong.”
It’s trite to tell you that “5 Man Army Dub” sounds infinitely better high, but then again, it’s also true.
Amazon: V/A-Protected: Massive Attack Samples Collection
Download:
MP3: Lewin Bones Lock-”5 Man Army Dub” (Left-Click)
MP3: Massive Attack-”5 Man Army”
Posted in Are You From the Lester Bangs School of Thought? | 3 Comments »
February 19th, 2009
According to Scott Towler, National Idiot Day is Feb. 22. This may be a result of his visceral loathing of George Washington, cherry trees, and any and all wooden gompers.
Scott Towler: I like the name Douglas. You don’t hear it too much these days, except when referring to Douglas firs. Which brings me to my first question: are your parents arborists?
Douglas Martin: I love Douglas Firs! They have that swag that you don’t see in many trees. They stunt like crazy during the holidays.
ST: So is your dad a doctor, or do you have plans to go into medicine yourself?
DM: My father isn’t a doctor, but I briefly considered being a psychiatrist. I like helping people with their problems.
ST: Kind of seems like a waste of a last name though, huh?
DM: Well, it sort of sucks that I share it with that dude from Coldplay, actually. People ask if we’re related.
ST: I meant because of the whole Doc Marten thing, but that Coldplay connection is a shame. Do you like shoes? Some people are shoe crazy.
DM: Doc Marten’s are awesome! I moved to Seattle because I thought he’d move out here because of the huge profit he’s made off of this city.
ST: Charles Barkley: man or monster?
DM: Charles Barkley is a man. Men fuck up sometimes. That’s a direct quote from the Bible.
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Posted in Great Scott | 9 Comments »
February 18th, 2009
Posting from me will be light this week, as I’ve embarked on a trip to the World’s Fair in Knoxville, complete with a quick pit stop in Branson to catch Andy Williams. In short: he’s still got it. In between marathon sessions of “Moon River,” I’ve been obsessed with Les Ambassadeurs Internationales’s “Mousso Gnaleden,” from the excellent Rough Guide to Mali compilation.
Fronted by legendary Malian singer, Salif Keita, Les Ambassadeurs are widely regarded as one of Western Africa’s most prominent dance bands–in addition to their mundane day jobs as international ambassadors. Think Fela Kuti with a more pronounced Islamic influence and you’re on the right track. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to peep the wigsphere.
Download:
MP3: Les Ambassadeurs Internationales-”Mousso Gnaleden”
Posted in Are You From the Lester Bangs School of Thought? | 2 Comments »
February 18th, 2009
Sach O lost all the music on his iPod in a freak accident. This is the first thing he got back.
French rap is a harder sell than Canto-Pop. I don’t blame heads really: in an art form where lyrics are prized, a language barrier is the ultimate deal-breaker. No matter how bangin the beat or how tight the flow, the obvious reaction is for kids to scrunch up their faces and mumble like the head bully in a De La skit: “umm…what are they SAYING?” For French rap fans it’s frustrating but also a privilege: while East Coast heads lament the golden age, we have access to a whole parallel canon of NYC influenced boom-bap. French music never made a dent in the States but Parisians were the incredible students of the New York sound, studying the masters with all the zeal of a 5 boroughs disciple. In a country fundamentally incapable of rock music (yes, you too Justice) rap found its second home, eventually growing into the world’s second biggest consumer of home-grown Hip-hop. Naming a French G.O.A.T is nearly impossible, but as for “biggest shit disturber,” that one’s easy: Supreme NTM.
Best described as Public Enemy meets NWA and M.O.P, with Raekwon’s descriptive language and a little Das EFX, Mad Lion, and French cynicism thrown in for good measure, NTM (translation: Fuck yo moms) members Kool Shen and Joey Starr first came together in the early 80’s as B-Boys. Emerging as a musical force from Paris’s desolate housing projects a few years later, the group’s incendiary lyrics actually landed the duo in prison for hate speech, a charge unrivaled in America. Their beats drew on the chaos of the Bomb Squad and early Dr. Dre, but also kept a jazzy sensibility reminiscent of Pete Rock and The Beatminerz merging the violence of early gangsta rap to the groovier funk that blew up in the 90’. By the time their 1995 masterpiece Paris sous les bombes (Paris under fire) hit the shelves, their unique mix of aggression and funk had hit Chronic level sophistication and now stands as a defining moment in the evolution of French Hip Hop.
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Posted in Diggin' in the Digital Crates, Sach O | 4 Comments »
February 17th, 2009
Sandro Colacicco used to write a blog called naughtybaseball.blogspot.com. He enjoys jenga, gambling, European-style deodorant and a bit of baseball. His ambitions are producing a movie using only White Denim’s “Workout Holiday,” as the soundtrack, and perfecting the making of lime-chili soup. If for any reason you feel inclined to contact him, please write to Sanz14000@yahoo.com.
Dick Vitale once said, “I learned from my mom and dad, who didn’t have a formal education but had doctorates of love.” That’s absolutely true Dicky V, no one will ever take away your doctorate of love, but isn’t there such a thing as over-loving? A little too much PDA? Keep that saccharine shit to yourself, unless you’ve just taken a handful of Blue Dolphins, and in that case, pass the ecstasy to the left-hand side.
ESPN are the hookers of the media–they’re practically contractually obligated to excessively fellate a certain type of human. They’ve got big contracts with almost every major sporting organization and feel obliged to promote their business at any cost. Unfortunately, that cost is my ears, eyes and soul. So with that in mind, I present, ESPN’s Top Dogs.
Tyler Hansbrough
Let me preface this by saying that I don’t hate Dick Vitale. There’s a time and a place for him, and I give him credit for being a “real” Tampa Bay Rays fan. But if I have to hear Dicky V implicitly confess his desire to give Hansbrough his Dicky V, I’m going to send him Evan Longoria’s scalp in the mail, which would leave his team short a great third baseman, but give him a fine head of hair.
Or maybe I’ll just go low-brow and take a giant dump in a box, wrap it up, and send it to him with a giant red bow and a card that reads: “My dearest Dicky V, I’m sorry to say, but the NCAA isn’t going to allow your precious golden boy, frat child, roof-jumping, all hustle kid to play a 5th year of college basketball. Instead, he will be over-drafted because he is an undersized, white kid with no outside game. With much love, Sandro.”
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Posted in Sandro Colacicco | 8 Comments »
February 15th, 2009
In the last year, Blu has gone from “impressive young talent” to one of my favorite rappers working. I haven’t heard the entirety of his latest mixtape, Her Favorite Colo(u)r, as it just dropped on his Myspace page last night. But what I have heard is stellar–ranking among the finest work he’s done. Listen to “Amnesia,” complete with buoyant Billie Holiday sample, and try to argue differently.
Download:
MP3: Blu-“Amnesia”
ZIP: Blu-Her Favorite Colo(u)r Mixtape (Left-Click)
Posted in Are You From the Lester Bangs School of Thought? | 6 Comments »
February 14th, 2009
Because nothing says eros like a 900 lb. roly-poly rapper with a penchant for spousal abuse. As promised last Saturday, here are some Chris Rios rarities that you may not have–empirical proof that the man never spit a weak 16. One day in rapper heaven, there will be a fast-rap super-group of Kool G Rap, Kane, Pharoahe and the Punisher. Take that Blind Faith.
Download:
MP3: Delinquent Habits ft. Big Pun & Juju of The Beatnuts)-”Western Ways”
MP3: Delinquent Habits ft. Big Pun-”Here Come the Horns”
MP3: Big Pun, Kool G Rap, B-Real, Fat Joe-”Wishful Thinking”
MP3: Big Pun, Raekwon & Fat Joe-”Firewater”
MP3: Sheek Louch & Big Pun-”Pina Colada”
MP3: Krayzie Bone, Big Pun & Terror Squad-”When I Die”
MP3: Terror Squad ft. Big Pun-”Whatcha Gon’ Do?”
Posted in Are You From the Lester Bangs School of Thought? | 5 Comments »
February 13th, 2009
Forgive the saccharine sentimentality and the trite notion that a concert can have capital “M” meaning. But if it couldn’t, these words would be even cheaper. Dilla died three years ago Tuesday and his music meant myriad things to a million people. Brandon’s Dilla/Donuts extravaganza, best explicates what separated James Yancey from your run-of-the-mill crate carrion. If you’re curious to the cult of the cream of Conant, Donuts month comes highly recommended.
This Wednesday, I saw his younger brother, Illa J(ohn) perform at Amoeba Records. The show was fun, but it’s gravity sprang from extracurricular circumstance. LA was/is the Yancey’s adopted hometown, and while this city’s focus is typically more James Franco than James Yancey, it did Jay Dee right. 200 people, Dilla chants, Donuts on the sound system before and after, no hipster archness, just a bunch of people who really loved music and wanted to pay their respects. The write-up and interview with Illa J is at the Weekly. Interview B-sides below the jump. Like Ralph Wiggum , you know the score.
LA Weekly:Live @ Amoeba Records–Illa J and the Timelessness of J Dilla
Download:
MP3: Slum Village, Frank Nitty & Illa J-”Homage”
MP3: Illa J-”Timeless”
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Posted in LA Weekly | 3 Comments »
