Friday, February 27, 2009

JOEY PROMOTES PADDED ROOM IN A NEW ERA STORE

This is my Joe Budden post for the month. I snuck it in on the last weekend of February to avoid ridicule. Shhhh. Don't tell B or D Mack. Shhhh. *Go cop the Padded Room album*

CAM'RON - I USED TO GET IT IN OHIO

I know what you're thinking. But, I think the rule of thumb is that you can support Cocaine Cam as long as he is reppin' your state. Yeah, that's the rule.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Public School Spring/Summer 09

































































Clothing label, Public School, comes correct again with their Spring/Summer 09 Collection. They are continuing to impress me.



Sunday, February 22, 2009

Artist Spotlight - Charles Hamilton





Charles Hamilton may have a common name, but he is anything but a 'common' rapper. He has an unusual fascination with Sonic the Hedgehog and routinely has Sonic-influenced album covers and verses. But, don't let his admiration for the Sega character throw you off....he can spit! The Cleveland-born, Harlem-raised artist takes his craft very seriously. His first single, "Brooklyn Girls" details why the opposite sex of that specific borough is better than the others. That single was off his first mixtape Outside Looking which came out in June of '08. Since then, Mr. Hamilton has dropped over 15 more mixtapes. That is not a typo. Over 15 mixtapes in less than 8 months. That my friends, is The Hamiltonization Process. From the mixtapes that I've downloaded the music has stayed pretty consistent too. My favorite album from The Hamiltonization Process is The L Word. On that album, DJ Skee chops up some classic R&B songs, some rock tunes and some pop cuts that Charles praises the female gender over. Also, B posted a back and forth battle with Charles and Serius Jones a few weeks back so you should check that out to hear him spit off the dome.

My Personal Charles Hamilton Soundtrack (All Mixtapes):

The L Word
Well Isn't This Awkward
Outside Looking
Sonic the Hamilton
Death of the Mixtape Rapper




Charles Hamilton - Brooklyn Girl from Kidd Izzo on Vimeo

OLD SKOOL VIDEO SPOTLITE - Harlem World - "I Really Like It"

"Got Harlem lookin' like we a pack a Skittles" - Cam'Ron from "What My Niggas Want"


I think this is the brightest, most colorful video ever created. Not only was it bright, there was so much extra-curricular activity going on it's not even funny! There were choreographed dance steps, people being shot out of cannons, and some BMX riding. This probably isn't how you want to introduce your crew to the world. And to add insult to injury they just jacked a great song by DeBarge and made it sugary pop (not to be confused with Sugar J who blows a kiss to the camera in this video). The video also had random cameos from Traci Bingham, Tia & Tamera, and Paula Jai Parker. With side projects like this it's hard to remember that Ma$e did drop a great album with his first album Harlem World. But, to be fair, I don't know how Cam'Ron can diss this video when he tried to make Harlem look like a pack of Cotton Candy Bubblicious!

Don't Drop The Soap, Pretty Boy!!!

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Rolls-Royce 200EX


















Rolls-Royce recently unveiled their newest concept car. Set to release in 2010. I'm putting my name on the list for this one. I've got a year to come up with the money.

Source

2010 Mercedes E-Class Coupe
















































Mercedes plans on blessing us with a new coupe for their E-class. Look for these to hit the streets in June.

The Roots Go Late Night!

On March 2nd, everyone's favorite hip-hop band will start a new chapter in their careers. They will be the official house band for "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" on NBC. While some are leery of the move, drummer Questlove states that the gig "enabled us to survive. This would basically match or surpass what we would make touring 200-plus days out of the year. And, two, this allows us to be home." I, for one, think it is a great move. With album sales and tours not being as profitable as they once were for non-commercial acts like The Roots, this gives them exposure and a paycheck. The Roots have always been heavy on tours and if they can see the same paper with this job, more power to them. I think they will bring some credibility to the show and they will also bring the hip-hop heads tuning in for at least the first few shows. Jimmy Fallon has always been pretty funny so it makes sense to me. Let's keep it real. How many people actually tune in just to see Paul Shaffer or Kevin Eubanks? The Roots have a built-in audience that will watch the show just to hear them for a few minutes. Congratulations fellas and let's get that 9th album out!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Kanye West feat. Kid Cudi "Welcome to Heartbreak"

If nothing else you have to give Kanye credit for pushing the envelope with his style and videos.


KANYE WEST "Welcome To Heartbreak" Directed by Nabil from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Artist Spotlight - Lykke Li


I first heard of Lykke Li a few months ago when Drake used her single "Little Bit" to showcase his vocal range. Her voice instantly caught my attention and I had to hear more from her. I then discovered her debut album Youth Novels and have been a huge fan ever since. The Swedish singer has lived all over the world including stints in Nepal and New York, where she completed her album. Her music has been described as Pop, Rock, and Electro. I'm not sure if any of those genres actually fit, but maybe that is for the better. Youth Novels has a little bit, pun intended, of everything you can think of. Just listen to the music!! "Dance Dance Dance" is minimalistic and has a polka feel to it. And the way she pronounces dance is kinda addicting. She gets funky on the cut "Let it Fall" which sounds to be hip-hop influenced. I can't tell if she doesn't mind crying or if she really, really enjoys crying. This song is just about crying and crying some more! On a softer note, she does great things with the song "Tonight". Her voice will never be mistaken for Mariah or Mary J., but there is something very sincere in the way she sings. And this hook gets stuck in your head on first listen. You won't be able to get it out either. It just stays there. Luckily for us, her album has charted on the Billboard Heatseekers chart so she is gaining exposure in The States. She is currently finishing up a North American tour so if she happens to be in your city please check her out.

My Personal Lykke Li Soundtrack:

Little Bit (Remix) featuring Drake and Mickey Factz
Tonight
Breaking It Up
Dance Dance Dance
I'm Good, I'm Gone (Video Below)

http://www.lykkeli.com
http://www.myspace.com/lykkeli



Lykke Li - I'm Good, I'm Gone from Lykke Li on Vimeo.

OLD SKOOL VIDEO SPOTLITE - A Tribe Called Quest - "Electric Relaxation"

The simplicity of this video is amazing. Black and white. 3 guys catch a cab to go to a diner. That's it. That's it, and by the way they craft one of the smoothest, coolest rap songs ever on that ride! This is an ode to a beautiful woman and the ways you would please her. Phife Dawg comes up big on this one and delivers one of his most memorable lines with "I like 'em Brown, Yellow, Puerto Rican, or Haitian...." You also get a pretty good tour of New York City as well. "Electric Relaxation" was a jazz inspired song that sampled Ronnie Foster's "Mystic Brew." It appeared on the Midnight Marauders album, my favorite by ATCQ, and was joined by other such smashes such as "Hot Sex", "Award Tour", and "Oh My God" featuring Busta Rhymes. Many props to one of the best groups that Hip-Hop has ever seen!


Five Four's Restructuring

Five Four is a pretty well known clothing label that has been around since 2002. The brand, which has had some success in the past years, was founded by Andres Izquieta and Dee Murthy. The Wall Street Journal recently ran a story about the menswear brand's challenges in this current economy. Definitely check it out when you have a few minutes. It's a pretty interesting read.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123440697707875869.html#articleTabs%3Darticle

Dior Chiffres Rouge Plongeur Watches
















The Dior "Red Digit Diver" watch is one of the nicest timepieces I've seen in awhile. I definitely wouldn't mind having both of these.

Source

Clae Spring 2009





















Clae, founded in 2001 by Sung Choi, continues to put out some nice styles. After a three year hiatus, the brand came back strong a few years ago. These are a few of my favorites from the new Spring '09 collection. Check out their website, Clae.com, for more colors and styles.

STIMULATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (The Stimulus Plan) will be signed by President Barack Obama on Tuesday. The Act provides tax cuts and also provides spending to Education, the country's Infrastructure, Welfare, Energy, and Health Care. At this time it is unclear on how we can tell if the stimulus is working. Economists say that it will take years before we know if there was any impact made, but the thought seems to be universal that something needed to be done immediately. No Republicans voted for the bill so there will most certainly be significant backlash from The GOP in the coming months. President Obama has said on numerous occasions that everything will not be fixed with the passing of this bill. It will take more time and effort from all of us to get this country going back in the right direction. For further reading on The Act itself and how it will affect you, please see the links below:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090214/ap_on_go_co/stimulus_stakes_who_gets_what
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Recovery_and_Reinvestment_Act_of_2009

Shaq Leads West All-Stars to a 146-119 Victory over the East




Shaq killed that Nas beat! I don't think I'll ever be able to say that about one of his raps, but he did his thing with the Jabbawockeez. He always puts on a show and this year was no different. The "Shaqtus" had 17 points and 5 rebounds in only 11 minutes of play. And the pass he made through Dwight Howard's legs was just sick! Mr. Shaqtastic shared the MVP honors with Kobe Bryant who had 27 points to lead all scorers. LeBron James led the East with 20 points and a nasty dunk at the end of the game. This was an exciting All-Star game even though the score wasn't that close. And I'm sure the game next year in Dallas will be off the hook!

The Lonely Island feat. T-PAIN - I'm On a Boat




"I got my swim trunks, and my flippy-floppys. I'm flippin' burgers, you at Kinko's straight flippin' copies."

For fans of Jizz in my Pants and Lazy Sunday here is another hilarious video from Andy Samberg and crew. T-Pain pops up just to remind us that his auto-tone sounds good over almost any beat. Yeah I said it!!! FYI, this song is also available on iTunes.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Artist Spotlight - Pacific Division



U-N-I isn't the only "Left Coast" group being slept on these days. We could really have a Blog section called "Slept On West Coast Artist of the Week" at the rate this is going. Funny thing is I've been a Pac Div fan before I even heard of U-N-I. They've been doing their thing for a while. Group members Mibbs, Like, and BeYoung definitely have something special they are bringing to the game. No bling talk, gun talk, or dope talk on these records. Instead, they deliver rhymes that the average Joe can relate to. "All I Want" is an ode to the American Dream, but from the perspective of trying to get it the 'right' way. One of their most popular songs, "Taste", is also my favorite from the group. The song lets everybody know that if you aren't hip to Pac Div.......you're missing out! The group tends to use comedy in a lot of their verses. On the hilarious "Ack Like U Chillin" they give you advice on how to get out of situations that may get a little sticky. Stealing money from your job? Get caught cheating? No worries. Just ACK LIKE U CHILLIN'! After listening to a few songs from Pacific Division you'll see why they have been co-signed by Pharrell, Questlove, and Snoop.

My Personal Pacific Division Soundtrack:

Gorgeous
Taste
All I Want
Women Problems (Video Below)
Ack Like U Chillin'


http://www.pacdiv.com/
http://www.myspace.com/pacificdivision


OLD SKOOL VIDEO SPOTLITE - L'Trimm - "Cars That Go Boom"

This video is wrong on so many levels. It's like the director said "Okay you two dance around and look pretty. I'll go around Miami and film some cars with speakers. And to switch things up, I'll let you ladies wear different hats." But, I guess you really can't have an artistic video when you are directing a song about girls liking speakers. Not much to go on. The song itself was kinda catchy back then, but it sounds really lame now. L'Trimm was a product of the Miami bass sound that 2 Live Crew made popular. Believe it or not, these chicks made three albums in the late 80's and early 90's. "Cars That Go Boom" (or "Cars With the Boom" depending on your source) was the biggest hit from those recordings. I guess we can give L'Trimm a pass since they really didn't seem to take themselves too seriously. I mean somebody actually paid them for this. I can't knock that hustle.


Friday, February 6, 2009

Alphacat (as Barack Obama) - "Whatever I Like"

I was hesitant to post this video earlier because I couldn't tell if it was really funny or really lame. Ayo, I don't know what was wrong with me because this is HILARIOUS!!!! "No more shady healthcare, you can get what I get!" Don't let the fact that dude looks like Drake throw you off. Pure comedy.

Monday, February 2, 2009

REALLY?!?!?!?!?

"She looks nothing like I looked back then. We have NO similarities.” - Lil' Kim

According to Vibe Magazine and HipHopDX, Lil' Kim was not too happy with the selection of Naturi Naughton to play her in the biopic Notorious. Ms. Voletta Wallace claims that Kim felt Naturi was too...um....dark...to play her. Vibe reports that there were rumors that Kim wanted Christina Milian to play her in the movie. Christina Milian? Really???










I see the resemblance! Anyway, Naturi did her thing (in more ways than one) in the movie and represented the Big Momma well. Hopefully Kim and Ms. Wallace call a truce soon. Charli Baltimore was his girl at the time of his death and couldn't even get a footnote! She has a real beef!

The Steelers Reign Supreme!



Too much Big Ben. Too much Santonio Holmes. The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Arizona Cardinals 27-23 Sunday night for their 6th, yes 6th, Super Bowl Championship. Personally, I was rooting for the Cardinals, but I'm a Mike Tomlin fan so I wasn't too disappointed. I'm not going to write a game summary, (you can watch Sportscenter for that) instead I'll just make a few quick points. Even though I'm not a Steelers fan I wanted to give Steeler Nation a big shout out. These people travel all over the country to root for their team. And they waive those damn towels 'til their arms hurt. They have THE best fans of any professional sport team. Hands down. I also wanted to show some love to The Rooney Family. They run their organization extremely well and keep the team competitive all the time. Also, Mike Tomlin became the second African-American coach to win a Super Bowl and the youngest coach of any color to win The Big One. Major props to Mr. Tomlin!!

I also wanted to shout-out Kurt Warner, Ken Whisenhunt, and the Man-Child that is Larry Fitzgerald. They were huge underdogs in both the line and in people's minds. They played a sloppy first half and a great second half. Just not great enough. I have a feeling with a team this young, they will be representing the NFC in the Super Bowl again very soon.

Overall, the game was crazy exciting at the end and it rivaled the 4th quarter excitement from last year's game between The New York Giants and MY New England Patriots. This was a big win for the NFL on all fronts. Let's hope the remaining NBA season can keep our attention until September rolls around again. GO STEELERS!!!

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Ryan Leslie "How it was supposed to be"

Ryan Leslie is a very talented singer/songwriter/producer.  His claim to fame thus far is discovering Cassie(now signed to Bad Boy).  Anyone who can give a suspect singer like Cassie a smash hit with "Me and You" has to be the truth.  His album drops Feb. 10th, and from what I have heard is well worth the purchase.  Check out the new single "How it was supposed to be".
How It Was Supposed To Be (Military Version) from Ryan Leslie on Vimeo.