Contrary to popular belief, it’s actually a good time to be a new artist in hip-hop and R&B right now. With Cudi and Drake seemingly well on the path to superstardom, and others like Wale and Trey scoring Billboard hits, it seems like this generation of musicians is starting to hit its stride. Believe it or not though, I’m as juiced for Mayer as I am for just about anybody else from the freshman class. Yeah, he’s a little squarish looking. And yeah, his sound is more ’69 than ’09. But that’s exactly what sets the 27-year old singer/songwriter apart from most of his contemporaries. This video is dope not just for the Venice Beach scenery, or the Rob Dyrdek sighting at 1:15, but because it manages to convey a lot of personality. Mayer is that dude.  A Strange Arrangement due out September 8.