First off, can we just take a minute to consider the fucking lineup on this track? Yeezy, Hov, Rozay and Nicki would be crazy already. But guest vocals from Bon Iver and Uncle Charlie? Fresh off the news that he and Jay are set to drop a five-track album soon, Ye dropped off the first official track tonight, via Twitter. “Monster”, also the first installment of Kanye’s G.O.O.D. Music Fridays, is as varied, and maybe even as weird as the guest list looks on paper. It’s six minutes plus, and Ye went in. Nicki too. There’s a lot going on here, but at it’s best moments “Monster”, lives up to it’s name.
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If Jay’s ridiculous verse on “Free Mason” somehow went over your head last week, do yourself a favor and let that one ride out first. My apologies if we’ve been a little Ross-heavy lately (no pun intended), but Teflon Don is looking serious. As far as the rest goes, highlights include some settled Dam Funk, the latest from Cudi and Ye, and a Mayer Hawthorne video full of bad ones. And don’t trip. There’s a plenty of even more obscure indie shit too. Watch the Edward Sharpe if you’re feeling adventurous. Much love to the fam. Last weekend was one for the books.
A few weeks ago, The New York Times Magazine ran a piece by Lynn Hirschberg, who turned her interviews with M.I.A. into a pretty fascinating piece of journalism. The story was a detailed look at Maya’s life, work and political ideology, with a focus on her unique place in global pop culture, and some of the contradictions that seem to arise from it. On one hand, she’s part of an oppressed group from a war-torn country, and her music lends valuable perspective on the kinds of sociopolitical issues of we face in a globalized world. On the other, she’s a massive pop icon, being pushed by major corporations to make money. If “Born Free” was M.I.A. at her most overtly political, “XXXO” falls somewhere on the other end of the spectrum. Either way, it’s growing on me, and a Hov feature on the remix doesn’t hurt either.
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For much of this year and last, Drake’s given us much of the music we celebrate to. Guaranteed we’ll be celebrating to him tonight… Almost as if it was out of thin air, Drake’s become a household name, and a person my Mom asks me about. While the ascension to the pinnacle of hip hop might have transpired in what seems like a single night, I can’t help but believe that the hype is warranted. In what seems like a deliberate stream of consciousness, Drizzy and Jay take turns on the track highlighting their rise to fame, while providing food for thought for those on their own journey. From acting on Noggin, to duets with Jay-Z. If nothing else please use Drake as inspiration, because anything’s possible.
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From where I’m standing, life has been kind of hectic lately. I get the feeling that folks around me are lightweight stressed. Fortunately, today is what a lot of folks celebrate as the national holiday for trees. Why exactly we need a special day to smoke weed is beyond me, but I’m not one to argue with it. Without getting too corny here, I think what’s more important is just to take some time out of your day to chill out, remove yourself from the bullshit you’re wrapped up in, and put things in perspective. Some things happen that are really crucial, but the rest of them are only as crucial as you make them. If burning helps you come to that realization, then by all means, do what you do. Okay, that’s all I got for today. Here’s some slaps for your 420 playlist. Rest In Peace Guru.
I think as far as the background story goes, we’ve heard most of this before. Jay discussing the influence of his parents’ collection of classic soul, his love of New York, what it means to perform at Madison Square Garden. I think what’s crazy though is how the context of the conversation keeps changing. What makes Hov’s career so important to hip-hop is the experience of seeing just how far he can really take it. Every time we see him, the collabs are bigger, the imagery is more iconic and the story becomes more legendary. NY-Z, a collaboration with Absolut and director/photographer Danny Clinch is just the latest example, giving us a unique look at his September 11th concert at the Garden, and as always, some valuable perspective from the man himself. Clinch just killed it with this one.
Out with the old. In with the new. “Don’t be mad. It’s all about progression”. I think it’s true though. You can’t stay on the same shit forever; the only thing in life that’s constant is change, and you really just gotta roll with it sometimes. As long as you stay true to yourself, you should be cool. Nobody’s been better at adapting to change than Hov. And that’s why he’s still on top of the game, 14 years into his career. Not a personal favorite off BP3 for me, but a slap either way. Once again, Anthony Mandler did his thing on the visuals.
As the year comes to a close, we thought it was only appropriate to share with you the music that inspired us most. Off top, let me make it clear that this isn’t “top” or “best” anything. Contrary to popular opinion, this music thing is not a competition. Not to mention that trying to collapse a year’s worth of music into a comprehensive playlist just isn’t really feasible. Just ask Lily Allen, Pac Div or about 100 otherartists who easily could’ve ended up on this short list. Having said that, it’s only right to pay homage to the tracks that made our life that much more enjoyable. Whether they made us sing and dance, contemplate our lives or drive way too fast in the whip, the artists behind these 25 deserve a little recognition. Consider it their gift to you.
Interesting choice for the 4th single off BP3, but a cool video nonetheless. Without going too hard on the message tip, I think the video relates something important, that a good friend of mine has told me time after time. Life’s about the moments, and you can make them at any time. Staying young at heart is important because it allows your imagination to run wild, which allows you to make those memories happen. Okay, I’m doin a lot. Either way, a solid video for a pretty dope song.
Shit’s crazy sometimes. Life is so exciting because rarely do you really know what’s gonna happen next. Last night Jay-Z came to the Pauley Pavilion at UCLA. With N.E.R.D, Wale & J. Cole alongside, the show sold out in a matter of days. Needless to say, cats were hyped. For the past three weeks I’d been contemplating coppin a tick, but for $50 and limited bread I had started to come to grips with the reality of only hearing about the concert from friends the next day. So when last night rolled around and I found myself driving to Pauley with no ticket and no connections, I knew I had little to lose, and very much to gain.
To borrow a phrase, they never thought that hip-hop would take it this far. It would’ve been hard to imagine when Herc was rocking house parties, that a cat from Marcy Projects would one day be standing next to Bono, rocking a crowd in Berlin. I can’t call it for sure. But the evidence would certainly seem to suggest that anything’s possible.
The New York anthem from Jay and Alicia. Matt calls it grown man hip hop. Directed by Hype Williams, the video features iconic black and white shots of NY with stills consisting of all the things that make NY what it is. Still haven’t laid eyes on it though. I’m envious of those that have.
If you consider yourself a Jay fan, I recommend seeing him live. His performances are some seriously iconic shit. For the folks who were lucky enough to catch Friday night’s show at the Garden, I’m legitimately jealous. The show was a sellout within minutes. Thanks to Fuse TV though, we got the footage to capture yet another historic moment in Hovi history. Watch this all the way through and try to tell me one of your favorite artists didn’t show up. Justin, Pharrell, Mary J., John Mayer, Santi, Kanye, Rihanna, Beyonce, Diddy, Cudi…fuck a VMA’s. In any case, you know if we got it, it’s yours. Here’s the show in its entirety.
No album is safe from leakage. If it’s finished, it’s only a matter of time before it seeps out track by track to the masses. As usual, everybody took their chance to be professional Facebook music critics and let me know exactly how to feel about BP3 10 days prior to its release date. I won’t bore you with my opinion beyond saying it’s dope, and it’s still growing on me. But this track is something every hip-hop head should hear. A statement of Jay’s longevity and a salute to the hip-hop stars many of us grew up on in the post golden-age era. Honestly, I wasn’t really checking for J. Cole too often, but this looks like his Lupe on “Touch the Sky” moment. Ye and No I.D. killed it on the track too. Don’t forget to click MORE for the iciest commercial you’ve seen in a while.
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Bill might just be the realest late night host doing it these days. Week in and week out, Real Time features some of the most compelling discussions and insightful guests, offering a wide array of opinions and outlooks on some of the most pressing issues facing our country. This week, Bill sat down with Hov to discuss music, the industry and the life and times of Shawn Corey. We all know the back story, but Jay interviews always offer some serious insight. Some highlights include a discussion of the song(not)writing process, the difference between pop and hip-hop, and Bill giving Jay a book filled with every verse he’s ever dropped. For the record, it’s fucking gigantic. A dope conversation with two of my favorite entertainers. Read on for part two.
First off, can we just take a minute to consider the fucking lineup on this track? Yeezy, Hov, Rozay and Nicki would be crazy already. But guest vocals from Bon Iver and Uncle Charlie? Fresh off the news that he and Jay are set to drop a five-track album soon, Ye dropped off the first official track tonight, via Twitter. “Monster”, also the first installment of Kanye’s G.O.O.D. Music Fridays, is as varied, and maybe even as weird as the guest list looks on paper. It’s six minutes plus, and Ye went in. Nicki too. There’s a lot going on here, but at it’s best moments “Monster”, lives up to it’s name.
